image credit: vince.vance (flickr.com)
The people
around the Amazon cherished the acai berry for hundreds of years. Acai berries
are actually a member of the palm tree family. The palm trees that grow around
the Amazon River are the ones responsible for the abundance of these fruits.
The berries, which are dark purple in color, hang in bunches 40 feet above the
ground near the leaves of palm trees. As we all know, palm trees don't have any
branches.
This amazing
berry is a wonderful gift of nature to the people of the jungle. It is loaded
with health-giving properties that help to strengthen people's tissues and
cells. It fortifies the body's resistance to diseases, and it protects people
from infection and inflammation.
It is only upon the
advent of modern science that the health-giving properties of this South
American superfood were identified. The "power" of the acai berry,
which had long been acknowledged and revered by the people in the Amazon,
turned out to be its antioxidants, phytonutrients, B vitamins, electrolytes,
and polyphenolic anthocyanin compounds that include resveratrol, ferulic acid, and petunidin.
These nutrients
and a lot more have made acai berry the superfood that it was and still is
until today. Here are two of the most known health benefits of acai berry:
1. It helps to prevent cancer.
Acai berry is
rich in vitamin C and antocyanins. These natural substances work to suppress or
neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are
a consequence of the body's normal metabolic process. They can also occur
during during prolonged exposure to the sun. Free radicals are one of the main
causes of aging and the death of cells.
Vitamin C also
works to keep your skin healthy and youthful.
2. Acai berry helps to keep your heart healthy.
Like red wine
grapes, this amazing South American fruit contains resveratrol. It is a polyphenol
compound that works to reduce inflammation and prevents the accumulation of bad
cholesterol in the arterial walls. Resveratrol also contains blood-thinning
properties that prevent blood from forming clots that might can a heart attack.
3. It helps to strengthen your immune system.
Aside from its
ability to suppress cancer and prevent heart disease, acai
berry is also loaded with anti-bacterial properties. It can help to fortify
your immune system and boost your resistance to disease-causing organisms.
As a final
reminder, you have to bear in mind that acai berry is not intended to replace
any medication that your doctor has prescribed for you. You have to take it as
a food supplement to ensure that you will enjoy its health-giving properties.
As much as possible, you should take only the acai berry that is supported by a
Certificate of Analysis. It's always good to know more
about acai berry so that you will be able to identify its trustworthy
sources.
Related Reads:
ACAI
(webmd.com)
The
Acai Berry Dietary Supplement: Hype and Fact (fitday.com)
