In recent years, the Acai berry has gained a fair share of attention from the media and nutrition community. A common ingredient in trendy sports drinks and juice concentrates, it is responsible for making the health benefits of antioxidants common knowledge among much of the general public.
The Acai berry was based on the scientific ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale to compare itself to other antioxidant-rich foods to earn the title of Superberry. Unfortunately for the Acai berry, there’s a new berry catching the spotlight, and the same ORAC scale that made Acai a star is now proving Maqui to be the world’s most potent superfruit.
To give you a better idea of the little berries that claim to have a big impact on your health, let’s put the Acai Berry and the Maqui Berry side by side for a fair comparison.
Origin:
Acai Berries: Grows high on the Acai palm tree, native to the Amazon rainforest and the tropical forests of South and Central America.
Maqui Berries – The fruit of the Maqui shrub, a type of small evergreen tree, native to the relatively quiet Patagonia Region of Chile and Argentina.
Appearance:
Acai: Deep blue in color, these berries are approximately 25mm in diameter.
Maqui – These small deep rich purple berries are about 4-6mm in diameter.
Medical statement:
Both Acai and Maqui berries have properties that provide health benefits for humans.
These properties include:
• Weightloss
• Detoxifying/cleansing
• Antiaging
• Relief for fever, sore throat, diarrhea, childbirth
• Prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antimicrobial
• Improved immunity
• Improved sleep, energy and stamina
The science:
Superficially similar in many ways, what sets the Maqui berry and the Acai berry apart is their science.
Fatty acids:
Acai – contains omega 3 fatty acids. A diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides and increase good cholesterol. Omega 3s can help prevent blood clotting, reduce high blood pressure, and protect the body from the buildup of a protein that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Maqui – contains omega 9 fatty acids. A diet rich in omega 9 can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce hardening of the arteries, thus reducing the risk of serious heart disease. Omega 9 can help reduce insulin resistance (improving blood glucose levels), improve immune function, and protect against various types of cancer.
Antioxidants and anthocyanins:
Maqui and Acai berries are rich in Antioxidants, Anthocyanins and Polyphenols, the “active principles” that make them the most powerful of the known Superfruits.
Anthocyanins are antioxidants present in the pigments of blue, red, or purple fruits and berries.
The deep purple color of the Maqui berry is the result of the highest level of anthocyanins and polyphenols produced in fruits worldwide, and as such, the Maqui berry has the highest level of antioxidants of any known fruit and berry in the world. planet.
ORAC scale:
The most common method for measuring the amounts of antioxidants in foods was developed by nutrition researchers at TUFFS University, who created the ORAC scale. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (the antioxidant capacity of a food to combat and neutralize the effects of oxygen free radicals in the system).
Acai – has an ORAC value of approximately 16,000 units/100g.
Maqui-has the highest ORAC value with approximately 27,600 ORAC units/100g. The ORAC values of the Maqui berry are more than 3 times higher than those of pomegranate, 5 times higher than those of blueberries and 100 times higher than those of red wine.
Studies show that the average North American and European diet typically provides only 3 to 5,000 ORAC units per day. Nutritionists estimate that the human body needs a minimum of 12,000 ORAC units per day to maintain a basic level of good health.
Due to the antioxidant superpowers of the Maqui berry, the University of Chile School of Medicine and international food scientists have been conducting extensive research to unlock the potential of Maqui. The World Health Organization recently announced that they have written a $5 million grant to conduct additional medical research on the health benefits of the Maqui Superberry.
Acai Products vs. Maki:
Acai – The market is currently flooded with Acai products: pulp, juice concentrate, sports drinks, powders, and capsules. Acai berries and crop sizes are much larger than Maqui and therefore the product is more available for mass production.
Maqui – The Maqui berry will be marketed to consumers in the same way as Acai, but its reputation and scientific backing remain untouched by the scams and scams that have plagued Acai berry products of late.
There are only a small number of facilities that are certified to produce pure, organic Maqui using state-of-the-art freeze-drying and filtration methods, so only the purest and most potent form of Maqui is marketed. High quality and scarcity have put Maqui in high demand.
Maqui Berry is clearly healthier than Acai Berry:
The proof is in the science. When the powerful antioxidant health benefits of Maqui Berry are compared to those of Acai, Maqui hands down wins the title and support of the scientific community as the #1 Healthiest Superfruit in the World.