AGUAJE - "the miracle fruit"

Aguaje is a native of the Amazon rainforest and has been grown and consumed there long before the first Europeans came to the New World. It has a wealth of nutritional benefits and medicinal uses, especially for women's health problems associated with hormonal imbalances.

 

However, this miracle fruit, which has long been a staple of the diet of the Amazonian people and is still widely used for both nourishment and healing, didn't reach international markets or come to the notice of scientists until the first decades of the twenty-first century. Learn more about the advantages of aguaje, its nutritional worth, and more by continuing to read.

 

Advantages of Aguaje for Health

Preliminary studies on the traditional uses of the fruit of the moriche palm point to the following benefits of aguaje, even though there is still a lack of adequate scientific study in this area:

 

  • Postmenopausal and PMS symptoms relief. Aguaje is high in phytoestrogens, so it can alleviate menstrual discomforts and menopause symptoms caused by an estrogen shortage.

 

  • Encouraging good ocular health

Aguaje oil aids in preventing xerophthalmia, or the progressive loss of eyesight brought on by a vitamin A deficiency, due to its astounding quantities of pro-vitamin A compounds.

 

  • Supporting skin wellness. High concentrations of antioxidant substances in aguaje fruit protect the body from UV rays and promote healthy hair, nails, and skin.

 

Moreover, studies have also looked at additional aguaje advantages, like treating bacterial infections and reducing cholesterol. The antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of aguaje have also been linked to possible involvement in the prevention of heart disease.

 

Due to the purported ability of this moriche palm fruit to increase breast size, it has also earned the nickname "curvy fruit." However, science has not yet been able to back up this popular claim.

How It Functions

Tocopherols, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, fiber, carotenoids, phytoestrogens, and vital fatty acids are the fruit's primary bioactive components, along with fiber and phytoestrogens.

 

Lespeflorin G8 (LF) and 8-hydroxyhomopterocarpan, two distinctive substances found in the aguaje fruit, have recently come to light. Both of these appear to be responsible for the moriche palm fruit's estrogenic properties.

 

These mild phytoestrogen substances, especially LF, have been shown to effectively bind with the human estrogen receptor (ER), thereby reducing symptoms brought on by hormonal imbalances.

 

Nutrients of this fruit such as fatty acids work together with high levels of tocopherols and carotenoids, to prevent vision loss, soften the skin, and hasten the healing process after injuries.

 

Aguaje extracts have mild antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against specific bacterial strains and have also been shown to modulate the activity of conventional antibiotics.

Cautions

There are no circumstances in which ingesting aguaje might conflict with using drugs or other substances. However, people with a history of cancer are recommended to stay away from all estrogenic foods and supplements because their use is linked to an increased chance of breast cancer in women.

 

Since aguaje berry supplements contain high levels of phytoestrogens, it is not recommended to take them while pregnant or nursing.

 

 

 

References:

  1. Food Chemistry, Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L. f.) fruit by-products flours: Evaluation as source of dietary fibers and natural antioxidants, 2019.
  2. Forest Ecology and Management, Managing Amazonian palms for community use: A case of aguaje palm (Mauritia flexuosa) in Peru, 2009
  3. Molecules, Effects of Dietary Brazilian Palm Oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) on Cholesterol Profile and Vitamin A and E Status of Rats, 2015 | High-Quality Biodiesel Production from Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa) Oil Soapstock, 2018
  4. Natural Bioactive Compounds from Fruits and Vegetables as Health Promoters - Part 1, p. 255
  5. PeerJ - the Journal of Life and Environmental Sciences, Chemical analysis and evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of fruit fractions of Mauritia flexuosa L. f. (Arecaceae), 2018
  6. Pharmacognosy Journal, Comparative Studies Between Mauritia flexuosa and Mauritiella armata, 20
  7. Bioactive Compounds in Health and Disease. (2019). Hydroxypterocarpans with estrogenic activity in Aguaje, the fruit of Mauritia flexuosa (Peruvian moriche palm). Retrieved November 29, 2021 from https://ffhdj.com/index.php/BioactiveCompounds/article/view/585
  8. Functional Foods in Health and Disease. (2020). Moriche Palm (Aguaje) Extract improves indefinite complaints in Japanese females: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Retrieved November 29, 2021 from https://www.ffhdj.com/index.php/ffhd/article/view/742

 

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