A new berry is in town, and it's called the Maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis). It's a more-potent antioxidant than açaí and blueberries and has research to prove its health and wellness benefits. I first encountered this berry in a beauty product to help support skin integrity and prevent signs of aging. After feeling its tingling effects on my skin, I went into deep nerd mode and read some research about this cool fruit. Research shows that this Chilean berry could positively impact your health and wellness when consumed orally because of its high antioxidant capactiy! Scroll down to find out how Maqui berry could jump start your health and wellness and could be a welcome addition to your wellness ritual.

Antioxidant

The main thing behind Maqui berry is that it is a great source of Delphinidins, a potent antioxidant. Why care about this? Antioxidants basically soak up free radicals formed in the body. These free radicals have the potential to change fats (leading to heart disease), damage proteins (leading to cellular changes and wrinkles), and change DNA (leading to cancerous changes). Free radicals are naturally formed through biochemical processes, and we have proteins and enzymes that can act as great antioxidants. However, when we expose ourselves to too many environmental free-radical sources, such as pollutants and UV radiation, we need a better arsenal to help us soak up and neutralize the free radicals. Studies show that the Maqui berry has higher amounts of delphinidins than blueberries, black currants, and bilberries. Research also reveals that the Maqui berry has three times more polyphenols (anti-oxidant compounds) than red grapes, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and black berries.

Heart Health

Cool, we now know that Maqui berry is super rich in anti-oxidants. Now what? Research shows that Super Maqui Plus with Delphinol (an extract of delphinidins from Maqui Berries)  has the potential to reduce the possibility of fat oxidation and oxidative stress while improving blood vessel endothelial activity in animal models. What does that all mean? It has the potential to support heart health. By reducing the possibility of fat oxidation, you have less chances of atherosclerosis and by improving blood vessel endothelium, you have the possibility of helping reduce blood pressure.

Blood Sugar

This super berry has been shown to help support blood glucose in prediabetic patients. Studies reveal that Super Maqui with Delphinol was consumed at least 1 hour before a meal, blood glucose and insulin levels significantly reduced and that increased dosages of Delphinol cause more improvements in blood glucose and insulin levels.

Dry eyes

A pilot study investigating the impacts of the Maqui berry extract on moderately dry eyes revealed that supplementation with the extract for 60 days improved dry eyes and tear production. This study investigated whether 30 mg was more effective than 60 mg, and revealed that 60 mg was far more superior than 30 mg supplementation but that both 30 mg and 60 mg dosages were effective at improving dry eyes.

Convinced at how cool Maqui berry is yet? There's lots of awesome science out there to support its positive impact on health and wellness. So, how will you be adding in this super berry into your daily ritual?

P.S., if you thought that this was going to be another recipe because of the vegan milk tea picture above, stay tuned! I'll post the recipe for that soon.

- Dr. B

Sources:

Alvarado, Jorge L., et al. “Delphinidin-Rich Maqui Berry Extract (Delphinol®) Lowers Fasting and Postprandial Glycemia and Insulinemia in Prediabetic Individuals during Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests.” BioMed Research International, vol. 2016, 2016, pp. 1–10., doi:10.1155/2016/9070537.

Cavezzi, Attilio, et al. “Maqui and Omega 3: Effects on Lipid Profile, Oxidative Stress Levels and Psycho-Physical Items in Human Subjects.” Discovery Phytomedicine, vol. 4, no. 2, 2017, p. 26., doi:10.15562/phytomedicine.2017.42.

Cespedes, Carlos L., et al. “The Chilean Superfruit Black-Berry Aristotelia Chilensis (Elaeocarpaceae), Maqui as Mediator in Inflammation-Associated Disorders.” Food and Chemical Toxicology, vol. 108, 2017, pp. 438–450., doi:10.1016/j.fct.2016.12.036.

Davinelli, Sergio, et al. “A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of an Anthocyanin–Maqui Berry Extract (Delphinol®) on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition, vol. 34, no. sup1, 2015, pp. 28–33., doi:10.1080/07315724.2015.1080108.

Fuentes, Oscar & Fuentes, Marjorie & Badilla, Susana & Troncoso, Felipe. (2013). Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) and rutin (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside) protects against the functional impairment of the endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation caused by a reduction of nitric oxide availability in diabetes. Boletin Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromaticas. 12. 220-229. 

Hitoe, S & Tanaka, J & Shimoda, Hiroshi. (2014). MaquiBright™ standardized maqui berry extract significantly increases tear fluid production and ameliorates dry eye-related symptoms in a clinical pilot trial. Panminerva medica. 56. 1-6. 

R Watson, R & Schönlau, F. (2015). Nutraceutical and antioxidant effects of a delphinidin-rich maqui berry extract Delphinol®: a review. Minerva cardioangiologica. 63. 1-12. 

DISCLAIMER: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. There are no financial ties to any supplement companies, pharmaceutical companies, or to any of the products mentioned in this post. This post is not meant to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose conditions or diseases and is meant for educational purposes. As always, please consult your doctor before trying any new treatments or supplements.

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