What is an Amazon Acai Berry?

The Acai Berry [pronounced A-sigh-y] is a small fruit that originates from the Amazon rainforests of Brazil. The native Indians have endowed the Acai Berry with mysterious health benefits, and have eaten it for centuries. Now the western world has also recognised and verified this little fruit’s extraordinary properties.
Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a regular contributor on Oprah Winfrey’s Show, lists it as one of his top 10 Super Foods.

This little berry has been extensively analysed and found to contain some of the highest antioxidant and anthocyanins levels of any naturally occurring food grown. The Acai berry has 10 times the antioxidant level of red grapes and twice the antioxidant levels the blueberry. It also boasts 10 to 30 times the antioxidant levels of red wine.

It is also high in the essential fatty acids; Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9, which are the highly nutritious unsaturated fatty acids, crucial to health and brain function. Plus there are a total of 19 different amino acids which are the building blocks of life and the body. The fatty acids and the amino acids make up almost 50% of the edible part of the fruit.

Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber and plant sterols also abound in the Acai Berry. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E, plus potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc. Then there are the three plant sterols that scientists have identified, all shown to provide significant health benefits. So the humble Acai Berry is one of natures powerhouses.

As research progresses, an ever increasing number of health benefits are being discovered. This small fruit is been recognised for its benefits in weight loss programs, it also has an exceptionally high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score offering  powerful properties and acknowledged benefits in the protection against and prevention of diseases such as cancer.

ORAC is a measurement of a substances capacity to minimize free radicals. The higher the ORAC score the greater the anti-oxidant properties. The Acai Fruit has one of the highest scores ever attributed to a naturally occurring product.

The fruit tastes to me like a mix between Blueberry and Chocolate, it can be eaten as dried berries, drunk as a juice or the extract made into many delicious and nutritious foods like smoothies, desserts or anything else you can think up.