Originally posted on https://oracbeverages.com/what-is-cascara/

Many of you may be wondering just what this main ingredient is we cold brew our teas with.

Cascara is the small, red or purple fruit that houses the coffee bean(s). The coffee cherry is the outside and the berry houses the bean(s). Until recently this fruit was regularly being discarded or used for compost after the extraction of the bean.

Cascara has been proven to contain more nutrients, and a higher amount of antioxidants than any other part of the plant. But that’s not all. It also contains more antioxidants than most other sources we consume, such as blueberries, raspberries, acai berries, and tart cherries.

Coffee fruits’ caffeine content is significantly lower than the bean, making it a better energizing alternative option for those who are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine. It is much less likely to cause caffeine overdose issues like jitters, anxiety or insomnia.

As highlighted by Dr. Josh Axe, here are the Top 5 Benefits of Coffee Fruit:

1. High in Antioxidants which fight free radicals to protect against oxidative stress and damage to cells (incl. coronary heart disease, cancer and diabetes).
2. Promotes Brain Health through BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a type of protein that is crucial to neuron health, helping encourage the growth of new neurons in the brain and support the survival of existing brain cells. And BDNF may be especially important when it comes to long-term memory formation and storage.
3. May Lower Blood Pressure through its rich amounts of chlorogenic acid, a type of phenolic compound that’s been known to help lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
4. Could Enhance Immunity (studies have only been conducted on animals) Consumption of coffee cherry extract was able to increase the activity of immune cells in mice.
5. May Have Anti-Cancer Activities by suppressing the growth and spread of cancer cells. In mice, coffee cherry extract was able to significantly reduce tumor growth by nearly 54% after just 10 days.

1. Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS, is a doctor of chiropractic, certified doctor of natural medicine and clinical nutritionist with a passion to help people eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.