Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A Tiny Little Berry with Super Powers: The Acai Berry

By Kari Gambale

The Acai Berry is a tiny purple berry that has been harvested and eaten for hundreds of years by the people of Brazil. An excellent diet staple, the berries were harvested by a person shinnying up the very tall palm-like trees upon which they grew and filling baskets with the berries.

Even though only 10% of the Acai berry, which is about the size of grape, is edible fruit. The rest is seed. But the Brazilians understood the health benefits and harvested them, even though it took a substantial amount of berries to create the edible puree.

Although Acai berries have been eaten for centuries in Brazil, it has only been recently that it has come to the fore in this country. American doctors and nutritionists are now discovering the incredible health benefits of these berries. Their findings have been truly amazing.

Whenever their highly acclaimed soccer players frequently make the Acai berry the majority of their meals prior to a match, it is obviously evident that they are acknowledging the immense energy and stamina that the Acai berry can bring them! In fact, the Acai berries have an exceptionally high amount of antioxidants, which delivers a fascinating amount of greater energy to the human body!

Another major nutrient in Acai berry is carbohydrates. It is carbohydrates in the diet that helps store and deliver energy throughout the body. They also work to help the body process food and keep the body, tissue and immune system functioning well. It has been shown that a 40 to 65% of our energy source should come from carbohydrates.

As you may have heard, free radicals that come from pollutants such as cigarette smoke, pesticides, herbicides and a litany of other harmful pollutants have been found to be the cause of a tremendous amount of diseases, not the least of which is cancer. Free radicals take over empty or weak electrons in your body to create havoc with your cells. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E help protect your body against free radicals, however, there are also unknown factors over and above those two vitamins that also work against free radicals. Other chemicals and substances in more natural sources are thought to perhaps contain factors that mix with both Vitamin C and E to ward off these free radicals.

The Acai berry is just one of those natural sources that apparently have been helping the Brazilians remain relatively free from many of the illnesses plaguing the Western World. It is thought that this is directly attributable to the Acai berry. The Acai contains essential fatty acids, iron, proteins, fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin B1. Most importantly though, it also contains Omega 6 and Omega 9, which have been found to be strong antioxidants!

The antioxidants contained in the Acai berry and the amino acids help lower the risk of heart attack and heart disease. The phytosterols which are naturally occurring plant phytochemicals help the body burn fat more efficiently and process food more effectively. These elements make Acai berry a powerful addition to any weight loss program. In addition it can lower a persons cholesterol by up to 15%.

The essential fatty acids and antioxidants work together to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL) in the body. The essential fatty acids also help you body absorb the important vitamins A, E, D and K.

The health benefits of the Acai berry extend to include anti-viral and anti-bacterial agents which will help your body resist disease and illness. The anthocyanins that help accomplish this also assist in maintaining good eyesight and ward off such conditions as glaucoma and macular degeneration.

If you suffer from digestive problems, such as acid reflux, the Acai berry contains enzymes that effectively enhance the digestive system helping to eliminate digestive issues. Other such problems related to digestion, irritable bowel and constipation, excess gas are likely to improve as well.

Acai berry pulp also contains elements such as Vitamin B the helps regulate the body's level of dopamine and serotonin, the very things that help you sleep well and restore and relax your muscles. A good nights sleep on a regular basis is essential to good health.

Acai berries have been shown to have such amazing health benefits, that they are an exceptionally good thing to add to your diet. - 17273

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