Just when you thought you’d tried all the superfoods out there, meet the maqui berry. If you thought acai was high in antioxidants, maqui is actually 2-3 times higher (per gram of pulp), and is considered one of the highest (if not the highest) source of antioxidants out there! Here’s the lo-down on this new buzzed about super fruit.

WHAT IS MAQUI BERRY

Maqui is a deep purple berry that grows on evergreen trees in Chile and Argentina. Consumed for hundreds of years as fresh fruit or juice (though it’s only available in powder form in North America) for their medicinal properties, maqui berries are extremely high in antioxidants, specifically a type of anthocyanin (a blue, violet, or red flavonoid pigment found in plants), called delphinidins, which are are also found in Concord grapes, blueberries, and blackberries.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS

By now you can probably guess that the main benefit of maqui berries is their impressive amount of antioxidants. We all know how great antioxidants are for us, but its their ability to slow down pre-mature aging and DNA damage that makes them so powerful (think youthful looking skin!). Maqui berries are also known to potentially help with blood sugar management (potentially helpful for diabetes), cholesterol and boosting energy and metabolism.

HOW TO — USE IT

We’ve recently started taking capsules from Super Maqui, which you can add to your water or smoothie (they have virtually no taste and create a beautiful purple colour), or you can simply swallow them in their capsule form.