What Are Acerola Cherries?

Trader Joe's has such a pulse on food trends that they often create them. Everything But the Bagel Seasoning or cauliflower gnocchi, anyone? So when they started peppering their shelves with acerola products—including Organic Acerola Puree and Absolutely Acerola Juice Shot—our ears perked up, and we put our investigator hats on.

What Are Acerola Cherries, Exactly?

Acerola cherries are one of the most potent sources of ascorbic acid, a natural form of vitamin C, and also offer a good amount of phytonutrients like carotenoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins that may play a role in chronic disease prevention. The fruit grows on trees in Texas, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, India and other areas with consistently warm temps.

Acerola cherries, also known as Barbados cherries or West Indian cherries, are generally the size of regular cherries and are orange red to ruby red in color. By the way, while they're called "cherries" and look a lot like Bings or maraschinos, acerola are technically cherry-like berries. Their flavor is tart but sweet. Since the cherries tend to spoil fairly quickly after picking, they're often made into juice, frozen or dried and ground into a powder (the latter of which is sometimes used as an ingredient in vitamin C supplements).

Acerola Cherry Nutrition

According to the USDA, 1 cup of acerola juice has 56 calories, 1 gram of protein, 12 g of carbs (including 11 g of sugar) and 1 g of fat. It also has 3,870(!) milligrams of vitamin C. This is far more than the 84 mg of vitamin C in a cup of orange juice. One cup of acerola cherries has 24 times more vitamin C than one large orange.

Why Is Acerola So Popular?

Similar to OJ, we're guessing that acerola is getting a big boost from those seeking immune support. Reminder: No specific foods, supplements or micronutrients can protect you from bacteria or viruses that can make you sick, but a well-fueled body tends to bounce back from illness quickly.

The vitamins and phytonutrients in acerola have been linked to lower cancer risk, better blood sugar control and other body-beneficial qualities, but like with all edible, drinkable or supplemental things, acerola cherries are not a cure-all. Your overall lifestyle habits matter the most. (And don't begin a new supplement regimen without talking to your doctor first.)

So here at EatingWell, we'll happily blend TJ's acerola puree into smoothie recipes for a flavor and vitamin C boost. But we'll also definitely still be regularly washing our hands, wearing sunscreen on our walks, and getting enough sleep to support our immune system.