Maqui vs. Acai Berry: Which is Superior?

Over the past few years superfruits have become a common household topic. I am sure most of you have heard of Acai Berry. Before maqui 2008 Acai, from the Brazilian rainforest, was considered the highest antioxidant berry. In 2008 a new berry “Maqui” was introduced to the U.S. market and is steadily gaining awareness for its high ORAC value. The question is, which superfruit is superior in antioxidants and health benefits?

Maqui is also grown in South America in Chile and Argentina. Similar to Acai, Maqui has a very strong flavor – not one that most Americans would enjoy eating or drinking alone. Supposedly most people find Acai a bit more palatable but this is not a taste contest – food’s first job is to provide nutrition and fuel our body. Most likely Maqui will be available in a liquid form mixed with juice or dried in a capsule.

According to Andrew Goldman with Nutricap Labs, Maqui berries seem to have the “highest antioxidant potency”. To give you a comparison, the ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of the Acai Berry is 1027 while the Maqui Berry measures at 2500. The higher the ORAC number, the stronger antioxidant properties the berry possesses to fight off damaging free radicals in the body. Maqui is almost three times stronger than Acai as an antioxidant! Research has shown that antioxidants can help prevent cancer and increase cardiovascular health.

A nutritional comparison between the two berries is fairly similar, with Acai slightly ahead. Acai is high in amino acids, B’s, C, E, minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium, fiber and especially omega 3’s (fatty acid). Maqui berries are also high in minerals and vitamins such as A and C. However, Maqui is lacking the omega 3’s, which is essential in the diet and most fruits do not contain.

The Maqui Berry is still fairly new to the market and more research is currently being done in order to understand all of its benefits. In the mean time, I think it is a powerhouse food to check out and incorporate into your diet. We could all use the extra antioxidants during this time. “With 100 times the anthocyanin [antioxidant potential] power of red wine it’s certainly a promising contender in the battle for the number one superfruit position!”