Harvested exclusively in a few states in Brazil, the jabuticaba is a berry containing a variety of nutrients that can improve your health in many ways. This article delves into the benefits that jabuticaba can have for your heart as well as the rest of the cardiovascular system. Many studies have shown a range of positive effects that the jabuticaba can bring to overall cardiac well-being. Despite varying degrees of directness of the linking between jabuticaba being a potential cure for heart-related diseases, this fruit shows great promise in being widely accepted within daily diets like many others from outside of the United Kingdom (UK).

Introduction

The jabuticaba (pronounced: “ja-boo-tee-cah-buh”) is a berry cultivated in Brazil, characterised by its tart yet sweet flavour. Jabuticaba has numerous positive impacts on your health due to its nutritional content, with studies that directly investigate this. These include findings that correlate jabuticaba consumption with a reduced likelihood of heart attacks, plaque build-up and arrhythmia.¹

Aside from positive effects on your heart, jabuticaba is beneficial to other parts of your cardiovascular system (arteries, veins, capillaries), impacting the body in a general sense, via lowering high blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol levels and even reducing your risk of diabetes.

The functions of specific nutrients influence our eating habits. For example, having cereal or bread during breakfast time optimises the ability for fibre to be digested fully throughout the day. In the same way, properties of jabuticaba can give you an idea of how best to be incorporated into your diet, if you choose to do so.

Many of the nutrients that jabuticaba contains can be found in other fruits more available within the UK. This however should not undermine any desire you may have to try the jabuticaba, like any other food from anywhere around the world.

What nutrients does jabuticaba contain?

Each nutrient within jabuticaba (some of which are known as bioactive compounds) provides benefits to cardiovascular health in different ways, including:

• Vitamins C
• Anthocyanins
• Tannins
• Dietary fibre

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is primarily associated with citrus fruits and the prevention of scurvy, a symptom of which is anaemia (abnormally low levels of red blood cells). This means that a higher intake of jabuticaba promotes general oxygen circulation which is important for coronary arteries and veins - vessels that supply de/oxygenated blood to the cardiac muscle (known as the myocardium). When oxygen demand in the myocardium is not met, the cells are unable to function normally to pump oxygenated blood to the rest of the body, resulting in myocardial infarction (i.e., a heart attack) and the death of heart tissue. 

Cohort studies have produced strong evidence to suggest an inverse link between coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and vitamin C supplement intake.² This means that vitamin C is key in reducing the likelihood of severe cardiac damage which can be life-threatening.

Anthocyanins

Jabuticaba contains a family of purple pigments called anthocyanins, which are also found in blackberries, raspberries, black rice, and red cabbage. Aside from providing cells with a distinctive colour, anthocyanins have antioxidative properties, specifically reducing the formation of platelets, which can prevent clotting leading to atherosclerotic plaques, and exacerbating the blocking of coronary vessels.

There is no direct research linking anthocyanin presence in cardiac tissue with positive changes in healthy organisms, but it has been noted that patients provided with small doses of anthocyanin had less intense ischaemia (restricted blood flow to different parts of the body) and correcting hypotension (low blood pressure). These anthocyanins were obtained from grape juice, and corn, but continued research should prove that this should be no different with the jabuticaba.³

Tannins

Tannins are a group of molecules that contain phenols, bioactive compounds that are responsible for jabuticaba’s bitterness within its flavour profile but are also vasorelaxant (reduces tension within blood vessels). Arteries are blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body; this great demand means there is constant hypertension (high blood pressure) in these vessels. Layers of muscle cells and elastic tissue help stabilise arteries; however, increased blood pressure causes more stress and tension on these layers, making the vessel vulnerable to damage, which can be deadly.

The effect of tannins from jabuticaba against vasoconstriction (narrowing) was studied on isolated rat aortae (the largest artery in the body, branching from the heart). Significant relaxation was exhibited in the aortae when compared to aortae treated with verapamil, a drug that stabilises blood pressure. Jabuticaba was also found to reduce calcium ion influx in the aorta which resulted in less frequent contractions due to vasodilation (widening).⁴ Vasodilation is the primary mechanism within blood vessels to lower blood pressure, and in a vessel as crucial as the aorta, severe conditions such as aneurysms (localised bulging) and stenosis (narrowing of valves) can be avoided.⁵

Dietary fibre

Dietary fibre refers to partially or fully indigestible carbohydrate components, primarily obtained from plants; it is slowly digested throughout the day hence why fibre-rich foods such as beans and bread are typically eaten for breakfast. Dietary fibre is not technically a macromolecule but rather a mixture of plant components, not readily digestible by humans.

