Unless you have been hiding out in a private location far from all media channels, it is a sureness that you have seen some of the many commercials which have been going around for the Acai berry juice. While the Acai berry juice is new to us in most of the humanity, it is a fruit which has been enjoyed for hundred years in South America.
The Acai berry juice is a health juice from the fruit of a palm tree which grows in Brazil and other South and Central American nations. Long a staple food for people in the area, the Acai berry juice is also used as a conventional medicine for a range of illnesses. Everything from diarrhea to ulcers is cured using this multipurpose and nutritious fruit. The Acai palm which people are chatting about is the Euterpe oleracea, division of the Euterpe genus of palms.
The Acai berry tree grows to heights of as much as 80 feet. The long, slim trunks branch out towards the top in the typical palm shape. The fruiting branches will hold bunches of 3 to 8 berries. The Acai berry is used for its pulp; although the huge seeds are used in animal feed and as mulch for farming.
It’s only been about seven years now that Acai juice has been offered outside of their natural habitat. The Amazon Acai berries spoil very quickly after being picked, making them inappropriate for export. However, there are now some companies who pick the Acai berries than without delay process them so that they can be circulated worldwide. These processed Acai berries are then used into Acai powder, Acai Juice or other Acai products.
3.5 ounces of the freeze dried Acai powder has 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrate, 44.2 g dietetic fiber, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. Hardly anyone would eat this much Acai at once, but this should give you a good inspiration of how nourishing this humble little Acai berry is. The Acai juice is a big source of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and dietary fiber.
The high antioxidant Acai berry has been the focus of many researches. Antioxidants are believed to put off many diseases; Acai extracts have been tested at the University of Florida for its usefulness in combating leukemia. The result? The Acai berry extract caused 86% of leukemia cells to self-destruct. A University of Rio de Janeiro confirmed that Acai extract may perk up cardiovascular function as well.
In a different study of 12 healthy volunteers, the participants were given Acai extract and then tested for antioxidant intensity one and two hours later. The outcomes showed that the volunteers had higher serum antioxidant levels after one hour; and even superior an hour later!
Other effects which have been reported include improved mental clarity, better digestive function, a higher energy level and a slowing of the aging development on the cellular level, among others. Not every advantage of the Acai berry which has been claimed has yet been proved, but many other high-antioxidant foods have been publicized to have these effects.
The Acai berry may even have applications which are not allied to its nutritive value. The Acai berry pulp has revealed to have some potential use as a medium in certain medical tests on the GI tract, most remarkably MRI procedures. It looks like that Acai berry import may be here to settle - and we’re all delighted it could make it!
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