Before the popularity of the acai berry gained notoriety we had only vitamins A, C and E consumed by drinking orange juice or taking vitamin supplements. But today, we are not talking about just small preventative measures taken, but a real blow to sickness and disease, which has taken the form of antioxidant rich functional health beverages that many consumers swear by in their quest for health and wellness.

Currently, the antioxidant gaining the most attention the Acai (pronounced ah-SAH-ee) berry which is known as a super antioxidant. The pure acai berry is a small dark blue fruit, similar in size to a blueberry or small grape but with less pulp, that grows in clusters of berries on acai palm trees. The pure acai fruit is popular among health food enthusiasts because it is high in many important vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids (such as Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9), and anthocyanin/anthocyanidin phytonutrients which are members of the flavonoid class of antioxidants.

The dark purple berry, which tastes something like a blend of berries and chocolate, supposedly contains 10 to 30 times the flavonoids contained in red wine. Traditionally, Brazilians used the fruit to treat stomach disorders and skin conditions. The fruit is highly unstable when picked and rots easily, so it is rare to find the acai fruit whole when you are not in the region where they are grown. Outside the tropics pure acai is usually found in either juice or pulp form. This wonder food is purported to fight cancer, control cholesterol, increase energy, improve physical intimacy and helps weight loss. Some people even use acai as a facial astringent because the fruit has high anti-bacterial properties.

Cupuacu (coo pwAH soo) is referred to as The Taste of the Amazon. Cupuacu is a member of the chocolate family. The indigenous Indians have used the fruit as a primary food source for years. The Cupuacu fruit grows on the Cupuacu tree, which is a small to medium tree in the Rainforest that belongs to the Cocoa family. This pure acai fruit is known for its creamy exotic tasting pulp. The pulp is used throughout Brazil and Peru to make fresh juice, ice cream, jam and tarts. The fruit ripens in the rainy months from January to April and is considered a culinary delicacy in South American cities. The seeds contain a sweet-smelling, white butter, which can also be used to make excellent-quality white chocolate.

This particular fruit, Cupuacu has not gained the national attention as the acia berry or yerbe mate. Its benefits has not been publicized nor is it contained in many health related beverages, supplements or foods. Cupuacu contains unique antioxidant phytonutrients called polyphenols. You may be familiar with polyphenols from other common medicinal plants, notably green tea and grape seeds. Cupuacu also contains at least nine other known antioxidants including Vitamin C and Vitamin A, making it a well-rounded antioxidant cocktail. The top three reasons to make Cupuacu part of your diet include: the increased ability to fight disease and cancer, more youthful and healthier looking skin and hair and it reportedly lowers cholesterol levels.

Indigenous people, as well as local communities along the Amazon, have cultivated Cupuacu as a primary food source for generations. In former times, Cupuacu seeds were traded along the Rio Negro and Upper Orinoco rivers where indigenous people drink Cupuacu juice after it has been blessed by a shaman to facilitate difficult births. The “beans” are utilized by the indigenous Tikuna people for abdominal pains.

Cupuacu also has a unique type of polyphenols called theograndins. Theograndins have potent antioxidant activity and provide cardiovascular protective and immune supportive benefits. Yet, everyday brings new findings of other advantages of theograndins that are unique to cupuacu. For example, in tests on some types of cancers, theograndins were uniquely effective at killing colon cancer cells. Research is underway to determine whether cupuacu or isolated theograndins have a place in modern cancer therapy.

Yerba mate (pronounced yer-bah mah-tay) is also one of the ingredients in this functional health beverage in addition to Aloe Vera Gel Pulp, CoEnzyme Q10, Cat’s Claw Bark and over 100 other nutritional ingredients. Although yerba mate has not enjoyed the same level of media exposure as the acai berry has recently, it certainly commands respect and attention. Yerba mate is a tea like beverage popular in Argentina. The word mate derives from the word Mati that names the gourd that is used to drink the tea.

It is widely held that this tea contains mateine, a chemical cousin of caffeine that has subtly different properties. Though similar to caffeine in its ability to provide energy, it can have a milder and safer delivery to the body. Although, yerba mate is not known to interfere with sleep cycles, it does have a tendency to balance the cycles, inducing more REM sleep. Many people report that they require less sleep when using mate; usually such an experience is accompanied by a deeper, more relaxing sleep experience.

Yerba mate is replete with antioxidants that help the body fight free-radicals. Yerba mate may assist with the following: increased mental awareness and elevated mood, weight loss, increased ability to fight off disease and increased energy and vitality.

Additionally, yerba mate helps relieve allergies. It has been noted that yerba mate is helpful in opening respiratory passages to overcome allergy symptoms. It has been shown to reduce the severity of some allergies and hay fever. Yerba mate works by stimulating the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids, which help suppress the inflammation and immune response due to allergies.

