Wednesday, January 7, 2009

What are the Benefits of the Acai Berry?

By Gray Rollins

The Acai berry of the Acai palm tree is a fruit found growing mainly in South America, covering Brazil and Peru primarily. 90% of it if formed of seed pit and the rest 10% is pulpy. The fruit has an extremely high fat content due to which its life after harvesting is very short. Hence, it is mainly preserved by freezing it, making it into a pulp or even in powder form.

Both in powdered and frozen forms, the aci berry is packed with fiber, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Acai berry powder is a good source of antioxidants, having more antioxidant compounds than tea, orange juice or red wine. The antioxidant present in the acai berry (Anthocynanin) provides a number of health benefits - this fruit is the most nutritious edible berry in the world, according to the ORAC.

Consuming Acai berry in most of its forms improves the functioning of the digestive system and helps stimulate brain responses. The fiber content of the berry detoxifies the body effectively. This leads to healthier and more radiant looking skin.

The acai berry also reduces your cancer risk, has more protein than eggs and benefits the circulatory system - it is even believed by many to boost the libido! Acai also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help manage diabetes.

Oprah Winfrey says: "This little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world. It can often be found in juice form in health food and gourmet stores." With the endorsement of this influential of a figure, no wonder people are flocking to stores to find this superfood.

The high level of protein in the acai berry helps to control cholesterol levels and stimulates digestion. It's heart healthy too - it contains fatty acids which are as powerful as those in olive oil! These omega 3 fatty acids also act as antioxidants and along with its vitamin E content, helps keep you looking and feeling younger.

The best part of consuming the Acai berry is that it can be done in many forms. You can eat the berry as a fruit, or make it into a pulp or even have it in its powdered form. Acai berry can be used to make frozen yogurt, mixed with other fruits to make smoothies and even milkshakes with the powder.

Athletes love the acai berry for the natural energy boost it provides them. Thispowerful and nutritious fruit is becoming more widely available and makes a much better choice than using expensive supplement powders and capsules. - 16650

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