Diet & Nutrition 4 MIN READ 2642 VIEWS June 2, 2022

Acerola Cherry Benefits You Must Explore

Written By HealthKart
Medically Reviewed By Dr. Aarti Nehra

Acerola cherry benefits
Acerola Cherry Nutritional Profile
Acerola Cherry Benefits for Your Health
Conclusion

Also known as Barbados cherry or the West Indies cherry, Acerola cherry is a popular fruit that is native to the Western Hemisphere’s tropical regions. This shrub-like plant is believed to have originated in the Caribbean and southern Mexico. It has gained immense popularity in the natural health domain owing to its high vitamin C content. In addition to possessing 30 times more vitamin C than oranges, this super fruit is a rich source of numerous essential nutrients such as vitamin A, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, carotenoids, vitamin B, minerals, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. With its impressive nutritional profile, acerola cherry is widely used in traditional and modern medicine. Traditionally, it is used to treat liver ailments, dysentery, diarrhoea, colds, and coughs. It is believed that this tropical super fruit has a number of health and wellness benefits, however, not all of these are backed by research. Let’s discuss acerola cherry benefits and properties further.

Acerola Cherry Nutritional Profile

The numerous acerola benefits are primarily a result of its impressive nutritional profile. So, here are some of the major nutrients found in this tropical fruit.

  1. Vitamin C

Acerola cherry contains 1500 to 4500 milligrams of ascorbic acid per 100 grams, which is more than 30 to 50 times that of a lemon or orange. 

  1. Vitamins and Minerals

These cherries are also packed with vitamin A, riboflavin (B2), thiamin (B1), niacin (B3), folate (B9), and pantothenic acid (B5) as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, selenium, copper, and zinc. 

  1. Flavonoids

This tropical fruit contains various flavonoids such as rutin, which can be incredibly beneficial, especially when it comes to preventing damage to cells caused by free radicals. 

  1. Anthocyanins

Serving as potent antioxidants, anthocyanins give acerola cherry its deep red colour. They are quite beneficial as they help in deterring harmful organisms. 

  1. Phenolic Acids

Acerola cherry is also a rich source of phenolic acids, which are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants not only protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals but also prevent early ageing and various diseases. 

Acerola Cherry Benefits for Your Health

There are numerous known health benefits of acerola cherry such as:

  1. Strengthens Immune System

Being impressively rich in vitamin C content, one of the major acerola benefits is combating flu, scurvy, and the common cold. Numerous studies indicate that consuming whole foods rich in vitamin C results in a strong immune system. Vitamin C boosts the production of white blood cells called phagocytes and lymphocytes, which help in protecting your body against certain viruses and infections. Consequently, consumption of vitamin C has been shown to decrease the longevity of colds by 5% to 21%. 

Vitamin C aids your body’s natural defence system and helps it combat viruses, infections, and even cancer. According to one study, acerola cherries with high vitamin C and antioxidant content can help the body in preventing the growth of colon cancer. Moreover, vitamin C is essential for maintaining normal immune function and promoting cellular functions of your immune response as well as antibody-producing stages. Packed with powerful phytonutrients, acerola cherries help in preventing oxidative stress that can result in ageing and diseases. 

  1. Boosts Brain Function

Another one of the major acerola cherry benefits is that it is really good for your brain. Containing high levels of anthocyanins, this superfruit can aid in improving the function of your brain receptors and preventing memory loss as well as other cognitive disorders. Packed with the power of antioxidants, it protects the brain, specifically the hippocampus, against inflammation and oxidative stress caused by obesity and poor diet, preventing damage to brain cells and neurons. 

Although there is still a shortage of clinical trials in the area, plant-derived antioxidants have shown promising evidence of slowing down the growth of various neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Several animal studies also indicate that acerola cherry can promote brain health with its powerful anti-fatigue activity. Moreover, research shows that stress and inflammation can hurt cognitive function, which makes the strong anti-inflammatory properties of acerola quite helpful. 

  1. Improves Skin Health

When talking about acerola cherry benefits, improvement in skin health is something that cannot be missed. Ideal for treating dry, dull, and irritated skin, acerola can prove to be great for the overall health of your skin. It provides your skin with deep hydration by decreasing transepidermal water loss, enabling your skin to retain more moisture. The polyphenol extracts from acerola have skin-lightening effects. This tropical superfruit helps protect your skin against ultraviolet-B radiation from the sun and smoothes out your complexion. 

The high vitamin C content in these cherries has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which can help in reducing redness, evening out your skin tone, and slowing down the signs of ageing. As collagen plays a key role in maintaining the skin structure and function, vitamin C boosts collagen production; helping diminish wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of ageing. Moreover, vitamin C in acerola also helps in reducing hyperpigmentation and accelerating wound healing. 

In addition to being high in vitamin C, acerola cherry is also a rich source of vitamin A, which is also known for promoting skin health. Research conducted at Brown University found that there was a 17% decrease in the risk of getting the second most common form of cancer called squamous cell carcinoma in people whose diets contained high amounts of vitamin A. Also, research shows that vitamin A helps in treating acne and slowing down ageing. 

Conclusion

In addition to the ones mentioned above, there are several more known acerola cherry benefits like boosting energy levels, aiding digestion, and keeping the body youthful. While not all of these benefits are backed by enough evidence and research, it is still considered a good idea to add a healthy dose of acerola cherry to your daily diet. 

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