Does yerba mate exhibit anti-cancer properties like green tea? Aside from its significant antioxidant effects, research from the University of Illinois suggests yerba mate could in fact be a potent ally in cancer protection. Labs around the country are starting to test the Acai to find what possible medical use it has. There is no doubt that this amazing fruit has a promising future in the medical world. While more study needs to be done to prove the effectiveness of some of these claims, there is no doubt that adding any of one of these plants or fruits to your diet will improve your overall and future health!

The health beverage industry is a booming market. It is currently producing over 4 billion dollars in sales and is forecasted to grow to over 10 billion in the next few years. The growth is being fueled by one thing: consumer demand. It should be no surprise why so many companies are jumping on the functional health beverage band wagon.

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“Information on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to act as a substitute for medical advice provided by a qualified health care provider, nor is any information on this intended to diagnose, treat, care or prevent any diseases. Statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.”

Free Acai Trial Offer

Gilles Coulombe asked:


A new superfood called Pure Acai Berry that had been discovered in the Amazon Rainforest is now is taking the world by storm, and is becoming known as the most beneficial fruit in the world. Pure Acai berry can help you lose weight by suppressing hunger and boosting energy, this is what busy people needed. Pure Acai berry has been used for many generations by the natives of Brazil, This berry boosts 10 times the antioxidant benefits of grapes and twice that of blueberries. Pure Acai berry is considered to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

The nutritional breakdown of Pure Acai berry is prodigious. It has high levels of iron, calcium, carbohydrates, fibre and antioxidants. And energy. A small 100g cup has almost 300 calories. Combined with the mystique of its Amazonian origins, pure acai berry’s contents have made it the beverage of choice for Rio’s sporty elite.  ORAC value (a measure of its antioxidant properties) is higher than any other edible berry on the planet.

Pure Açai berry may be the most potent of all ‘forgotten fruits’ – those raw, whole fruits that are little known or consumed. By any standards, the scientific facts about the Açai berry are most impressive. Pure Acai berry is popular among health food enthusiasts because it is high in many important vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and anthocyanin. Anthocyanins are a class of phytochemicals found in red wine believed to contribute to the “French paradox”. Today the French have one of the all-time low occurrences of heart problems of the western world in spite of prevalent habits of smoking and a diet quite high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Acai has 33 times more anthocyanins than red wine.

HEALTH EFFECTS OF PURE ACAI BERRY

Many claims have been made as to the positive effect of Pure Acai berry on many contemporary health problems, including high cholesterol, digestive problems, diabetes, vision, and weight loss. All the ingredients in the Acai Berry promote increase in energy along with improved health. Because of its high protein content, Pure Acai berry products can also assist in weight loss because one of the properties of protein is its longer digestion time. This helps to alleviate hunger pangs even though the caloric content of acai berries is rather high. Pure Acai berry has been praised for it’s ability to cleanse your body and help you lose weight!



Where to buy Acai berries?

Carter Sinclair asked:


Acai berry juice has a number of uses that can help bring a new and healthier you into being. Acai is a small purple or green berry that has a high nutritional value, as a result it is highly prized in the health food market. However, this fruit is not viable long after harvest so it is usually shipped as Acai berry juice or as frozen/dried berries.

Acai berry juice does not have to be used strictly by itself. It is perfect addition for a variety of different foods. The taste has been likened by some to be that of a chocolate and berry mix so some experimentation on non-desert use may be required. It does make a good addition to salad dressings for a variety of different types of salads, especially fruit salads or it can be used as a sauce to go over other types of fruit based deserts.

It is also a great addition to milkshakes, ice cream and sorbets. Acai berry juice also makes a good addition to dishes that go well with fruit based flavors such as chicken and pork. If using it with meat it is best to use it as a marinade to add flavor but not as a sauce. It can also be might into a light gaze for a ham.

A healthy and nutritious kick can even be added to mixed drinks. This can be a great way to add a totally new flavor to cocktails and after dinner drinks, even make your own desert drinks that are still healthy and nutritious. It can even be added to just plain water to give a healthy, preservative and sugar free flavoring to your water.

For those that like flavored coffee here is a great way to not only get an energy kick times two but get all the nutritional value of Acai berry juice. These are some of the best ways to get the nutritional value that comes from the Acai.

The juice is packed with B-vitamins, Beta-carotene, Calcium, Copper and Chromium, even iron, magnesium, and Zinc can be found. All of these ingredients help with handling stress, providing energy, increasing the metabolism even helping to produce healthy skin, hair and eyes. There are even ongoing studies that show that Acai berry juice added to the diet can help with chronic illnesses such as Diabetes and may be able to help those who are at risk or who have cancer.

Free radicals have been linked to some cancers and the Acai has one of the highest rankings when it comes to antioxidant content and the ability to prevent free radical activity within the body. This can also help you to look younger, feel younger and remove toxins from the body.



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