What’s So Special About Acai?
Well, it turns out that the acai (pronounced ah-SAH-ee) berry is one the most nutritious and good for you foods on our planet. It is without a doubt a true super food, if not Thee Super food. The acai berry is produced by the acai palm, which is native to tropical Central and South America. For the most part, though, the acai berry is harvested in the rainforests of Brazil. The acai berry or fruit itself is small, round and blackish purple in appearance. It is about the size of a grape and similar in appearance, but with less pulp.
The acai berry is harvested as food by the Brazilian natives where it grows and is considered by them to be the most valuable plant species due to its heavy use in their diet and it’s economic viability. The juice and pulp of the acai fruit are used to make smoothies, ice cream, sodas, and other various juice blends. Elsewhere, companies abroad have taken advantage of the popular acai trend to create highly beneficial dietary supplements, as well as tablets, juices, smoothies, drink powders and whole fruit.
What makes this fruit so nutritious and remarkable is it’s super rich content of anti-oxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids. The antioxidants are what make the acai berry such a powerful anti-aging superfood. Acai has 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes, which is pretty amazing. Most of these rich phytochemical content is found in the pulp of the fruit.
The acai fruit contains some of the highest contents known of monounsaturated oleic acid. It is an omega-9 fatty acid and is one of the healthier sources of fat in the diet. As a replacement for other saturated fats, it can lower total cholesterol level and raise levels of HDL’s (known as good cholesterol) and lower LDL’s (known as bad cholesterol.
In addition, the acai fruit contains rich sources of dietary fiber, amino acids coupled with valuable trace materials that aid the body’s muscle, cardiovascular and digestive systems. It makes sense why native Brazilians have been using this awesome and powerful berry in their diets for centuries now. Not only is it great for you, but it also tastes great as well. One of the rare foods that taste great and is great for you.
It goes without saying that adding acai to your diet is a great idea if you haven’t already. It’s not the easiest thing to find though, as most likely your local supermarket will not be carrying it due to its exotic nature. But I am sure most health food stores (my local one does) may be carrying it.
You most likely will find it in smoothie or juice form, and not the berry itself. There are many high-quality acai berry dietary supplements on the market today as well, just do your research to make sure you buy it from a reputable company that makes quality products.