Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Observe The Healthy Superiority Of The Acai Berry

By Betty White

A tiny, little berry found only in the Amazon rainforest can provide you with 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 berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) that is only grown in the Amazon rainforest fits all of these categories. It is extremely nutritious, containing one of the highest antioxidant levels on the planet; it has a combination of healthy fats and a next to perfect essential amino acid complex. All in all it is one of the healthiest nutritional discoveries of this century.

Antioxidants are molecules that are capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is imperative to life but in excess it can damage our cells which in turn turns into many diseases, premature aging and even being overweight. Nature has provided an abundance of nutritious foods that are packed with antioxidants. The acai berry has been found to have one of the highest antioxidant levels of any food ever found.

Food can be measured by antioxidant capacity. This measurement is termed ORAC, or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. The acai berry has 10 x the ORAC as red grapes, 2 x the ORAC of blueberries and even 10-30 x that of red wine. In fact, the acai berry has the highest ORAC of any other berry found so far.

Not only that the acai berry contains a host of essential fatty acids. The fatty acid content in this berry is like that in olive oil, as it is high in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid makes the cell membranes more supple. By keeping the cell membrane supple, all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is important because high insulin levels have been linked to numerous diseases, most notably diabetes, but also heart disease and metabolic syndrome, which is believed to be a factor in many different afflictions, including obesity.

The tiny, little acai berry is being proven to be a superfood, the term coined to describe a food with a high phytonutrient content that is believed to confer health benefits due to the superior nutrition.

The acai berry definitely fits into the definition of a superfood as it has been proven to be advantageous in the prevention of diseases, weight loss and the prevention of decline associated with aging.

The acai berry is extremely perishable so it is not accessible throughout the world as a fresh fruit but only in its processed forms, like juice or supplements. - 29161

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