Acai Berry

The acai berry is found in the Amazon forest and is promoted as having very powerful antioxidant properties. The acai berry is purple colored and small and comes from a palm tree known by the Brazilians as "the tree of life." The predominant beneficial substances in the acai berry are polyphenols, flavonoids, mostly of the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins categories.

History of Acai

The history of the berry from the Brazilian Amazon that is changing the concept of healthy food. Acai (açaí) is a palm tree that grows in the North of Brazil. It is known by the native people (indigenas) as "içá-çai", which means “fruit that cries”. The Acai tree can be found all over the Amazonia region. To make Acai Roots, juice is extracted from the pulp of the skin of the seed. No trees are harmed in the process. For hundreds of years, acai (açaí) has been a traditional food of the native people of the Amazon – and part of its folklore, finding its way into legend as well as onto the table. Once upon a time, there was an Amazon Indian girl named Iaca, whose father was the tribal chief. His tribe had grown so large that there wasn’t enough food to go around. So, the chief decreed that all newborn babies must be killed. When Iaca, his own daughter, bore a child, the chief had his decree carried out. Iaca mourned her baby’s death alone in her hut for days. Then she thought she heard a baby crying. When she went outside in search of the baby, she saw a palm tree shooting up from the earth, covered in fruit. Full of despair, she lay down under the tree and died. The next day, the tribe found Iaca’s body under the new tree. The tree’s fruit satisfied their hunger and renewed their energy, and the chief lifted his harsh decree, declaring that the fruit would be named after his daughter (“Acai” is “Iaca” spelled backwards). With abundant food for all, the tribe grew and flourished. Acai has been enjoyed for decades by the people of Brazil. A bowl of Acai is usually eaten in the morning with breakfast. In the 1950’s, doctors began to realize the health benefits of Acai. In the 1960’s, the famous Gracie jiu-jitsu family recommended eating Acai before and after workouts. Recently, several new medical studies in the United States and Europe have found even more exciting health benefits of Acai.

The nutrients in Acai can help:

• Maintain the healthy function of bodily systems and organs
• Increase energy, libido and stamina
• Promote healthy, glowing skin and hair
• Support immune system
• Act as a powerful anti-inflammatory
• Help rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated studies to look at the link between antioxidant rich food and aging. Here are some direct quotes from the USDA website -

"Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high-ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain."

Ronald L. Prior, the researcher for the USDA study went on to suggest that "the ORAC measure may help define the dietary conditions needed to prevent tissue damage."

"Science has long held that damage by oxygen free radicals is behind many of the maladies that come with aging, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. There's firm evidence that a high intake of fruits and vegetables reduces risk of cancer and that a low intake raises risk. And recent evidence suggests that diminished brain function associated with aging and disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases may be due to increased vulnerability to free radicals, says Joseph, a neuroscientist. "

- "Can Foods Forestall Aging?", published in the February 1999 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

It is clear that the potential health benefits of eating high ORAC value foods should not be underestimated.