Saturday, July 25, 2009

The Health Benefits of Acai Berry and What They Mean for You

By Travis Van Slooten

Acai berry has recently jumped into the health food market with a splash and the health benefits of acai berry are are receiving a great deal of attention. Celebrities and doctors are all promoting the acai berry as the new number one super fruit. There are many different ways in which the ingredients in acai berries are thought to improve quality of life. While the berries themselves are still being studied, they contain many beneficial elements which have been studied for a while.

Fighting Disease

The first thing you're likely to hear about acai berry is that it is rich in antioxidants. Cranberries, long believed to be the most antioxidant-rich food you can eat, has only one sixth the ORAC rating of acai berries. Free radicals are believed to be at least partly responsible for many illnesses such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a variety of cancers. Antioxidants are known to slow the progress of free radicals. Studies are being done to determine exactly how effective acai berries are at prevent or fighting many problems brought on by free radicals.

Boosting Your Body

Even if you have no current medical problems, you still have to work at staying that way. Acai berries are rich in fiber, which has long been known to promote a healthy lifestyle. Fiber can also help with digestive tract issues and can lead to easier weight loss for those looking to shed pounds. The health benefits of acai berry don't stop there. Acai berries also contain unsaturated fats. These are the good fats which can be a major source of Omega fatty acids, which is essential to the body, but must come from outside sources as the body cannot manufacture it.

The Heart Matters

Acai berries are also being studied for other health reasons. They contain a chemical in the skin called anthocyanins. Found in grapes as well, this pigment was studied as a part of The French Paradox. It was discovered that French people suffer from lower rates of coronary heart disease even though their diet is rich in fats. This is believed to be in part because of the anthocyanins in the red wine they drink often. The vitamin E and antioxidants in acai berries are also thought to help reduce the damage the sun causes to your skin. This could lead to reduced signs of aging. Native Brazilians also refer to the acai berry as "rainforest Viagra." The potential benefits there are fairly obvious.

Acai is in no way a fits-all cure for all health ailments as other promoters are touting it. Mind you though, these claims are not totally baseless as acai berries are a terrific source of all the nutrients our body needs such as antioxidants, anthocyanins, fiber, and healthy fats. The best thing for you is to try it and see which of these potential health benefits of acai berry are most valuable for you.

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1 comment:

Evan Marcus said...

The health benefits of Acai berry are enormous. Acai and Noni are considered as superfruits for a reason. You can get these superfruit benefits by consuming them in any form on a daily basis. You can see the results within a week. Thank you for sharing the benefits of Acai berries.

Best Regards,
Evan Marcus
Organic Noni Juice