Acerola (Malpighia Emarginata) produces a sweet, fragrant, red berry that is the richest source of vitamin C in the entire plant kingdom! The pink-blossomed evergreen shrub is native to South America, Mexico, the West Indies, and the Caribbean. Acerola’s common names include ‘Barbados cherry’ and ‘West Indian cherry.’ Supplementing with acerola can shorten and reduce severity of the common cold, kill bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, alleviate and prevent diarrhea, tighten prematurely aging skin, and improve memory.
Besides vitamin C, acerola contains:
- Vitamin A
- Antioxidants
- Calcium
- Iron
- Niacin (vitamin B-3)
- Phosphorus
- Riboflavin (vitamin B-2)
- Thiamine (vitamin B-1)
Shortening the Common Cold
Infections and stress cause a decline in vitamin C levels in white blood cells. Regular vitamin C supplementation helps the body fight infection, and slightly reduces a cold’s duration and symptom severity. Acerola is the richest source of vitamin C in nature, containing 50-100 times more vitamin C than a lemon or an orange. As a dietary source of vitamin C, it confers additional health benefits that synthetic isolates lack. For instance, the antioxidant phytonutrients present in acerola potentiate the bioavailability of vitamin C in the human body.
Preventing Urinary Tract Infection
UTIs are common infections that occur when bacteria, usually E. Coli, enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract. Vitamin C appears to have a bacteriostatic effect on urine. It prevents the growth of bacteria in urine by reducing urinary nitrites to reactive nitrogen oxides. This helps prevent urinary tract infections. That’s why we include acerola in NutraFlow, a tea blend that supports healthy urinary tract function.
Preventing Diarrhea
Acerola has astringent properties, meaning it causes skin cells and bodily tissues to contract. In cases of diarrhea, the herb contracts mucus membranes to limit fluid loss, decrease secretions, and reduce the gut wall’s permeability. This relieves diarrhea symptoms and prevents dehydration. Acerola’s high vitamin C concentration can also alleviate diarrhea symptoms. Pectin in acerola acts as a dietary fiber which acts as a prebiotic, supporting health gut microbiota and preventing diarrhea. If excess vitamin C is causing your diarrhea, you should reduce your intake of acerola.
Boosting Skin Health
Thanks to its astringent and antimicrobial properties, acerola is an effective topical cream that promotes skin health. It tightens pores and kills acne-causing bacteria. Its high vitamin C content supports healthy collagen production and fights free radicals that cause premature aging.
Preventing Memory Loss
Anthocyanins are phytonutrients, or antioxidant plant pigment compounds found in blue, red, and purple fruits. Anthocyanins prevent inflammation and offer neuroprotective benefits. As you can see from its bright red color, acerola is rich in anthocyanins. Supplementing with anthocyanin-rich acerola can help prevent cognitive decline. An animal study concluded that acerola juice offset some detrimental brain effects of an obesity-associated diet by reducing oxidative stress and reversing inhibition of energy metabolism.
Processing Acerola
Mature acerola berries are red. They are also soft and fragile because they’re composed of 80% juice! Acerola berries are not shelf-stable; once harvested, they’re good for only five days, and so cannot be sold fresh. The vitamin C content declines as the berry ripens, with highest levels recorded while the berry is still green and lowest when the fruit is red and fully ripe. However, in powder form, acerola’s nutrition and medicinal benefits are preserved and can be incorporated into tea blends, smoothies, and more. Our tea blend NutraFlow contains dried and powdered acerola berry.
NutraFlow
NutraTea herbalists blended herbs that collectively support healthy urinary tract function to create NutraFlow. 15% of the blend is composed of acerola berry powder! The sweet berry’s high vitamin C concentration enables it to eliminate UTI-causing bacteria in urine. Help your body fight off urinary tract infections by welcoming acerola into your life.
