Thursday, May 14, 2009

A look at the Acai berry

By Jackson Fernandez

Acai is a smallish berry that's purple in color, and it's native to the rainforests of the Amazon, especially in Brazil. The natives of Brazil have known of the wonderful benefits of acai for many years, and now you can experience the renewed vitality that acai brings. The acai berry has a lot of benefits, like a drop in blood pressure, and an increase in energy. Some even believe it's an aphrodisiac.

Almost no other food on Earth can match the potent antioxidant levels of acai berries. Antioxidants are well known to combat the detrimental effects of free radicals.A lot of purple berries, like raspberries and blueberries, are good sources of beneficial antioxidants, and acai is right at the top of the heap.

Acai skins are loaded with anthocyanins. These are very powerful antioxidants, that are also found in large quantities in red wine and red grape skins.. Berries from the acai plant are packed with fiber, plant sterols, fatty acids, and polyphenols.

If you're worried about your cholesterol level, research suggests that acai supplementation can help you moderate it. There isn't really a "cure all" food that will aid every condition, but the mounting evidence seems to say that taking acai regularly can elevate your mood and energy, and just make you feel better overall.

Add some acai juice to a glass of tea, or maybe blueberry, cranberry, or pomegranate juice. Or, if you prefer, enjoy it by itself! Capsulated acai supplements are also widely available, and there are even some nutrition bars that have acai as a main ingredient.

There are numerous studies that tout the many health benefits of acai berry. A 2006 study by the University of Florida proved that acai berry could kill off human cancer cells in lab tests. Research into the cancer-fighting properties of acai is ongoing.

Acai has enjoyed its share of media exposure lately. For example, the renowned Dr. Oz promoted it heavily on an episode of Oprah Winfrey's talk show. If you'd like to experience acai's benefits for yourself, supplements are readily available in grocery stores, health food shops, and numerous online outlets. No matter how you take it, acai's benefits are too powerful to be ignored.

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