The acai berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is found in the Brazilian rainforests and is truly an Amazon super-fruit. A deep rich purple color, the acai berry is exceptionally rich in antioxidants, nature’s free radical destroyer.

Free radicals are commonly formed by the body’s metabolism and can cause premature aging, cancers and heart disease. They are mopped up the body by chemicals known as antioxidants, examples being ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherol (vitamin E). The acai berry is full of them.

The berries also contain other chemicals such as amino acids and good healthy fats that increase your energy levels and provide the materials necessary for the synthesis of protein by the body. The berries also improve digestion and circulation, in addition to increasing stamina and sexual function. It is probably the most powerful berry known to man, and can be purchased from health food stores. It is available in drink and pulp form, the pulp being particularly beneficial. It is nature’s high-energy power store with a gorgeous taste.

Said to taste a bit like blueberries with a coating of chocolate, the acai berry also contains essential vitamins and minerals, and are also a source of plant sterols. Plant sterols reduce cholesterol in the body, and are used in yoghurt drinks designed to reduce cholesterol and promote a healthy heart. What does this berry not contain! Being a deep red color, the berry naturally has rich vitamin C content similar to blueberries.

The acai fruit contains an extremely high concentration of chemicals called anthocyanins, which are flavonoids with a great antioxidant effect that can destroy the free radicals that cause aging and can severely affect your health. The antioxidant properties of red wine are well known, but the acai berry contains around twenty times the antioxidant content of red wine.

The control and mitigation of cardiovascular disease is of extreme importance to continued health, and the availability of foods that can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and carry an antioxidant effect, is of extreme importance. The acai berry possesses all of these properties and is available in a number of forms from the dried pulp to the liquid.

The berry is also rich in calcium, which itself can cause a reduction in blood pressure in addition to providing protection against osteoporosis. The calcium content has also been found in studies to provide a reduced risk of stroke, and might also be linked to reduced occurrences of certain types of cancers.

The acai palm grows 15 – 30 metres tall and the berry itself is about the shape and size of a grape, around one inch in diameter, but has less pulp than a grape. The antioxidant properties have been found to be enhanced by freeze-drying the pulp, and it is available commercially in this form. The palm produces two berry crops a year, and another property of the freeze-dried pulp is its 30% dietary fiber content.

The health benefits provided by this amazing berry are, therefore, numerous and varied. Which of them are the most significant depends on your own point of view. From the standpoint of control of cardiovascular disease, there are three major benefits. The reduction in cholesterol provided by the plant sterols is valuable, and might be boosted also by the high calcium content. Blood pressure is also lowered, and the antioxidant effect of the flavonoids further reduces the risk of heart disease.

There is a definite boost in energy provided by the acai berry, arising from the high proportion of vitamins, minerals and amino and fatty acids, and the high dietary fiber content of the pulp provides benefits for the digestive tract.

The acai berry is truly nature’s super-fruit and you should make it part of your regular diet, or take it as a dietary supplement, if it is available from your local health store.

Many positive things have been mentioned about acai berry. Believe it or not, acai berry has been in the market for only 5 short years. Acai berry is a well-kept secret of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil where it is hand-picked by the natives. Acai berry grows quite wildly on top of palm trees. The acai fruit is of a deep purple color and is famously rich in important nutrients such as protein, fiber, heart-protecting fatty acids, and vitamins.

This fruit can play an extremely important role in not only maintaining our health but also preventing future problems from ever arising such as cancer and heart disease! The benefits from consuming this very nutritious berry are almost endless. In fact, according to a world renowned anti-aging expert, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, acai berry is one fruit he highly recommends adding to one’s daily diet. Why? This most-talked about berry is a very nutritious and one of the most powerful foods found in the world.

One of the most vital health benefits that acai berry can actually provide is the unique ability it has on the aging process because of its antioxidant properties that come from its concentration of anthocyanin. Because of this concentration of anthocyanin, acai has been recognized as one of the foremost superfoods for anti-aging; these properties are in fact the same one believed to be responsible for providing red wine with its reported health benefits; yet, acai berry contains from 10 to 30 times more anthocyanins than red wine.

This amazing fruit combats free radicals which are the chief cause of the aging process as they damage different parts of the human body from within over the years. For example, the amino acids and trace minerals that are found in acai help in ideal muscle contraction and regeneration; this helps slow down the destructive effects to the skin which cause the signs of aging.

Another example: the fatty acid in acai is high in monounsaturated oleic acid which together with omega 3 fish oils enter cell membranes and help to make them suppler; this in fact permits for neurotransmitters, hormones, and insulin receptors to work more efficiently, diminishing inflammation. Remember: inflammation is a leading cause of the aging process.

Acai berry provides many health benefits that it would be impossible to list them in this article. There is little wonder why this amazing fruit has become so popular around the world.