Learn About The Healthy Edge Of The Acai
A tiny, little berry grown only in the Amazon rainforest can offer you a wealth of health benefits. This amazing little berry is loaded with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. And it tastes like a delicious berry dipped in dark chocolate or maybe a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry with the tang of grape mixed in.
The acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry is rather uncommon as it is only found in the Amazon rainforest, however, it is one of the healthiest nutritional discoveries of this century. It has more antioxidant capacity than almost any other food, it hosts a synergistic combination of healthy fats and an just about perfect essential amino acid complex.
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. While oxidation is imperative to life, it can also damage our cells, which can lead to premature aging, many diseases and even being overweight. This is why nature has provided us so many nutritious foods that are jam-packed with antioxidants. The acai berry has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any food on the planet.
The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a method of measuring the antioxidant capacities of different foods. The acai berry has the best ORAC of any berry, at 10 times more than grapes, twice as high as blueberries and even 10 to 30 times more than red wine.
The acai berry also has essential fatty acids. The fatty acid content of the acai berry is high in monounsaturated oleic acid, similar to olive oil. Oleic acid is crucial because it makes the cell membranes more supple. This helps all of the hormone, neurotransmitters and insulin receptors throughout our bodies’ function more effectively. Excessive insulin levels have been linked to numerous diseases, the most common of course, being diabetes, but also cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome, which is believed to contribute to obesity and other maladies.
All of the research being done on acai berries point to the fact that this tiny little berry is a nutritional powerhouse. It has been dubbed a superfood. The term superfood is used to describe a food with a high phytonutrient content that is believed to confer health benefits as a result.
The acai berry is proving to be beneficial in weight loss, the prevention of age-related decline, and the protection against diseases.
The acai berry is extremely perishable so it is not available throughout the world in its fresh form but only in its processed forms, such as juice or supplements.