Acai: Nature at Its Best?
Every once in a while, a new product hits the health market and causes an uproar. While some of these are valid, others are a bit questionable. How do you separate the fact from the fiction? How can you tell when the seemingly amazing claims are actually true? The best way: do your homework. The internet is an excellent resource for learning more about products and figuring out whether they’re worth getting excited about.
One product that has generated a lot of buzz recently is the acai berry. Touted as a “superfruit” for good health, many claims have been made about its potential health benefits. If you are wondering whether these claims are true or just so much hype, you’ve come to the right place. This site is an extensive resource for everything you have been wondering about acai, from whether the claims about its effectiveness are true, to which products you can trust. Follow the links to find out more about the tiny berry that has caused such a stir.
If you’d like to know more about specific products, check out the various product review links. You’ll get unbiased, informed input into some of the most popular acai products, and whether they live up to their promises. Not all acai products are the same; because they are found in such ecologically sensitive areas, it’s important to ensure that any acai products you choose are developed in an ethical and ecologically friendly manner. While this may seem secondary, it is an important responsibility, and ensures that the acai palm continues providing its benefits to the generations to come.
What is the acai berry?
The tropics of Central and South America are rich in remarkable flora. The acai palm is no exception, and has been a valuable resource for these regions, with much of the plant being used for different purposes. The young inner shoots, commonly known as “hearts of palm”, are popular for use in salads. The strong leaves are used in a wide variety of ways, from basket-weaving to roof thatching.
However, it may be the tiny acai berry that is most valuable. It is rich in nutrients that have play an important role in human health and development. These include:
Antioxidants
Heart-friendly Omega fats
Amino Acids
Proteins
Xanthones
Anthocyanins
Acai berries are also a rich source of vitamins and minerals. These properties have led to the development of various acai products such as acai berry juice.
Acai Juice: Vitality and good health in a Glass?
One of the most popular uses of the acai berry today is in the form of acai juice. As with many health drinks, acai juice has become a popular choice among both the trendy and the health conscious. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a refreshing glass of acai juice for its “hip” appeal, the health benefits far outweigh any “fashionable fad” aspects. The benefits can include cholesterol reduction, anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant benefits and many others. For more information about the full potential benefits of acai juice, read through the links articles on this site. Many acai juice fans report results such as increased vitality, improved energy levels and an increase in their overall well-being and good health. So whether you drink it because it’s the “in thing” to do, or because of the benefits for your body, or simply because it tastes so good, a refreshing serving of acai juice is never a bad idea.
What About Goji, Noni or Mangosteen?
There are other products making a bit of a splash amongst the health food set. Among these are goji, noni and mangosteen products. While these fruits do approach the acai for its health benefits, ounce for ounce, the acai is a clear winner. The acai boasts a much higher ORAC rating (even higher than red wine!), contains Omegas 3 and 6, and has even been found to be a potential weapon in the fight against leukemia. While any juice that provides health benefits can hardly be denounced, if you want to really enjoy a wide range of health benefits, the acai berry is the natural choice.
The Bottom Line on Acai
While the claims made about acai often seem too good to be true, this may be one case where the old adage proves wrong. Extensive research has repeatedly shown that the tiny acai berry offers benefits that are anything but small. With increased awareness of the benefits of antioxidants, and more knowledge about the dangers of cholesterol, a fruit that can help protect the body, increase vitality and provide a wide range of health benefits can’t be ignored. Don’t just believe the hype – read through this site to find out exactly how the acai berry, and products such as acai juice, can help you. With articles about the various benefits, and unbiased reviews of the different acai products available, you’ll be able to decide for yourself whether this diminutive fruit lives up to the hype. To your good health!
About Me
- Terry Beckham
- Napa, CA, United States
- I am 59 years young and I live in the wine country of Northern California. I am very passionate about maintaining good health through natural means. I love to research new and effective methods of improving one's own health and financial situation. I am currently operating two websites called, healthy-life-vitamins.com and iloveacaiberry.com These sites are very informative where you can learn about vitamins, acai berry, and research your nutritional supplement needs. You will find very low prices on all the popular vitamins and save on pure organic acai berry. Come on over for a visit, and when you do, please feel free to leave your comments on the "About Us" or the "Contact Us" page!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
New Product
I think I have found the perfect supplement that has plenty of anecdotal and scientifically validated evidence. It is called the "Acai Berry," and it is an excellent fruit from the Amazon forests of South America. It has a wonderful taste like a blend of dark chocolate and blueberry. It has very large compliment of nutritional ingredients essential to cellular good health.
I have decided to market this product which is harvested and processed, completely through organic methods, by the Amazon Thunder company. It is called "Amazon Thunder Acai Berry Juice and flash-dried powder. You can read more about it at: https://www.amazonthunder.com/members/purplelove
I will be using this blog to promote my new Amazon Thunder Acai Berry! Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have about this great product and about a business opportunity as well!
Terry
Update!!
Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, University of Florida study shows,
Filed under Research, Health, Sciences, Agriculture on Thursday, January 12, 2006.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.
Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”
He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.
“This was only a cell-culture model and we don’t want to give anyone false hope,” Talcott said. “We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies.”
Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants’ chemical activity.
Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai’s antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.
“One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they’re perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking,” he said. “Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them.”
Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai berries. Besides Talcott, UF’s acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics department of UF’s College of Pharmacy.
Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.
Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.
“A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically,” Talcott said. “We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.”
In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.
Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.
The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.
“Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer,” said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. “Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting good health.”
I have decided to market this product which is harvested and processed, completely through organic methods, by the Amazon Thunder company. It is called "Amazon Thunder Acai Berry Juice and flash-dried powder. You can read more about it at: https://www.amazonthunder.com/members/purplelove
I will be using this blog to promote my new Amazon Thunder Acai Berry! Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have about this great product and about a business opportunity as well!
Terry
Update!!
Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, University of Florida study shows,
Filed under Research, Health, Sciences, Agriculture on Thursday, January 12, 2006.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.
Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”
He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.
“This was only a cell-culture model and we don’t want to give anyone false hope,” Talcott said. “We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies.”
Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants’ chemical activity.
Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai’s antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.
“One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they’re perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking,” he said. “Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them.”
Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai berries. Besides Talcott, UF’s acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics department of UF’s College of Pharmacy.
Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.
Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.
“A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically,” Talcott said. “We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.”
In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.
Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.
The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.
“Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer,” said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. “Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting good health.”
Saturday, April 26, 2008
My New Health Blog
Hello,
My name is Terry Beckham. I have created this blog to support my efforts in my new endeavor with marketing one of the most powerful natural health products in the world-acai berry juice and juice powder! I am excited about this new program and I believe it will be a lot of fun and financially rewarding. I am very interested in scientific research that validates the use of natural health supplements to achieve and maintain excellent health. I am always striving to find health supplements that provide superior support, at the cellular level, and are marketed by word of mouth.
I believe this to be an excellent model of marketing, and that anecdotal evidence of the success of this product, will provide a means of upward financial mobility for the many people who use the supplement and who share their stories with others.
My name is Terry Beckham. I have created this blog to support my efforts in my new endeavor with marketing one of the most powerful natural health products in the world-acai berry juice and juice powder! I am excited about this new program and I believe it will be a lot of fun and financially rewarding. I am very interested in scientific research that validates the use of natural health supplements to achieve and maintain excellent health. I am always striving to find health supplements that provide superior support, at the cellular level, and are marketed by word of mouth.
I believe this to be an excellent model of marketing, and that anecdotal evidence of the success of this product, will provide a means of upward financial mobility for the many people who use the supplement and who share their stories with others.
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