Benefits of Acai

Whether you choose to drink acai juice, an acai berry smoothie or mix dried acai into your oatmeal, the benefits of acai offer support for practically every system of the body.

Powerful Nutrition Packed Into a Tiny Berry

Acai berries hail from the rain forest areas of South America. Locals harvest the tiny purple berries. Since the berries do not transport well, they are dried and consumed as a powder or juiced into a delicious, refreshing drink. Dried or fresh, you can still reap the benefits of acai by including it in foods and beverages as well as taking acai supplements.

Benefits of Acai

Although the media trumpets the many benefits of acai, researchers have completed few long-term or rigorous studies on this super food. As with most herbs and vitamin supplements, one shouldn’t rely on acai berries for good health. Consume a diet rich in all fruits and vegetables to add variety and ensure you are eating the optimal mixture of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber for good health.

Antioxidant

Every magazine and television show these days on health mentions the word antioxidant, but many people remain confused about what antioxidants are and how they benefit health. An antioxidant is any substance that can reduce cellular damage caused by oxygen molecules. During typical metabolic processes, cells create free radicals. These particles are free, or unbound, and bounce around looking for molecules to bind to in order to become complete at the molecular level. Oxygen is the most notorious free radical. To see damage caused by oxygen, simply look at rust – oxygen damage to the element iron.

Within the body, substances called antioxidants mop up the free oxygen molecules before they cause damage. Such substances are called antioxidants. Scientists believe that by consuming more substances rich in antioxidants, people can stave off diseases such as cancer. The best-known antioxidants include enzymes and substances such as Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and others.

Acai contains potent antioxidants. As part of the berry family, research published on Web MD supports the conclusion that berries, particularly those colored red and purple, contain the highest amount of antioxidants. Acai berries contain anthocyanin, along with flavanoid-like compounds, all of which are key to reducing the damage caused by free radicals.

Many doctors, including Dr. Nicholas Perricone, list acai as one of the top ten super foods to consume for overall good health and its anti-aging properties.

Supports a Healthy Heart

Even more important than maintaining a youthful appearance is supporting a healthy heart. Acai berries provide lots of fiber, which is great to reduce cholesterol. Cholesterol buildup in the arteries often precedes cardiovascular problems, and doctors often recommend that patients reduce their cholesterol or improve the ratio of so-called “good” HDL cholesterol to “bad” LDL cholesterol. Dietary changes, including adding more fiber to the diet, often reduce cholesterol naturally over time.

In addition to the higher fiber content in acai, acai berries are also rich in monosaturated fats. Their fat content, in fact, is very close to that of another food we seldom think of as a berry, the olive. Olive oil, as studied in the Mediterranean diet, provides healthy fats that are good for cardiovascular health.

Antibacterial

In South America, people frequently use acai pulp as an antibacterial astringent, rubbing it onto minor cuts and abrasions to prevent infection. New products such as soaps and lotions containing acai are thought to improve skin texture, similar to witch hazel and other natural astringents.

Anti-Inflammatory

One of the most promising avenues of research hints at acai as an anti-inflammatory agent. Many anti-inflammatory drugs found in the typical American medicine cabinet, such as plain old aspirin, developed from herbal compounds. Scientists discovered that the acai berry inhibits Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes, the ones active in chronic inflammation. Further research is necessary, however, to determine exactly how acai can help inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

Cautions

Many of the benefits of acai are still under scrutiny. Even the researchers at the University of Florida, who conducted one of the most often quoted acai studies, cautioned that their findings were highly preliminary. To fight the good fight for health and healing, eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and live an overall healthy lifestyle.

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