Health Benefits of Acerola Cherry

Acerola cherry is just another tropical fruit with a variety of health benefits that many are touting as a fruit to improve overall health. And with health benefits such as the ability to fight cancer, reduce headaches, reduce fever, boost the immune system, strengthen the liver, improve the skin, it's no wonder why the status of acerola cherry has come a far way.

The acerola cherry originated in the Yucatan, but is also found in the Caribbean, Brazil, Texas and Central America. But far from the days of obscurity in the tropics of the Americas, the acerola cherry is now center stage among super fruits.

Acerola cherry, along with being eaten fresh, is used to flavor drinks. Acerola cherry contains high levels of Vitamin A, folate, Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin A improves our vision and removes free radicals from the body. Vitamin C repairs tissue, and helps prevent heart disease and cancer. The potassium found in acerola cherries regulates blood pressure and heart function and can even elevate our mood. Folate is essential for making new cells, protecting against heart disease and for protecting babies against mental retardation and debilitating diseases. Therefore, eating acerola cherries on a regular basis and in large amounts can help you to protect yourself against all these illnesses that acerola cherries fight against.

Acerola cherry is traditionally eaten to reduce headaches in folk medicine and recent research done at Michigan State University suggests that the folk medicine practitioners were on to something. Researchers point to the anthocyanins found in acerola cherries as the main reason why they have been used traditionally to relieve headaches. Anthocyanins contains ant-inflammatory properties that have effects much like aspirin, ibuprofen and other pain relievers.

Some other health benefits of acerola cherries emerging from folk medicine are that acerola cherries: help in relieve sore throat, fever, constipation, scurvy, diarrhea and liver disorders.

It is easy to reap all the benefits of acerola cherries. All you have to do is go to a West Indian supermarket or fruit stand and purchase a bag of acerola cherries yourself. They generally cost about $2 a bag for about 3 pounds of acerola cherries. So if you are in need of a little natural remedy to your health problems and you believe that you want to give the health benefits of acerola cherries a try, then pick up a bag of acerola cherries today.