What Are Acerola’s Benefits?
Acerola is a shrub or small tree that bears a delicious cherry-like fruit. Native to Mexico, South America, and Central America, this fruit has been prized for thousands of years by various indigenous cultures.
Acerola is an excellent source of vitamin C, which provides many health benefits for your immune system and more.1 Here are some of the health benefits of Acerola cherry:
1. Prevents Scurvy
Modern cases of scurvy are rare, but it can still affect people who do not consume enough vitamin C2. It can lead to anemia, debility, exhaustion, spontaneous bleeding, pain in the limbs, swelling in some parts of the body, and sometimes ulceration of the gums and loss of teeth.
2. Enhances Your Immune System
It’s no secret that vitamin C is great for your immune system. But did you know that acerola is an even better source of vitamin C than oranges? Drinking 180 milliliters of acerola juice gives you the same amount of vitamin C as 14 liters of orange juice!
3. Provides Antioxidant Protection
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals in the body that can damage your DNA, cellular proteins, and membranes, leading to premature degeneration that threatens your health and accelerates the aging process.
4. Improves Collagen Production
Vitamin C is needed for making collagen, an important component in connective tissues4. Collagen is a protein that you can find in your skin, bones, cartilage, muscles, and ligaments. It helps promote skin elasticity and joint mobility so you can look and feel younger.
5. Supports Balanced Blood Pressure
Vitamin C makes it easier for blood to get to your heart by reducing the pressure in your vessels. This helps support healthy blood pressure and long-term heart health.