The Health Benefits of Açaí
Properties and Uses for the Açaí Berry
Açaí grows mainly in floodplains and swamps. Palms are the most versatile group of plants used by man, providing all of the basic necessities (food, shelter, fuel and fibre) as well as many ameliorants (spices, oils, waxes, gums, poisons and medicines).
A New Generation of Superfood
At juice bars and health stores around the country Açaí is gaining popularity as a tasty and nutritious fruit. The berry is grape-sized and a deep purple colour. Açaí is lauded for all the properties that make kale and other superfoods popular. Açaí berries are among the most nutritious foods of the Amazon, rich in B vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Açaí berries also contain oleic acid (omega-9), a beneficial fatty acid (often mistakenly referred to as essential).
Benefits of Acai Intake
Açaí is loaded with antioxidants, offering 33 times the levels to be found in red wine grapes. Açaí also contains the most highly concentrated forms of anthocyanins of any food. Anthocyanins are some of the more potent forms of antioxidants. They help to ward off cardiovascular diseases.
Uses Of the Açaí Berry for Health
Acai is the only super berry on the market that is a complete food in itself. It packs vitamin B1, B2, B3, vitamin E, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, fiber, proteins, and good fatty acids into small volumes of fruit. Açaí can be used to fight and regulate cholesterol levels in the body.
A University of Florida study (published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on Jan 12, 2006) found that Açaí berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukaemia cells tested in vitro. In the study, six different chemical extracts were made from ACAI fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations. Four of the extracts, were shown to kill significant numbers of leukaemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.
Availability of Acai
Most fruit bars, smoothie companies and juice cafes are now stocking Açaí as a standard item on the menu. It costs the same as other drinks, but the health benefits of juices made from this berry far outweigh that of its rivals. The juice from Açaí tastes sweet and rich and – unlike wheatgrass – will not leave an unpleasant aftertaste.
Source:
U.S. National Library of Medicineand the National Institutes of Health online
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