There is no direct research linking dietary fibre intake with coronary heart disease (CHD), but correlations in data between these two factors are linked via the presence of cholesterol. Cholesterol is chemically bound to either low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), whereby the former is considered to be “bad” cholesterol.² Your overall health regarding cholesterol is typically determined via the use of a ratio of these two types of cholesterol (LDL: HDL). LDL is considered “bad” cholesterol as it is associated with atheromatous plaques (build-up of fat and other substances within arteries) and atherosclerosis (continued damage to arteries).⁶ Depending on the location of the affected vessels, these conditions come under cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the potential of coronary artery disease if the coronary artery is affected.

Potential for UK consumption

If jabuticaba were to be commercially available within the United Kingdom, aside from extensive health and safety and legal review, there is much potential for this fruit to be incorporated into diets, either eaten unprocessed or used to make jams, wines, and dessert foods.

It is important to note that the nutrients found in jabuticaba are not exclusively beneficial to the heart or the cardiovascular system. For example, the main advantage of high-fibre diets relates to digestion and gut health, and vitamin C promotes collagen production that speeds up wound healing.

Tannins are known to have a low bioavailability, meaning only a small proportion of the substance can be utilised by the body. Research showed that tannin bioavailability to the skin could be increased by loading them into vesicles (microscopic transport vessels) containing hyaluronic acid, a compound well-known for helping reduce face wrinkles and keeping skin hydrated. In this context, there is potential for tannins to be added to moisturising creams or any topical (skin-applied) medications, provided that this does not interfere with other chemicals; only continued research can provide more insight into this.

As no evidence exclusively pointing towards heart health, it is unlikely that jabuticaba will be used for cardiac-related wellness products until more conclusive research has been carried out. For the time being, the best way to reap its benefits is simply via eating the fruit.

FAQ’s

What other fruits provide similar benefits to jabuticaba?

Given that jabuticaba is difficult to obtain outside of Brazil, one could incorporate other berries that contain antioxidants and vitamins C and E that are more widely available in the UK such as blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, pears and of course, oranges. Dietary fibre can be obtained from potatoes, beans, nuts and wholemeal breads.

Are there any negative health effects of eating jabuticaba? Is there an increased risk of diabetes?

Jabuticaba, like all berries, contains sugars such as glucose and fructose, on average 17g of carbohydrates per 100g. Despite the aforementioned health benefits of jabuticaba, consumption in excess can lead to hyperglycaemia (abnormally high sugar levels in the blood). Prolonged hyperglycaemia can be a sign of onset of diabetes mellitus.

Furthermore, excessive tannin intake is potentially harmful as a carcinogen if exposed to the body long-term. Skins of jabuticaba are used traditionally in Brazilian medicine; however large quantities can lead to constipation since tannins have anti-diarrhoeal properties.⁶

Jabuticaba, like any food, should be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet, and any concerns prior to or after jabuticaba consumption should be discussed with a GP or any other healthcare professional.

Is jabuticaba beneficial to other parts of the body?

Various benefits of jabuticaba affect the whole body in a general sense. Extracted phenols paired with probiotic bacterial strains Lactobacillus paracasei and Bifidobacterium animals (both used in yoghurt and other dairy products), showed chemoprotective qualities, reduction of cellular damage caused through chemotherapy, within colorectal cancer patients. Phenols are also found in blackberries and blueberries, which is why berries are popular and recommended to pair with yoghurt.⁷

Can jabuticaba cure heart disease?

CVDs are a family of different conditions that encompass abnormal conditions within the heart and many different factors affect the likelihood of developing them. Lifestyle choices such as diet are important, but so are things such as stress and exercise. Various uncontrollable genetic factors may be responsible as well so one food should not be held responsible for any medical conditions you may have.

Summary

The majority of the world has not seen nor heard of the jabuticaba, and many of those who are health-conscious will no doubt be interested in trying this fruit that is embedded geographically and culturally within Brazil. In truth, jabuticaba is very similar to many other fruits it is related to, such as raspberries, blackberries, and grapes, to name a few. It should not be considered so much of a “super-food” but rather another option within a healthy, balanced diet.

There is much, but mostly indirect evidence to support claims of benefit to heart health, but general safety concerns are not necessary regarding the consumption of jabuticaba. Reducing the risk of CHD and CVD ultimately comes down to a variety of lifestyle choices, not just food, however emerging research surrounding this fruit is sure to be underway.