Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Friday, October 2, 2009

Learn About The Healthy Advantages Of Acai Berries

By Beverly T Brooks

What if you could get a plethora of health benefits from one tiny little berry? Not only is this berry nutritious, jam-packed with antioxidants, essential fatty acids and amino acids but this berry is also delicious, purportedly tasting like berries dipped in dark chocolate or a cross between a blueberry, a raspberry and a grape.

The acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry is rather uncommon as it is only found in the Amazon rainforest, however, it is one of the most nutritious discoveries of this century. It has more antioxidant capacity than almost any other food, it boasts a collaborative combination of healthy fats and an just about perfect essential amino acid complex.

Foods that are high in antioxidants help protect our bodies from oxidation. While oxidation is imperative to life, it can still damage our cells which can lead to excessive inflammation which can lead to premature aging, many diseases and even obesity. Nature gives us natural antioxidants in healthy foods and the acai berry has some of the highest antioxidant levels found in nature.

Antioxidant qualities in foods are measured by what is called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC. Acai berries have the highest ORAC of any other berry, with a 10 times higher ORAC than red grapes and twice as high as blueberries. Acai berry juice has 10 to 30 times the ORAC of red wine.

The acai berry also has essential fatty acids. The fatty acid content of the acai berry is high in monounsaturated oleic acid, similar to olive oil. Oleic acid is crucial because it makes the cell membranes more supple. This helps all of the hormone, neurotransmitters and insulin receptors throughout our bodies' function more effectively. High insulin levels have beenassociated with numerous diseases, the most common of course, being diabetes, but also cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome, which is believed to be a factor in obesity and other maladies.

Research on the acai berry is proving that it is a dietary powerhouse, even a superfood. Superfood is a term coined to describe a food with a high phytonutrient content that is believed to confer health benefits as a result.

The acai berry has been proven to be beneficial in weight loss, the prevention of decline from aging and the protection against diseases. The acai berry is definitely a superfood.

The acai berry is extremely perishable so it is not available throughout the world in its fresh form but only in its processed forms, such as juice or supplements. - 17273

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