Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Learn About The Healthy Benefits Of Acai Berries

By Annie R Russell

A tiny, little berry found only in the Amazon rainforest can offer you a wealth of health benefits. This amazing little berry is jam-packed with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. And it tastes like a delicious berry dipped in dark chocolate or maybe a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry with the tang of grape mixed in.

The acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry is one of the healthiest nutritional discoveries of this century. It has one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any food, a collaborative combination of healthy fats and next to perfect essential amino acid complex. Even so, it is rather rare as it can only be found in the Amazon rainforest.

Foods that are rich in antioxidants help protect our bodies from oxidation. While oxidation is imperative to life, it can still damage our cells which can lead to excessive inflammation which can lead to premature aging, many diseases and even obesity. Nature provides us with natural antioxidants in healthy foods and the acai berry has some of the highest antioxidant levels found in nature.

Antioxidant qualities in foods are measured by what is called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC. Acai berries have the highest ORAC of any other berry, with a 10 times higher ORAC than red grapes and twice as high as blueberries. Acai berry juice has 10 to 30 times the ORAC of red wine.

It is unlikely for a fruit but the acai berry also contains essential fatty acids. The acai berry is high in monounsaturated oleic acid, which is like that in olive oil. Oleic acid makes the cell membranes more supple, thereby assisting all of the hormones, neurotransmitters and insulin receptors throughout our bodies work more effectively. Poor insulin receptivity has been linked to many diseases, most notably of course, diabetes, but also cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome and the relating tendencies caused from that.

All of the research being done on acai berries point to the fact that this tiny little berry is a nutritional powerhouse. It has been dubbed a superfood. The term superfood is used to describe a food with a high phytonutrient content that is believed to confer health benefits as a result.

The acai berry has been proven to be beneficial in weight loss, the protection against decline from aging and the prevention of diseases. The acai berry is definitely a superfood.

You can only enjoy these advantages from the acai berry by including the processed forms of the berry in your diet because the berry is exceptionally perishable. However you can benefit from the processed forms, including juices, supplement, extracts and more.

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