Malpighia Glabra
Malpighia glabra, known as Barbados cherry, acerola, or wild crapemyrtle, is an evergreen broadleaf shrub native to southern Texas in the U.S., the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America. It is known for being extremely rich in vitamin C, almost as much as camu camu, although it also contains vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3, as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids, which provide important nutritive value and have antioxidant uses.
Benefits of Malpighia glabra:
- Apart from Vitamin A and C, Malpighia glabra is loaded with several other nutrients that are essential for maintaining normal functionality of our system. These include B-Vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, folic acid, etc.) minerals and electrolytes (iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, etc.), malic acid, sugars (sucrose, fructose, dextrose, etc.), dietary fiber, protein, lipids, fatty acids, and so on.
- Malpighia glabra is packed with polyphenolic anthocyanidin compounds, such as ferulic acid, quercetin, tannins, chlorogenic acid, cyanidin-3-glycoside, and many more, which offer excellent antioxidant properties. Moreover, Vitamins A and C work as natural antioxidants. All these help to prevent infections and cellular aging by making the blood free from harmful free radicals.
- The antioxidants play a key role in making our immune system stronger. It eventually helps us stay away from inflammation, degenerative diseases, cancers, etc.
- Malpighia glabra comprises a good amount of B-complex vitamins, which assist our metabolism and makes the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats much easier.