The media hype about the acai berry
Acai is a smallish berry that's purple in color, and it's native to the rainforests of the Amazon, especially in Brazil. The natives of Brazil have known of the wonderful benefits of acai for many years, and now you can experience the renewed vitality that acai brings. The acai berry has a lot of benefits, like a drop in blood pressure, and an increase in energy. Some even believe it's an aphrodisiac.
There isn't really another fruit known to mankind that has the antioxidant content boasted by the acai berry. Antioxidants work to negate the damage done to the body by free radicals. Other purple berries, such as blueberries, are also excellent sources of these potent antioxidants, but acai has the most of them all.
Acai skins are loaded with anthocyanins. These are very powerful antioxidants, that are also found in large quantities in red wine and red grape skins.. Berries from the acai plant are packed with fiber, plant sterols, fatty acids, and polyphenols.
If your cholesterol is an issue, the plant sterols found in acai can help lower it. While there's no food that will magically make you better, adding acai to your diet can make you healthier.
Add some acai juice to a glass of tea, or maybe blueberry, cranberry, or pomegranate juice. Or, if you prefer, enjoy it by itself! Capsulated acai supplements are also widely available, and there are even some nutrition bars that have acai as a main ingredient.
There are numerous studies that tout the many health benefits of acai berry. A 2006 study by the University of Florida proved that acai berry could kill off human cancer cells in lab tests. Research into the cancer-fighting properties of acai is ongoing.
On the Oprah show, Dr. Oz talked about acai and its many health benefits, bringing this wonderful fruit into the spotlight. If you're looking for acai supplements, they can be found in health food stores, grocery stores, drugstores, and online outlets. Try acai berries in a drink or in capsule form, but everyone should reap the benefits of this "wonder fruit".