Table of content A-Z
acerola
synonyms: Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry, wild crape myrtle
botanical name: Malpighia punicifolia, Malpighia emarginata
The acerola is native to Central America; today it is known in many tropical countries.
Availability
The fresh fruit is not suited for long-distance transport. Therefore, only products made from the acerola are available here. These can be bought year round.
Appearance, taste, characteristics
The acerola is a stone fruit and resembles our cherry in appearance; hence the synonyms mentioned above. The two fruits are not related, however.
The small round fruits of the acerola bush are orange-yellow to red. The pulp contains three orange-red seeds. It is soft, very juicy, and tastes sweet-sour to very sour. It has no specific flavour.
Ingredients
No other fruit is as rich in vitamin C as the acerola; it can contain up to 30 times more vitamin C than an orange.
100 g contain:
|
|
Acerola, fresh |
Acerola, fruit juice |
|
Energy (kcal) |
20 |
24 |
|
Water (g) |
93 |
94 |
|
Protein (g) |
<1 |
<1 |
|
Fat (g) |
<1 |
<1 |
|
Carbohydrates (g) |
4 |
5 |
|
Fibre (g) |
2 |
0 |
|
Vitamin C (mg) |
1700 |
10272 |
|
Vitamin A (RE) (µg) |
28 |
28 |
|
Folic acid (µg) |
6 |
4 |
|
Potassium (mg) |
83 |
72 |
|
Sodium (mg) |
3 |
3 |
|
Calcium (mg) |
12 |
12 |
|
Magnesium (mg) |
12 |
12 |
|
Iron (mg) |
0.2 |
0.2 |
Note: As this is a natural product, and as the information is taken from various sources and therefore from different analyses, there may be fluctuations in the nutritional facts. The minerals in particular may fluctuate, since the plant takes these from the soil, the composition of which itself can vary. Its mineral content is influenced, for instance, by fertilization. The footnotes are explained here.
Quality criteria, optimal storage conditions
As already mentioned, the fruits are unsuited for export, as they do not keep well. In Germany, therefore, you will hardly be able to purchase any fresh acerolas.
Form of consumption, use, processing, practical tips for preparation
It is possible to eat acerolas raw, but they are mainly processed as juice or pulp. These products are used especially in the beverage industry to enrich products with vitamin C. In addition, jam or ice cream can be made from the acerola. Overall, however, little acerola is used, not least because the yield is so small.
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