These rare berries might be three times healthier than blueberries, which is saying a lot. Here's what you need to know.
If you were to hop into your time machine, travel back a few centuries, and visit the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina, you'd see a lot of purple. Purple clothing, purple face paint, even purple medicine.
This intense pigment was derived from maqui berries. Back then, these berries were used for food, clothing dye, and as medicinal remedies. Today, we know maqui berries as superfruits, and we're only just beginning to discover their drug-like benefits.
The super berry
The maqui berry's power comes from anthocyanins like delphinidin. This powerhouse polyphenol is known for its antioxidant properties. Maqui berries have triple the antioxidants of blueberries, making them one of the most powerful free-radical fighters.
Here's what else we know about the health benefits of maqui berries:
- Maqui berries combat inflammation linked to conditions like heart disease, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and lung conditions. In several lab studies, maqui berry compounds exhibited anti-inflammatory effects, reducing inflammation in blood vessels.
- Maqui berries help regulate blood sugar. A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition showed that a single dose of maqui berry extract before consuming sugar led to healthier post-meal blood sugar levels.
- Antioxidants in maqui berries protect eyes from light-induced damage and improve conditions like dry eye by increasing tear production. A study of people with dry eyes found that 30-60 mg of maqui berry extract daily increased tear production by approximately 50%.
- Maqui berries promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, improving gut microbiota balance.
- Maqui berries have anticancer effects by reducing cancer cell replication and inducing cancer cell death. Test-tube studies show that the berry's antioxidants suppress tumor growth and cancer cell replication.
- Maqui berries protect skin from premature aging caused by UV exposure. Test-tube studies found that maqui berry extract suppressed UV-induced cell damage.
Where to get them
Maqui berries aren't commonly found fresh in most stores outside of their native regions in South America because they're highly perishable and not a super common crop. You can, however, find them in powder and extract forms. Biotest Superfood (Buy at Amazon) contains 185 mg of maqui berries, along with 17 other whole-food extracts, including:
