Tuesday

Acai Berry: Healing Properties From The Plants Of Earth

By Nicholas Page

It was around 2004 when the Brazilian acai berry gained national attention in America. Since then the TV and Internet offers have exploded. Acai berry products and herbal supplements seem to be everywhere. The promotional hype lately has been so huge most people don't know what to think about this amazing little berry and are reluctant to try it for fears of jumping on the proverbial bandwagon. If you consider just three of the basic ingredients in these little berries - antioxidants, essential omega fatty acids, and dietary fiber - you can only come to the conclusion it must be good for you.

Just like the beneficial antioxidants in purple and red grapes, the acai berry also has its share of antioxidants. It has been found that the darker grapes contain more antioxidants than the lighter ones. The acai berry is a very dark purple fruit with very high levels of antioxidants, people have described the taste of this berry as a mixture of unsweetened chocolate and berry. This description alone is enough to make people want to taste this berry. But are the health benefits for real? It has long been established that antioxidants are effective in neutralizing the damaging action of oxygen free radicals in our system. A case in point is the now famous French Paradox - high consumption of red wines and low rates of coronary diseases - due to red wine containing antioxidants.

Most of the health claims about the acai are the result of these antioxidants. Antioxidants are very effective at neutralizing free radicals. If too many oxygen free radicals accumulate in our bodies we can suffer from oxidative stress which has been linked to heart diseases, diabetes and even cancer. Oxygen free radicals are actually a natural by-product of our cells but too many free radicals will result in damage to our cells. Taking an acai supplement on a regular basis keeps enough of these antioxidants in our system to stop free radical damage and improves our immune system.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids is another ingredient found in the acai berry. These are very important compounds required by our bodies. In fact they are so important our bodies are able to make these compounds out of other nutrients in our system, all except of course the essential fatty acids. These cannot be made by our system and so we must ingest them directly, that is why they are called essential fatty acids. You may be surprised to learn the acai berry contains some of these essential fatty acids similar to that found in olives. These essential nutrients play a major part in reducing our cholesterol levels which then improves our blood circulation and reduces the risk of heart diseases.

Like all fruits the acai berry contains its own special makeup of natural dietary fiber. This is another source for the health claims made about this berry. It has long been known that the average American diet is low in fiber. This is the result of mass consumption of processed and fast foods. Insufficient fiber in our diets can result in improper digestion and lead to obesity as well as contributing to digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and hemorrhoids.

There are literally thousands of plants that are yet to be evaluated for their herbal and medicinal properties so it is no wonder new discoveries like this are still being made.The Brazilian acai berry really is an amazing little fruit. In this country we may not have direct access to this berry but we now have readily available to use many products and supplements containing various forms of this healing fruit. In many cases the supplements are the best way to go as the beneficial natural ingredients don't always survive human attempts at extracting and preserving their natural potency. It is important you buy from a source who knows how to preserve the potency of the ingredients. Maximum Acai Power is a great product giving you the option of trying it first before you buy. - 26706

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