UKHealthy.co.uk

Nutritional Facts About Acai Berries

Webmaster - UKHealthy.co.uk

Advertisements

Beside local fruits that we consume on daily basis, there are certain fruits that are gaining popularity because of their incredible health benefits. The Acai berry is such a fruit. Grown on a special Amazon trees in the Brazilian forests, this high energy - high antioxidant fruit has a very short harvesting period, after which it starts deteriorating. Commercially, Acai is available as fruit pulp and juices imported from Brazil and similar Amazonian countries.

As pulp and juices, it is used in bars and drink shops all over the world to make juices, sodas, smoothies, blends and all other sorts of drinks. Companies like MonaVie International are working on a unique harvesting process that increases the yield of the Acai plantations.

Acai has a very sweet-sour taste which may remind you of chocolate-berry smoothies. It can be related to almost all of the berries in terms of taste. You might not find it in your local supermarket but it is increasingly being made available at health stores and pharmacies over the country. You may also be able to find them, in canned juice forms in gourmet stores. You may also be able to find it as unsweetened pulp, which is even healthier.

Health benefits are what Acai is really popular for. They are enriched with amino acids, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Acai pulp has high concentration of antioxidants, about thirty times more then anthocyanins in red wine, and ten times more than grapes. Antioxidants are great in working against premature aging and also have detoxifying properties. Acai is also provided with great amounts of dietary fiber, which is essential for digestion. It has high concentration of phytosterols and unsaturated fats which are necessary for cardiovascular system. The amino acid complex and minerals present in the Acai are helpful for muscles and promote regeneration. Fatty acids present in Acai are similar to those of Olive oil and is rich in unsaturated oleic acid. The oleic acid helps the penetration of cell membrane by Omega-3 fish oil to make them more suited for hormonal, neurotransmitter and insulin balance.

Acai is also known to be good for cardiovascular health. It is known to increase the eyesight. Antioxidants in Acai promote better blood circulation and cause formation of free radicals which promotes cell growth. Resveracine is a popular supplement for those who want to decrease their cholesterol levels and weight, which is also present in Acai. Almost 44% of total fruit mass of Acai is dietary fiber, making it one of the most fiber rich fruits. It also has strong antibacterial properties.