Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Can Acai Berries Really Be The Miracle Fruit?

By Paula M Bryant

Recent claims about the acai berry have been pretty astounding. While there is some scientific proof that has been tested on this fruit, it has still been declared one of the best nutritional finds ever and it has been advertised as a miracle cure for everything from obesity to cancer.

Well that fact of the matter is that the acai berry is quite miraculous. It is exceptionally nutritious, loaded with antioxidants, Omega fatty acids and a whole host of vitamins and minerals. But being miraculous does not make it a miracle food. The fact is that there are many exceptionally healthy superfoods on this planet including blueberries, oranges, spinach, walnuts, salmon, green tea and more. The acai berry is just one of the latest discoveries.

In order to have a healthy diet you must eat a variety of healthy foods. Our bodies require a balance of nutrition in the form of the macronutrients of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats and the micronutrients of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals and oxygen damage that has been implicated in everything from aging to disease. When we increase the quality of what we eat we add to our health and longevity. But the addition of just one superfood like the acai berry cannot do this. We must have a variety of healthy foods.

If you want to lose weight you will probably benefit if you add acai berry products into your diet. However, this is not a magic bullet. You will also need to reduce your calorie consumption and begin a regular exercise program. Acai berry products can give you outstanding nutritional support that can help you in your weight loss goals but if you do not do the other necessary things to lose weight you will fail. The acai berry is not a perfect solution.

Nature has provided humans with outstanding nutrition in the form of many healthy foods. We were designed to enjoy these healthy foods and when we do our bodies benefit greatly. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be the basis for our diets but we do not necessarily need to be vegetarians as many meat eaters can have a healthy diet. There are some animal products and meats that are healthier than others and it may be wise to know where your food is coming from but that would include the fruits, vegetables and whole grains that you eat too.

The foods that we should avoid are the unnatural and manmade things. If your food will not spoil on its own within a certain amount of time it probably is not very nutritious to eat. If bacteria won't eat the food then you probably shouldn't either! The acai berry starts to lose its nutritional content as soon as 24 hours after it is picked from the palm tree it grows on so it needs to be freeze-dried or frozen almost instantly.

The acai berry can be an incredible addition to your nutritious diet. It can support you in your weight loss efforts and it can assist in protecting your body from damage from free radicals and the oxygen damage caused from everyday living. This can help prevent diseases and other problems.

But the acai berry is not a miracle cure for anything. Improve your diet all around by adding in all kinds of nutritious foods like blueberries, spinach, broccoli, salmon, walnuts, green tea, tomatoes and more. Healthy foods come from everywhere and are grown all over the world. To get the highest benefit from acai berry products improve the quality of your diet all around. Your body will appreciate it.

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