Information on acai berries and their nutritional value
Exactly what are acai berries?
Acai berries (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) have pretty quickly grown in popularity in the recent past. This is largely because they have at long last been accepted in the Western world as being a “superfood” due to their very high nutritional content. But what exactly are they and where can you purchase them?
An acai berry is a little round fruit (roughly 25mm in size), which is found only in swampy sections of the Amazon rainforest (Central and South America). It grows on the big palm trees (açaí palms) that grow there, which can reach a height in excess of 80 feet. These berries transform from green to dark blue / purple in colour as they ripen and in the end appear very much like grapes, with the exception that they have a large, inedible seed – believe it or not, they are approximately 90% seed and just 10% edible fruit.
The history of acai berries
South Americans indigenous to the Amazon have been experiencing the nutritional benefits of the superfood acai berry for quite some time. Indeed, acai berries are considered to be an immensely important source of food for 3 traditional Caboclo tribes in the Brazilian Amazon, because it makes up a significant proportion of their diet – up to forty-two per cent of their total intake of food in terms of weight. This fact of itself highlights the incredibly high nutrient content of these berries.
The nutritional benefits of acai berries
As stated before, acai berries are now generally acknowledged as a “superfood” or “superfruit” – titles which underline their high nutrient content of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants.
They are thought to be helpful for:
the body’s immune system: the reason is that acai berries are dark blue / purple in colour and their pigment consists of plant chemicals called anthocyanins (potent antioxidants that are part of the flavonoid family of molecules and are necessary for destroying hazardous particles in the body referred to as free radicals).
heart health: this is because acai berries are a great source of protein and beneficial dietary fibre, which are believed to have a shielding effect on the cardiovascular system.
decreasing cholesterol levels: this is because acai berries are a rich source of Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids, which play a crucial role in reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood. They also contain phytosterols, natural compounds which are believed to help to reduce the amount of cholesterol in blood plasma.
Fascinating points about acai berries
Acai berry fact #1:
Acai berries are wild harvested, instead of farmed, which is an important point because it means that they aren’t subjected to unhealthy pesticides and fertilizers during the growing process.
Acai berry fact #2:
Acai berries grow in bunches (a lot like bananas), in contrast to some other fruits and berries (like cherries), which grow individually on trees. An average açaí palm tree can render between three and eight bunches of acai berries.
Acai berry fact #3:
Acai berries have 1 large seed in them and even this part of the fruit can be useful. Individuals have been known to grind the seed and use it as manure for their plants. Other people work with it to make organic matter for agriculture and livestock food.
Other purported health benefits of acai berries include their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties.
So where can I find acai berries?
One particular reason for the interest in acai berries (apart from their tremendous nutrient per calorie ratio of course) is the fact that they are truly delicious. Some people describe the taste as a blend of berries and earthy chocolate, whilst others think that it’s a lovely cross between wild raspberry and grape.
Unfortunately, acai berries aren’t yet widely available in their fresh form. Although they are now quite common as ingredients in fruit juices in many health food shops and supermarkets, to be sure that you are obtaining the maximum level of vitamins and minerals from this incredible superfruit, it is arguably best to go for a good quality, high strength nutritional supplement, containing pure freeze-dried acai berries. The freeze-drying process (unlike the juicing process) means that less nutrients are lost, providing you with maximum benefit.
For max strength (1065mg per capsule), high quality pure acai berries in freeze-dried capsulated form plus added antioxidants (465mg per capsule), click on the link above! Unbeatable value and a unique, highest potency formula that cannot be found anywhere else!