What is acerola, and how much vitamin C does it contain?

Acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata), also known as Barbados cherry, is one of the most concentrated natural food sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C itself is an essential nutrient with roles in normal collagen formation, normal immune system function, protection of cells from oxidative stress and the absorption of iron from food.

What is acerola?

Acerola is a small bright red fruit from a shrub native to the Caribbean and Central and South America, now grown commercially in Brazil and parts of Southeast Asia. It is highly perishable and quite tart, so most of the harvest is processed, for example into juice, rather than eaten fresh. Beyond vitamin C, the fruit contributes vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin, and is a source of iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium, along with the anthocyanins that give it its color.

What does vitamin C do in the body?

• Contributes to normal collagen formation, for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage and gums
• Contributes to the normal function of the immune system
• Contributes to protection of cells from oxidative stress
• Increases absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods
• Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism

Humans cannot produce vitamin C, and it is water-soluble rather than stored in quantity, so intake needs to be renewed daily.

The Thai Reference Daily Intake (Thai RDI) for vitamin C, set for the general population aged 3 and over, is 100 mg a day.

Can you have too much vitamin C?

Because vitamin C is water-soluble, the body absorbs a smaller proportion of very large single doses and excretes the excess. High intakes can cause stomach upset in some people. Anyone with a medical condition, anyone taking regular medicines, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding should check with a doctor or pharmacist first.

Vitamin C comes from a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables, and acerola is simply an unusually concentrated example of one, next to the rest of a varied diet.