The Acai Berry - You Won't Think About Fruit The Same Way Again
You've no doubt heard about the acai berry; it's a small tropical fruit which has everyone abuzz. There are many ads on TV and radio touting the benefits of various brands of acai berry juice - the acai may be a newcomer to most of us, but the berry has long been an important and beloved fruit in South America.
The fruit of the acai palm, a member of the Euterpe genus, is native to the Amazon River basin region in Brazil and other South American countries. The acai berry is a staple of the diet in the regions where it is grown, as well as being an important ingredient in traditional remedies for everything from skin ulcers to diarrhoea. The particular acai palm which has everyone so excited however is the Euterpe oleracea.
The acai palm grows in a classic palm shape, reaching heights of as much as 80 feet. The long, thin trucks have fruiting branches near the top with long, narrow leaves. The branches, when fruiting will bear clusters of three to eight purple-black berries, each around the size of a blueberry. The fruit is mostly seed by weight; it is the pulp of the acai berry which contains the amazing health benefits of the fruit.
It has been only about seven years since the acai berry made its entrance to the world outside of the South American countries where the berry is native to. These berries are highly perishable, starting to spoil in only hours after harvesting. Because of this short shelf life, it is difficult to export the berry. Fortunately for the rest of the world, companies began processing the berries after harvest, making this fruit exportable for the first time.
Just 100 grams of freeze dried acai powder contain an astonishing 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrate, 44.2 g dietary fiber, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. While it's unusual to consume this much acai at once, it should give you an idea of just how rich in nutrients this berry is. Acai juice is a good source of fibre, antioxidant compounds and essential fatty acids.
The antioxidant rich berry has been the subject of a lot of research. Antioxidants are thought to prevent many diseases; acai extracts have been tested at the University of Florida for its effectiveness in fighting leukaemia. The result? Acai extract caused 86% of leukaemia cells to self-destruct. A University of Rio de Janeiro showed that acai extract may improve cardiovascular function as well.
Yet another study done on acai's antioxidant activity found that 12 volunteers given an acai extract had higher antioxidant levels in their system when tested one and two hours afterwards - with the antioxidant levels in their blood increasing between the first and second hour!
Other effects which have been reported include enhanced mental clarity, improved digestive function, a higher energy level and a slowing of the aging process on the cellular level, among others. Not every benefit of the acai berry which has been claimed has yet been proved, but many other high-antioxidant foods have been shown to have these effects.
There is another health benefit which the acai berry may be able to offer, this one unrelated to its nutritional properties per se. Acai berry pulp has shown some promise for improving the way that MRI exams are performed on the GI tract - this berry may make even medical testing healthier! - 17268
The fruit of the acai palm, a member of the Euterpe genus, is native to the Amazon River basin region in Brazil and other South American countries. The acai berry is a staple of the diet in the regions where it is grown, as well as being an important ingredient in traditional remedies for everything from skin ulcers to diarrhoea. The particular acai palm which has everyone so excited however is the Euterpe oleracea.
The acai palm grows in a classic palm shape, reaching heights of as much as 80 feet. The long, thin trucks have fruiting branches near the top with long, narrow leaves. The branches, when fruiting will bear clusters of three to eight purple-black berries, each around the size of a blueberry. The fruit is mostly seed by weight; it is the pulp of the acai berry which contains the amazing health benefits of the fruit.
It has been only about seven years since the acai berry made its entrance to the world outside of the South American countries where the berry is native to. These berries are highly perishable, starting to spoil in only hours after harvesting. Because of this short shelf life, it is difficult to export the berry. Fortunately for the rest of the world, companies began processing the berries after harvest, making this fruit exportable for the first time.
Just 100 grams of freeze dried acai powder contain an astonishing 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrate, 44.2 g dietary fiber, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. While it's unusual to consume this much acai at once, it should give you an idea of just how rich in nutrients this berry is. Acai juice is a good source of fibre, antioxidant compounds and essential fatty acids.
The antioxidant rich berry has been the subject of a lot of research. Antioxidants are thought to prevent many diseases; acai extracts have been tested at the University of Florida for its effectiveness in fighting leukaemia. The result? Acai extract caused 86% of leukaemia cells to self-destruct. A University of Rio de Janeiro showed that acai extract may improve cardiovascular function as well.
Yet another study done on acai's antioxidant activity found that 12 volunteers given an acai extract had higher antioxidant levels in their system when tested one and two hours afterwards - with the antioxidant levels in their blood increasing between the first and second hour!
Other effects which have been reported include enhanced mental clarity, improved digestive function, a higher energy level and a slowing of the aging process on the cellular level, among others. Not every benefit of the acai berry which has been claimed has yet been proved, but many other high-antioxidant foods have been shown to have these effects.
There is another health benefit which the acai berry may be able to offer, this one unrelated to its nutritional properties per se. Acai berry pulp has shown some promise for improving the way that MRI exams are performed on the GI tract - this berry may make even medical testing healthier! - 17268
About the Author:
Author: Marcus C. Evans discusses results of studies conducted on the acai berry on his site where you can also find more about the amazing nutritional properties of the acai fruit.
posted by X - Men at
12:58 AM
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