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Saturday, March 21, 2009

Don't Rule Out Acai Yet

By Arron Terrance

Acai is actually a type of Palm tree that is native to South America, in a climate that is very warm and humid. It produces a berry-like fruit that is dark purple, with a mixed taste of berries and chocolate. This fruit is known as the acai berry. The heart of the palm, the soft inner part of the upper palm tree, is also harvested and used in salads and dishes.

The acai palm tree and its; fruit have been a staple food for the Amazonian (mostly Caboclo) civilization in the Amazon for countless years. The use every part of the tree, with no part of it going to waste. The fruit is picked and made into juice or pulp products three different times each year. The palm hearts are harvested and eaten, locally or as an export. The leaves have been used for mats, baskets brooms and other items. The leaves have also been used for centuries to thatch the roofs of their homes and huts. The trunks of the trees have been harvested for their wood, used in local home building.

The berry-like fruit has been in the world's news for a few years now, since is was first introduced to tourists around 2001. It is proven to help boost your energy by boosting your metabolism. It is widely advertised for healthy conscious eating and dieting. The people of Brazil among other nearby countries have been utilizing this palm tree for centuries as a staple food. They have passed its uses down from one generation to another.

Since the media has started promoting the berry and its juice from this tree, the farming of acai has enabled natives to create a financially richer life. What used to be a staple food for them is now a means of living. They use what they need of the tree, plant more, farm them, harvest them, and then sell them to exporters and diet food companies. The juice is very popular in Brazil. You can drink it sweet or salty, whichever you prefer. They are also now selling it in freeze dried and powder form for exporting abroad. This is one of those plants that is functional in many areas. None of it goes to waste. Now that they are farming it, the seeds are more important than ever. After they plant the seeds, it only takes a couple months for seedlings to sprout. This is considered a short time under good conditions. Any left over seeds can be ground and used in the feeding of farm animals and in enriching the soil around plants.

There have recently been a few questions raised on the actual nutritional value of the acai berry. It was first declared to be an extremely high source of antioxidant content, but other researches claim that acai actually falls below the pomegranate, and eleven different frozen fruit juices, including the mango, the strawberry, red wine, blueberry juice and concord grape juice. They say it ranks on average with black cherry and cranberry juice, but has a higher amount of antioxidants than orange and apple juices.

Some other studies have indicated that this berry may be a future treatment for leukemia, diabetes, heart diseases, other forms of cancer, and even high blood pressure. In fact, they are already using acai as a contrast agent during MRI's for gastrointestinal scans. The acai berry still packs quite a beneficial punch, no matter what the latest reports claim. - 17268

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