The Acai Berry - You Won't Think About Fruit The Same Way Again
Unless you've been hiding out in a secluded location far from all media outlets, it is a certainty that you've seen some of the many ads which have been going around for acai berry juice. While the acai berry is new to us in most of the world, it is a fruit which has been enjoyed for centuries in South America.
The acai berry is the fruit of a palm tree which grows in Brazil and other South and Central American nations. Long a staple of the diet for people in the region, the acai berry is also used as a traditional medicine for a variety of illnesses. Everything from diarrhoea to ulcers are treated using this versatile and nutritious fruit. The acai palm which people are talking about is the Euterpe oleracea, part of the Euterpe genus of palms.
The acia palm grows as tall as 80 feet, with its long, thin trunk branching out near the top with thin leaves and clusters of up to eight berries on its fruiting branches. It is the pulp of the acai berry which is used for its health and nutritional benefits; the seed is ground and used in animal feed.
It has been only about seven years since the acai berry made its entrance to the world outside of the South American countries where the berry is native to. These berries are highly perishable, starting to spoil in only hours after harvesting. Because of this short shelf life, it is difficult to export the berry. Fortunately for the rest of the world, companies began processing the berries after harvest, making this fruit exportable for the first time.
Three and a half ounces of freeze dried acai powder has 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrate, 44.2 g dietary fiber, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. Hardly anyone would consume this much acai at once, but this should give you a good idea of how nutritious this humble little berry is. Acai juice is a great source of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and dietary fibre.
The antioxidant properties of the acai berry have been studied extensively. Antioxidants are believed to help prevent many diseases; and in a University of Florida study, acai extract caused self-destruction in 86% of leukaemia cells! Acai berry extract may also improve cardiovascular function, according to the results of a study performed at the University of Rio de Janeiro.
In another study of 12 healthy volunteers, the subjects were given acai extract and then tested for antioxidant levels one and two hours later. The results showed that the volunteers had higher serum antioxidant levels after one hour; and even higher an hour later!
Acai is also reputed to produce health benefits including improved mental clarity, greater energy levels and better GI function, among other positive effects. While some of these health claims have yet to be proven, there have been similar effects seen from other antioxidant rich food items.
The acai berry may even have applications which are not related to its nutritive value. Acai berry pulp has shown to have some possible use as a medium in certain medical tests on the GI tract, most notably MRI procedures. It looks like this South American import may be here to stay - and we're all glad it could make it! - 17269
The acai berry is the fruit of a palm tree which grows in Brazil and other South and Central American nations. Long a staple of the diet for people in the region, the acai berry is also used as a traditional medicine for a variety of illnesses. Everything from diarrhoea to ulcers are treated using this versatile and nutritious fruit. The acai palm which people are talking about is the Euterpe oleracea, part of the Euterpe genus of palms.
The acia palm grows as tall as 80 feet, with its long, thin trunk branching out near the top with thin leaves and clusters of up to eight berries on its fruiting branches. It is the pulp of the acai berry which is used for its health and nutritional benefits; the seed is ground and used in animal feed.
It has been only about seven years since the acai berry made its entrance to the world outside of the South American countries where the berry is native to. These berries are highly perishable, starting to spoil in only hours after harvesting. Because of this short shelf life, it is difficult to export the berry. Fortunately for the rest of the world, companies began processing the berries after harvest, making this fruit exportable for the first time.
Three and a half ounces of freeze dried acai powder has 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrate, 44.2 g dietary fiber, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. Hardly anyone would consume this much acai at once, but this should give you a good idea of how nutritious this humble little berry is. Acai juice is a great source of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and dietary fibre.
The antioxidant properties of the acai berry have been studied extensively. Antioxidants are believed to help prevent many diseases; and in a University of Florida study, acai extract caused self-destruction in 86% of leukaemia cells! Acai berry extract may also improve cardiovascular function, according to the results of a study performed at the University of Rio de Janeiro.
In another study of 12 healthy volunteers, the subjects were given acai extract and then tested for antioxidant levels one and two hours later. The results showed that the volunteers had higher serum antioxidant levels after one hour; and even higher an hour later!
Acai is also reputed to produce health benefits including improved mental clarity, greater energy levels and better GI function, among other positive effects. While some of these health claims have yet to be proven, there have been similar effects seen from other antioxidant rich food items.
The acai berry may even have applications which are not related to its nutritive value. Acai berry pulp has shown to have some possible use as a medium in certain medical tests on the GI tract, most notably MRI procedures. It looks like this South American import may be here to stay - and we're all glad it could make it! - 17269
About the Author:
Author: Marcus C. Evans discusses results of studies conducted on the acai berry on his website where you can also find more about the incredible health benefits of the acai fruit.
posted by X - Men at
1:24 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home