Açaí is a super fruit from the Amazon Rainforest where it has been consumed as a food and juice for many years. Acai is the only super berry on the market that has everything that you need, naturally from only the berry itself. It packs B, C, and E vitamins, Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Fiber, Proteins, omegas, and essential fatty acids to help you fight cholesterol problems and more.
Acai’s Anti-Oxidant factors play a large role in maintenance of cardiovascular system, which is important for better blood circulation.
Antocianine, one of the main substances in the acai berry, is high in antioxidants like Vitamins C and E and helps the body fight of free radicals in the environment. Harmful substances in the air like smog, cigarette smoke, and even the damaging effects of the sun can be significantly reduced by taking acai.
While there are a number of other fruits that fight off antioxidants, none of them come close to the acai. Acai berries are up to six times more potent than noni or mangosteen, so a daily intake of acai could protect you from contracting colds or the flu, as well as give your skin a healthy glow.
Acai has a significant amount of calcium, which can help prevent osteoporosis, especially in women. Calcium helps to strengthen the bones and prevent fractures, especially in the hip, spine, and wrist, and in addition with the right diet filled with other calcium-rich foods and Vitamin D, osteoporosis can also be effectively treated.
In addition to osteoporosis prevention, women with extreme menstrual pain can also benefit from acai . Calcium-rich foods tend to coat the lining of the stomach and uterus, and reduce the pain that comes from cramps and bloating.
Acai berries can help to lower cholesterol levels due to their high fiber content. The high fiber in content can also help to prevent colon cancer, since the fiber in the acai berry helps to move substances through the digestive track and arteries. The berries contain Omega-3 fatty acids as well, another substance that lowers cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids can also improve the health of your skin because it improves circulation and increase the level of protein in the body.
A recent report using a standardized oxygen radical absorbance capacity or ORAC analysis on a freeze-dried açaí powder found that this powder showed a high antioxidant effect against peroxyl radical (1027 micromol TE/g). This is approximately 10% more than lowbush, blueberry, or cranberry on a dry weight basis. The ORAC value for this freeze-dried powder was significantly higher than when other methods of drying the fruit were tested.
Açai was recently featured on the Oprah Winfrey daytime television show as being the top super food for age-defying beauty.
In addition to it’s beauty boosting properties, some other commonly reported benefits of Açai include:
- Improves mental function
- High antioxidant activity
- Fights premature aging
- Helps increase energy levels
- Helps to boost the immune system
In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm was described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up such a major component of diet (up to 42% of the total food intake by weight) and is economically valuable in the region. The juice and pulp of açaí fruits (Euterpe oleracea) are frequently used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, açaí (or jussara, which is one of the fruit’s common folk names) is traditionally served in gourds called “cuias” with tapioca and, depending on the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet (sugar, rapadura and honey are known to be used in the mix). Açaí has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as açaí na tigela (“açaí in the bowl”), mostly mixed with granola – a fad where açai is considered as an energizer. Açaí is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice.
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