ACAI
Everything You Want To Know About The Acai
Berry
Special Offer: Free Sample of
Acai Berry Clear
In the past decade the
acai palm has gained world notoriety
for its health benefits. The
acai palm tree
is a member of the genus Euterpe, which contains 7 species of palms native
to tropical Central and South America, from Belize south to Brazil and Peru,
growing mainly in wetlands, floodplains and swampy locations.
Amazon Acai
Euterpe are
relatively tall, slender palms growing to 15–30 meters, with pinnate leaves up to 3
meters long. Many of the palms that were once in the genus Euterpe have been
reclassified into the genus
Prestoea. The species Euterpe
oleracea is usually called Açaí Palm, after the European derivation of the
Tupian word ïwasa'i, which translated means 'fruit that cries or expels water'.
Acai palms are known to be fast growing, and are cultivated for both
for their superior hearts of palm as well as their fruit. Global demand for the
acai fruit has expanded
rapidly in recent years, and Acai is now cultivated for fruit more than
for the heart. The
closely related species euterpe edulis (jucara) is now predominantly used
for hearts of palm.
Acai Fruit - Acai Berry
The fruit, a small, round,
black-purple drupe about 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter, similar in appearance
and size to a grape but with less pulp, is produced in branched
panicles of
700 to 900 fruits. Two crops of
natural acai fruit are produced each year. The
acai berry has
a single large seed about 0.25–0.40 inches (7–10 mm) in diameter. The
exocarp
(the outer most layer of the fruit wall) of the ripe
acai berries is a deep purple color, or green, depending on
the kind of açaí and its maturity. The
mesocarp
(the fleshy middle portion) is pulpy and thin, with a consistent thickness
of 1 mm or less.
Pure acai berries are harvested as food. In an
extensive study of three traditional
Caboclo
populations in the Amazon region of Brazil,
Brazilian acai
berry was described as the
most important plant species because the
acai berry pulp
makes up such a major component of diet (as much as 42% of the total food intake by weight) and is
economically valuable in the region.
Acai Juice
Acai juice and pulp of açaí fruits are frequently used in
various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern
Brazil, açaí is
traditionally served in gourds called "cuias" with tapioca and, depending on
the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet (sugar, rapadura
and honey are known to be used in the mix).
Amazon acai has become popular in
southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as açaí na tigela ("açaí in the
bowl"), mostly mixed with granola — in which
the açai berry is considered an
energizer. Açaí is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or
as an
acai berry drink.
Acai berry extract has also been used in a flavored liqueur.
As the high fat content of acai indicates it would deteriorate rapidly after
harvest,
acai berry
products are generally
available outside the immediate growing region only as juice or fruit pulp
that has been frozen or processed as an
acai berry powder,
typically freeze-dried.
Several companies now manufacture juices, health drinks, yogurts, and
sorbets made from
fresh acai berries, often in combination with other fruits.
Most of the
acai berry research to date has focused on a particular
freeze-dried form referred to as Opti-açaí. This powder preparation of
freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin was reported to contain (per 100 g of
extract) 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrates, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g
total fat. The carbohydrate portion included 44.2 g of fiber. The amino acid content was 7.59% of total dry weight.
Acai Antioxidant - Acai
Health
The
acai antioxidant is a molecule
capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation
is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an
oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce
free radicals, which start
chain reactions that damage cells.
Antioxidants terminate these chain
reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other
oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. As a result, antioxidants
are often reducing agents such as
thiols or
polyphenols.
Although oxidation reactions are crucial for life, they can also be
damaging; hence, plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple
types of antioxidants, such as
glutathione,
vitamin C, and
vitamin E as well
as enzymes such as
catalase,
superoxide dismutase and various
peroxidases.
Low levels of antioxidants, or inhibition of the
antioxidant enzymes, causes
oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.
Conversely, high levels of antioxidants helps prevent cell damage. This is
one of the main
acai health
benefits.
As oxidative stress might be an important part of many
human diseases, the
use of antioxidants in
pharmacology is intensively studied, particularly as
treatments for
stroke and
neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is unknown
whether oxidative stress is the cause or the consequence of disease.
Antioxidants are also widely popular as
acai supplements
with the goal of
maintaining health and
preventing diseases such as
cancer and
coronary heart disease. These supplements are primarily
acai capsules or
acai berry pills.
Acai Superfood
Superfood is a term sometimes
used to describe food with high
phytonutrient content that some may believe
confers health benefits as a result. For example,
blueberries are often
considered a superfood (or
superfruit) because they contain significant
amounts of antioxidants,
anthocyanins, vitamin C,
manganese
and
dietary fiber.
It should be noted that
acaiberry
contains even higher amounts of these
nutritious
substances.
Acai berry retailers are
experiencing increasing demand with each passing month as acai is fast
becoming known as a wonder food for its versatility. Açaí has
nutrient
properties and is naturally rich in
omega fats (the good kind, unlike the
saturated fats found in fast food),
amino acids,
electrolytes,
antioxidants,
protein,
vitamin A,
vitamin B1, and
vitamin E.
Buy Acai
Consumers wishing to
puchase acai may wish to try a free
sample before committing hard earned dollars. Also, have a look at some
acai testimonials to see what others
are saying about
acai superfood
results. Does the
acai berry with
white tea really deliver as promised? Is
weight loss with acai berry
achievable? Read what others
have said to find out.
Free Acai Samples
Consumers wishing to
buy acai may wish to try a free
sample before committing hard earned dollars. Listed below are three free
acai trial offers that will make sampling the health benefits of acai berry
nearly cost-free (you just have to pay a small fee for shipping and
handling):
Free Sample of
Acai Berry Clear
Free Sample of
Acai Berry
Free Sample of
Acai Berry Power
Free Sample of
Acai Ultra Burn
Free Sample of
Acai Berry Edge
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