The Acai berry (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee), is one of nature’s superfoods, with an astonishing array of health benefits.  The berry comes from an Amazon palm tree that is harvested in the rainforests of Brazil.  For a superfood, it has a great taste, tasting like a blend of berries and chocolate.  To start with, the Acai berry is full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids, all of which are a vital part of a healthy diet.  Read on to learn more about the benefits of this small berry obtainable from acai products.

Nutritional Facts about the Acai Berry

So what is in the Acai berry that makes it so good for us?  Here’s some great nutritional information:

• it has more proteins than an egg and is full of amino acids
  
• it has fatty acids similar to those found in olive oil
  
• over 16 phytonutrients and antioxidants
  
• ten times as many antioxidants as grapes and twice as many antioxidants as blueberries
  
• contains anthocyanins – as much as 30 times as those found in red wine
  
• it contains dietary fibre – 44.2 grams of fibre per 100 grams of the berry
  
• a low glycaemic index (keeps you feeling fuller, longer)
  
• high in trace minerals and macro minerals
  
• high in vitamins
  
• has an ORAC level that is higher than any other known berry (the ORAC value measures the antioxidant properties of a food)

Benefits of the Acai Berry

Due to the nutritional makeup of the Acai berry, it has an amazing number of health benefits.  It has antioxidant properties, is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, is anti-mutagenic, and is great for the cardiovascular system.  The Acai berry is loaded with essential fatty acids such as omega 6 and omega 9, which both work to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood while maintaining the levels of good cholesterol.  The berry also contains phytosterols, compounds which are very helpful for the body.  In fact, one of its main roles is reducing the levels of cholesterol in the blood plasma.

The Acai berry is also very rich in anthocyanins, which is great for the eyes, blood vessels, connective tissue, and the nervous system.  Anthocyanins are a form of antioxidants.  The Acai berry also has a number of antioxidants that are excellent for the body as they help to restore other antioxidants already in the body such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and glutathione.  The flavenoids in the berry also help to protect the body against disease.  The berry is also excellent for the eyes as it strengthens visual acuity and helps with a number of eye diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.

The Acai berry also contains enzymes and co-factors such as coenzyme Q10.  These help the body in digesting food, as well as transferring nutrients and helping chemical interactions in the body.  The anti-mutagenic compounds in the berry help the body’s immune system to fight against cellular degeneration.  The berry also strengthens the body in all areas.

This berry is also helpful in people with sleep problems (see Science of Sleep for more info) as it helps people to sleep normally as well as providing nutrients to the muscles so that the muscles are able to perform and relax better.  It has also been used for centuries as a means of cleansing and detoxifying the body.