Maqui Berry Vs. Acai Berry

Before the discovery of the maqui berry, the acai berry was considered the most nutritious fruit, mainly due to its antioxidant content. The acai berry is immensely rich in anthocyanins and flavonoids, the compounds known for their potent antioxidant activities.

But recently, maqui berries have been found to contain more antioxidants than acai berries, and this is the reason why they are now promoted to be superior than acai berries. Before going into the details of which one of these berries is nutritionally superior than the other, let's find out more about these two berries.

Maqui berries are quite new to the market, as compared to acai berries, as they have been discovered recently in the jungles of South America. But soon after their discovery, maqui berries have grabbed the attention of the entire world, due their high antioxidant value.

The berries can help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, besides being beneficial for the digestive system, skin, bones, and the joints of the body. In addition to antioxidants, the berries contain vitamin A, C, and minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron. However, they do not contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Acai berries are reddish or purple-colored fruits of the acai palm or Euterpe oleracea, which is native to the regions of Central and South America. The antioxidant content of these berries is one of the highest, which has made them immensely popular throughout the world.

Due to their high antioxidant value, the berries are believed to be effective in reducing oxidative stress. They can also help lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Apart from antioxidants, the berries contain vitamin B, C, E, dietary fiber, omega-3 essential fatty acids, and several minerals.

Maqui and acai berries are compared on the basis of their antioxidant values. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value is the measure of antioxidants found in different foods. The antioxidant value of maqui berries has been found to be almost 3 to 4 times more than that of the acai berries.

Thus, a huge difference exist between the antioxidant values of these two types of berries, which in turn, can have a significant impact on their effectiveness in fighting the harmful free radicals.

On the basis of the antioxidant value, the maqui berry is often considered to be superior than the acai berry, and therefore, it is promoted as the new super berry.

Antioxidants basically neutralize the highly reactive free radicals, and thereby minimize the harmful effects of the free radicals on the body cells and tissues. By neutralizing the free radicals, antioxidants can reduce the risk of diseases like cancer.

The more the antioxidant value of a particular food, the more potent it is in fighting the free radicals. In this regard, the maqui berry can be considered more nutritious than the acai berry. However, the maqui berry does not contain omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are known to be beneficial for the health of the heart and the cardiovascular system.

In this regard, acai berries can be more nutritious than maqui berries.

The choice between these two berries is however, completely personal, as factors other than antioxidant level can play an important role in preferring one over the other. For example, acai berries may be better for someone, when it comes to taste and flavor.

But maqui berries can be more effective in protecting the body from free radicals, on the basis of their ORAC value. However, both the berries are high in antioxidants, and so, both can protect the body from free radicals.

Both acai and maqui berries can detoxify the body from toxins, boost the health of the heart, and promote digestion and blood circulation.