Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Friday, November 27, 2009

Acai Berries: Discoveries From The Amazon

By Nicholas Page

Americans first started to notice the Brazilian acai berry around 2004. Since that time the Internet and TV offers have increased dramatically. Herbal remedies, supplements and acai products are everywhere. Because the promotion of these products has been so extensive lately, people don't quite know what to think and are hesitant to jump on this speeding bandwagon. Is this just another health fad or is there something to it? When you consider just a few of the basic ingredients of this berry - dietary fiber, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids - you would have to agree it must contain some health benefits.

Just like the beneficial antioxidants in purple and red grapes, the acai berry also has its share of antioxidants. It has been found that the darker grapes contain more antioxidants than the lighter ones. The acai berry is a very dark purple fruit with very high levels of antioxidants, people have described the taste of this berry as a mixture of unsweetened chocolate and berry. This description alone is enough to make people want to taste this berry. But are the health benefits for real? It has long been established that antioxidants are effective in neutralizing the damaging action of oxygen free radicals in our system. A case in point is the now famous French Paradox - high consumption of red wines and low rates of coronary diseases - due to red wine containing antioxidants.

Many of the claims about the health benefits of acai are due to the antioxidants. Without enough antioxidants in our system we can succumb to what is called oxidative stress. Oxygen free radicals are a natural result of cell metabolism but an excess of free radicals can damage and even kill biological cells. Free radicals have been linked to health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes and even cancer. Regularly ingesting natural antioxidants is a very good way to neutralize free radicals and promote the healing and strength of our cells thereby boosting our immune system.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids is another ingredient found in the acai berry. These are very important compounds required by our bodies. In fact they are so important our bodies are able to make these compounds out of other nutrients in our system, all except of course the essential fatty acids. These cannot be made by our system and so we must ingest them directly, that is why they are called essential fatty acids. You may be surprised to learn the acai berry contains some of these essential fatty acids similar to that found in olives. These essential nutrients play a major part in reducing our cholesterol levels which then improves our blood circulation and reduces the risk of heart diseases.

There is also plenty of fiber in the acai and we all know the benefits of fiber. The average American diet is very deficient in dietary fiber because of our love for processed and fast foods. Without the proper amount of daily fiber we are at a high risk for many forms of digestive disorders. Without a healthy digestive tract our bodies cannot move food and wastes properly which can contribute to obesity. Lack of fiber can also be the cause of irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids and constipation. Now with the acai we have another source for dietary fiber.

There are literally thousands of plants that are yet to be evaluated for their herbal and medicinal properties so it is no wonder new discoveries like this are still being made.The Brazilian acai berry really is an amazing little fruit. In this country we may not have direct access to this berry but we now have readily available to use many products and supplements containing various forms of this healing fruit. In many cases the supplements are the best way to go as the beneficial natural ingredients don't always survive human attempts at extracting and preserving their natural potency. It is important you buy from a source who knows how to preserve the potency of the ingredients. Maximum Acai Power is a great product giving you the option of trying it first before you buy. - 17273

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home