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Acerola is often associated with the vitamin C which it contains in large quantities. But do you know its origin and its many qualities?
The origins of acerola
Acerola is the edible fruit of a shrub (Malpighia emarginata ) endemic to the Amazon rainforest. Red in color, its appearance is very close to that of cherry. This is why it is also called West Indian cherry or Barbados cherry.
Initially present in Central America, Acerola was traditionally consumed to combat certain disorders such as diarrhea or dysentery among Amazonian tribes, then by 17th century navigators to prevent the risk of scurvy.
Acerola then aroused the interest of European scientists in the 1950s after the discovery of its many virtues. The fruit tree is now cultivated in South America, particularly in Brazil, Peru and Venezuela, and exported around the world for consumption.
The benefits of Acerola
Acerola is attributed with numerous properties linked to the active ingredients present in the fruit.
The components of Acerola
The acerola cherry has an exceptional vitamin C content : 20 to 30 times more than citrus fruits, it is one of the fruits richest in ascorbic acid.
Acerola is also rich in flavonoids which give it antioxidant properties and also contains Vitamin B6.
Depending on the nature of the soil where it is grown, Acerola can also contain Iron, Calcium, phosphorus (stimulating intellectual activity), magnesium and other trace minerals in significant quantities.
The success of acerola can be explained both by its nutritional properties and the availability of the resource from sustainable agriculture.
The properties of Acerola
Acerola has many properties, the main ones being:
- Anti-fatigue (improves iron absorption):
Although vitamin C does not provide energy since it contains no calories, it is associated with the mechanism of reducing fatigue.
It is involved in many biological processes essential to our dynamism .
- Antioxidant
As explained above, Acerola contains many flavonoids. These are actually the colored pigments that give the plant its colors.
Flavonoids are known for their antioxidant properties. They will fight against free radicals formed by the degradation of oxygen in the body and thus limit the effects of aging and cell degradation caused by these molecules.
- Anti-inflammatory:
This property was highlighted during a study carried out in 2003. Acerola thus makes it possible to reduce inflammation on cells of the immune system such as macrophages. (1)
Acerola is also known for other properties such as: anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity or anti-cancer activity (2).
All these properties are currently the subject of numerous studies.
Conclusions:
Acerola could almost be considered the ideal fruit. This fruit is also used for its many benefits and is found in many formulations in the form of juice, powder or tablets.
For our Argalys Essentiels supplements as a source of natural Vitamin C for our Iron + Vitamin C, B9 and Carrot supplements as well as in our Immuno Tonus Bio supplement.
Sources :
- Wakabayashi H, Fukushima H, Yamada T, et al. Inhibition of LPS-stimulated NO production in mice
macrophage-like cells by Barbados cherry, a fruit of Malpighia emarginata DC. Anticancer Res. 2003;23(4):3237-3241. - Nagamine, I., Akiyama, T., Kainuma, M., Kumagai, H., Satoh, H., Yamada, K., Yano, T., and Sakurai, H. Effect of acerola cherry extract on cell proliferation and activation of ras signal pathway at the promotion stage of lung tumorigenesis in mice. Journal of Nutritional Science Vitaminology (Tokyo)
