The acai berry is only grown in the rainforests of Brazil and it has only been in recent times that is has been presented for worldwide utilization. It has only been in the past five years or so that superior processing methods have allowed this healthful berry to be accessible to the rest of the world.

This little berry is overloaded with a range of healthful nutrients and it is supposed to be advantageous for many ailments including obesity, heart disease and the avoidance of cancer. There are few scientific studies that prove the efficiency of the actual berry, however there are many studies on the nutrients contained within the berry.

The acai berry is full in the deep purple pigment that gives colors to foods such as blueberries, red wine and purple cabbage. This pigment is essentially a powerful antioxidant called anthocyanins. Purified anthocyanins were proven to be useful in dropping the body fat of laboratory mice in a restricted study. This central antioxidant is also believed to be advantageous to heart health and the health of the entire cardiovascular system. Red wine is also high in anthocyanins but the acai berry actually contains 10 to 30 times more of this imperative antioxidant than red wine.

Anthocyanins are tremendously constructive for cardiovascular health. Studies show that it improves blood circulation, prevents blood clots, relaxes blood vessels and prevents atherosclerosis. Further studies have concluded that anthocyanins also have antiviral and antiallergenic properties and it may be promising that they can contribute to cancer prevention by blocking carcinogens on a molecular level and stimulating tumor cell death.

Acai berries also contain a wealth of healthy fats that is similar in composition to the fats found in olive oil. They have oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid and linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. Both of these fatty acids play a part to cardio health by lowering LDL cholesterol, or the “lousy” kind and maintaining healthy levels of HDL cholesterol levels, or the “healthy” kind. These healthy fats also amplify the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, which are crucial to good health.

The fatty acids contained in the acai berry are able to penetrate the cell membranes. This makes the membrane suppler and reduces inflammation by allowing hormones, neurotransmitters and insulin receptors to work more proficiently. Many of the troubles of aging can be prevented by lowering inflammation because inflammation is a primary cause of aging troubles including wrinkles, gray hair and dementia.

The anti-aging facility of the acai berry is possibly the most valuable benefit of this marvelous fruit. The combination of necessary nutrients such as antioxidants, essential fatty acids and amino acids are all beneficial in slowing the aging progression.

All in all the acai berry is actually an wonderful dietary finding. It boasts the highest ORAC or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity of any actual food, the healthy fat content is outstanding and the protein and fiber make it even more valuable. It is really a remarkable and good for you food.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 2:28 am and is filed under fat loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.