Acerola Nutrition Facts

Overview of Acerola Nutrition

Scientific Name: Malpighia emarginata

Order: Malpighiales

Family: Malpighiaceae

In brief acerola has: vitamin C (1677.60 mg | 1864% DV) vitamin A (38.00 mcg | 4% DV) magnesium (18.00 mg | 4% DV) copper (0.09 mg | 10% DV) Acerola (Malpighia emaginata) are known to have many names in different countries including Barbados cherry, Babaro cherry, Cerezo, etc. Acerola are characterized as small cherry-like fruit that have a citrus taste. Acerolas are green and turn red when ripe. In Southeast Asia, the unripe green fruit are often eaten as a snack. Acerola is in the Malpighiaceae family which, in fact, is a family of flowering plants related to mangroves. Acerola is one of the fruits that have the highest amount of vitamin C (1864% daily value [DV]). Vitamin C is a crucial antioxidant for the human body. Vitamin C is essential for producing collagen which improves skin health. Vitamin C is best known to be beneficial for the immune system. Vitamin C may also help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease. Vitamin A (4% DV) in acerola helps improve vision and protect eyes from eye diseases. Acerola also contains enough minerals and antioxidants. These minerals include magnesium (4% DV) and copper (10% DV). Both minerals play a role in bone and heart health. Furthermore, copper aids in the absorption of iron.

Calories

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Calories	32 kcal	2%

Carbohydrates

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Total Carbs	7.69 g	3%
Dietary Fiber	1.10 g	4%
Sugars	- g
Starch	- g

Sterols

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Cholesterol	0.00 mg	0%
Phytosterols	- mg

Fat and Fatty Acids

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Total Fat	0.30 g	0%
Saturated Fat	0.07 g	0%
Monounsaturated Fat	0.08 g
Polyunsaturated Fat, total	0.09 g
18:2 n-6 (LA), Omega-6	0.05 g
18:3 n-6 (GLA)	- g
18:3 n-3 (ALA), Omega-3	0.04 g
18:4 n-3 (SDA)	0.00 g
20:5 n-3 (EPA)	0.00 g
22:5 n-3 (DPA)	0.00 g
22:6 n-3 (DHA)	0.00 g
Trans Fat	0.00 g

Protein and Amino Acids

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Protein, total	0.40 g	1%
Tryptophan	- g
Threonine	- g
Isoleucine	- g
Leucine	- g
Lysine	- g
Methionine	- g
Cystine	- g
Phenylalanine	- g
Tyrosine	- g
Valine	- g
Arginine	- g
Histidine	- g
Alanine	- g
Aspartic Acid	- g
Glutamic Acid	- g
Glycine	- g
Proline	- g
Serine	- g

Vitamins

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Vitamin Can antioxidant and for immune health and making collagen	1677.60 mg	1864%
Thiaminfor amino acid, glucose, and lipid metabolism	0.02 mg	2%
Riboflavinfor amino acid, lipid, and vitamin B6 metabolism	0.06 mg	5%
Niacinfor digestive and skin health and nerve function	0.40 mg	3%
Pantothenic Acidfor cholesterol, fatty acid, and hormone metabolism	0.31 mg	6%
Vitamin B6for brain development, immune health, and protein metabolism	0.01 mg	1%
Folate, totalfor amino acid metabolism and preventing neural tube defects	14.00 mcg	4%
Folic Acid	0.00 mcg
Food Folate (dietary folate equivalent)	14.00 mcg
Cholinefor brain health and nerve function	- mg	-
Betainefor metabolizing an amino acid called homocysteine	- mg
Vitamin B12for nerve function and red blood cell formation	0.00 mcg	0%
Vitamin A, totalan antioxidant and for eye, immune, and reproductive health	38.00 mcg	4%
Retinol Acitiviy Equivalent	38.00 mcg
Retinol	0.00 mcg
Beta-Carotene	- mcg
Alpha-Carotene	- mcg
Beta-Cryptoxanthin	- mcg
Lycopenean antioxidant	- mcg
Lutein and Zeaxanthinantioxidants	- mcg
Vitamin E, totalan antioxidant and for cardiovascular and immune health	- mg	-
Alpha-Tocopherol	- mg
Beta-Tocopherol	- mg
Gamma-Tocopherol	- mg
Delta-Tocopherol	- mg
Vitamin Dfor calcium absorption, immune health, and muscle/nerve function	- mcg	-
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)for bone health and normal blood clotting	- mcg	-
Biotinfor amino acid, glucose, and fatty acid metabolism	- mcg	-

Minerals

Name	Amount	% Daily Value
Calciumfor bone health and muscle/nerve function	12.00 mg	1%
Ironfor carrying oxygen to cells and muscles	0.20 mg	1%
Magnesiumfor bone and heart health and muscle/nerve function	18.00 mg	4%
Phosphorusfor bone health and helping the body store and use energy	11.00 mg	1%
Potassiumfor carbohydrate metabolism and muscle/nerve function	146.00 mg	3%
Sodiumfor muscle/nerve function	7.00 mg	0%
Zincan antioxidant and for immune health	0.10 mg	1%
Copperfor iron absorption and blood vessel, bone, and immune health	0.09 mg	10%
Manganesean antioxidant	- mg	-
Seleniuman antioxidant and for reproductive health and thyroid function	0.60 mcg	1%
Iodinefor thyroid function	- mcg	-
Chromiumfor metabolizing and storing carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins	- mcg	-
Molybdenumfor metabolizing sulfites and sulfur-containing amino acids	- mcg	-
Chloridefor muscle/nerve function	- mg	-
Fluoridefor reducing tooth decay	- mg

Flavonoids

Name	Amount
Anthocyanidins
Cyanidin	15.71 mg
Pelargonidin	6.84 mg
Flavones
Apigenin	0.00 mg
Luteolin	0.00 mg
Flavonols
Kaempferol	1.05 mg
Myricetin	0.00 mg
Quercetin	4.74 mg

Others

Name	Amount
Water	91.41 g
Ash	0.20 g
Alcohol	0.00 g
Caffeine	0.00 mg
Theobromine	0.00 mg
Resveratrol	- mg
Phytoalbumin	- mg
Chlorogenic Acid	- mg

The "-" means insufficient data.

% Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet or refer to the Dietary Reference Intakes for a specific life stage.

References:

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, Current Release.

National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets. Accessed from https://ods.od.nih.gov/.