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Acerola is often associated with its high vitamin C content. But do you know its origins and many benefits?
The history and 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 similar to that of a cherry. This is why it is also called the Antilles cherry or Barbados cherry.
Originally found in Central America, Acerola was traditionally consumed to combat certain disorders such as diarrhea or dysentery in the Amazonian tribes, and then by 17th century navigators to prevent the risk of scurvy.
Acerola then attracted 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 worldwide for consumption.
The components of Acerola
Acerola cherries have an exceptional vitamin C content : 20 to 30 times more than citrus fruits, making them 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 benefits and properties of Acerola
Acerola is attributed with numerous properties and benefits linked to the active ingredients present in the fruit.
Acerola has many properties, the main ones being:
- Anti-fatigue
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
Acerola to fight fatigue
Vitamin C does not directly provide energy since it contains no calories. However, it is associated with the mechanism of fatigue reduction.
Vitamin C helps stimulate the absorption of iron, which is an essential component in the production of hemoglobin, responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood.
When the body lacks iron, the ability to transport oxygen to cells is compromised, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and exhaustion.
The antioxidant power of Acerola
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 fight 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.
The anti-inflammatory action of Acerola
Acerola has an anti-inflammatory action.
This property was highlighted during a study carried out in 2003. Acerola would thus help reduce inflammation in immune system cells 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 of these properties are currently the subject of numerous studies.
Acerola in food supplements
Acerola could almost be considered the ideal fruit.
It 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, we use it as a source of natural Vitamin C in Iron + Vitamin C, B9 and Carrot 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)
