The world\’s largest rainforest, the Amazon\’s borders extend into eight countries. The Amazon River basin contains one fifth of the world\’s fresh water supply and the area is teeming with wildlife of all sorts. One third of all animal and plant species on Earth may be found in the Amazon.
It is in this lush, flourishing environment that the acai berry grows. According to sources, the native Amazon tribes use almost 2,000 of the 3,000 known rainforest fruits for remedial purposes. The acai berry is one of the most potent and powerful of these fruits.
People in the Amazon region have known of the benefits of the acai berry for a long time now- but around 1990, this fruit began to gain some exposure to the outside world as well. Now, the acai berry and its health and nutritional benefits are available to the world.
Naturally rich in antioxidants, the acai berry contains ten times as many if these compounds as do grapes and twice as many as do blueberries. They also contain fibre, protein and minerals.
The acai berry also contains high levels of anthocyanins; the compounds which give red wines some of their health benefits. The acai berry contains a larger amount of anthocyanins than does wine and is also free of the negative effects of alcohol.
The benefits don\’t stop there! The acai berry is listed as an effective anti-aging super food in health food circles and is actually believed to decelerate the aging process. This is presumed to be a joint effect of the anthocyanins and the antioxidants found in the berry.
Acai berries have been used in making wine with a higher nutritional value, to fight the disease schistosomosis (which is transmitted by snails) and in manufacturing an antibiotic to combat staph infections – this is a berry which has a wealth of nutritional benefits and a lot of different applications.
The acai berry is a little, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch in diameter. There is a similarity between this and grapes in look and feel. Whilst the immense popularity of this fruit lies in the fact that it provides incredible health benefits the flavour is also simply superb. Perhaps the easiest way to enjoy the benefits of the acai berry is by drinking it as a juice or in smoothies.
Author: Americo Tognetti is a fan of the acai berry because it has medicinal properties available in delicious Acai Fruit Powder.
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