Full List of Fruits Acerola fruit
Introduction of AcerolaDescription of AcerolaNutritional Value of AcerolaHealth Benefits of Acerola
Acerola Fruit
Scientific name - Malpighia emarginata
Acerola is a tropical fruit endemic to parts of the West Indies. Its large bushy shrub reaches just about 8-18 feet in height. Bearing attractive lavender and pink color flowers, it blossoms throughout the year and its fruits are a good source of mineral magnesium, vitamin niacin and panthotenic acid. Having said that, it also contains substantial amount of vitamin b1-thiamine and b2-riboflavin! The best part about the fruit is that they are of very less calories simply said; 100 g fresh berries provide just 32 calories.
Believed to be originated from the Yucatan, the Acerola fruit is distributed from South Texas, through Mexico and Central America to northern South America and throughout the Caribbean. With that said, the fruit is now been productively introduced in sub-tropical areas throughout the world. In general, the Acerola is found in dry, thorn-woodlands as a deciduous tree.
The fruit is also known by several other common names like Barbados cherry, West Indian Cherry, Cereza, Cerisier, and Semeruco. With three years’ time, the tree will produce significant numbers of red drupes with the size ranging from 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) in diameter. It comes as a pair or groups of three with triangular seeds. With high vitamin C content, the drupes are juicy and are usually acidic to sub acidic.
Depending on the environmental conditions, the nutrient composition will vary and following are some of the most common components and it includes: proteins (2.1-8.0 g), lipids (2.3-8.0 g), carbohydrates (35.7-78 g), calcium (117 mg), phosphorus (171 mg), iron (2.4 mg), pyridoxine (87 mg), riboflavin (0.7 mg), thiamine (0.2 mg), water (906-920 g) and dietary fibre (30 g).
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 32 Kcal | 1.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 7.69 g | 6% |
| Protein | 0.40 g | <1% |
| Total Fat | 0.30 g | 1.5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.1 g | 2.5% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 14 µg | 3.5% |
| Niacin | 0.400 mg | 2.5% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.309 mg | 6% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.009 mg | <1% |
| Riboflavin | 0.060 mg | 4.5% |
| Vitamin A | 767 IU | 26% |
| Vitamin C | 1677.6 mg | 1864% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 7 mg | 0.5% |
| Potassium | 146 mg | 3% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 12 mg | 1.2% |
| Copper | 0.086 mg | 9% |
| Iron | 0.20 mg | 2.5% |
| Magnesium | 18 mg | 4.5% |
| Phosphorous | 11 mg | 1.5% |
| Selenium | 0.6 µg | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.10 mg | 1% |
