Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Is Acai Berry Diet Essential For Entire Cultures?

By Dana Hawkes

The acai berry comes from a plant called the acai palm tree, a member of the genus Euterpe. The berry is black/purple, small and round, with a diameter of 25mm, same to a grape. It grows on branched panicles of between 700-900 berries, twice a year. Each berry has a single seed of 7-10mm in diameter. In a study in 1999, the acai palm was described as the most powerful plant species in three traditional Caboclo populations in Brazil as it's berries made up to 42% of the total food intake by weight.

Acai berries get harvested twice a year as a food item. The Acai fruit makes up a large percentage of the diet for the native people living in the Amazon basin of South America, which would lead to the fact that the Acai berry diet is not a new thing, but that it has been around for centuries.

Up to 42% of the food eaten by natives of the area can be Acai fruit. This should make it clear that the Acai berry is not only important to us, but it has been important for entire cultures throughout history that lived in the region where Acai palms grew, but also to entire cultures that exist in the region where the Acai berries grow and are harvested.

The uses of the acai berry include, other than food, the use as a dietary supplement, which is said to be highly beneficial and is sold in multiple forms, such as tablets and smoothies. The berry is said to improve a number of things, including energy levels, sexual performance and digestion, though it is also claimed that it reverses diabetes and other chronic illnesses. It's most common use is as a product for weight loss. None of these claims are backed up by any evidence from controlled studies of any kind, making them dubious at best.

The berry's seeds can also be ground as food for livestock or for use in organic soil. A planted seed can require months to form seedlings, provided it is under the right conditions. - 17273

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