Acai Berry Tales and Truths
Filed Under (health) by Caitin Ryan on 24-03-2009
Tagged Under : a, acai berry, amino acid, antioxidant, dieting, e, h, health, Health & Fitness, health and fitness, m, nutrition, o, omega 3, w, weight loss, weight;loss
If you are looking for a miracle fruit that offers optimum health, beautiful skin and radiant hair, you might have to search a bit farther than the produce department. How about the Brazilian rainforest? Not a big fan of jungle critters? No worries, this super fruit called Acai berries is now available on this side of the equator.
Acai (pronounced Ah-SIGH-ee) berries have become quite popular in the past few years, but the people of the Brazilian rainforest have long revered this gorgeous purple fruit that grows on a palm tree.
According to folklore, the daughter of an Amazon Indian tribal chief is responsible for acai berries. Tragically, the chief had to order that all newborn babies be killed because there was not enough food to feed his growing tribe. His daughter, Iaca, was not spared this decree and her baby was the first to be killed.
She mourned her child to the point of hearing the cries of a baby outside her hut. She desperately searched for what she thought was her newborn baby crying for her. Instead, she found a new palm tree growing in the midst of the Amazon rainforest. Terribly heartbroken, she lay beneath the palm tree and died.
When the villagers discovered her, they also discovered the palm, which bore berries plentiful enough to feed and sustain the entire village. The tribal chief was able to lift the decree and named the berries Acai berries after his dead daughter. Acai is Iaca spelled backward.
Clever story, but the truth behind acai berries is just now being realized. Scientists are finding that acai berries just might be the most potent fruit available because they contain super antioxidants, essential amino acids and omega 3 fatty acids.
Antioxidants are all capable of fighting cancer by fighting free radicals that damage cells and are the prelude to cancer and the aging process. The super antioxidant in acai berries that gives the berries their royal purple color is called anthocyanin. This super antioxidant has been found to slow and stop the growth of tumors. Antioxidants are also necessary for repairing damaged cells and replenishing tissue.
Because free radicals are also responsible for the aging process, acai berries are also great for preventing premature aging and slowing the biological clock.
In addition to other powerful antioxidant, acai berries have an unusual plant characteristic. Only animal protein contains a complete source of essential amino acids, but acai berries come pretty close! This makes them an excellent source of protein without the damaging effects of saturated fat also found in animal protein.
Acai berries do not contain saturated fat, but they do contain the good fat, omega 3 fatty acids which can lower LDL (bad cholesterol)and raise HDL (good cholesterol) making them excellent (just like fish) in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Acai berries are able to improve your health, prevent disease and slow the aging process. Available in a number of ways, acai products can truly benefit your overall health and restore a more youthful appearance.
Make sure you do not fall prey to acai juice that is mostly corn syrup and chemicals.