Why Do Our Favorite Talk Show Hosts Love Acai Berry?
You may not know about Acai Berry but Rachel Ray is raving about this little Amazon berry. It has also been featured on the Oprah show. It is one of the 10 superfoods promoted by Dr Perricone. Studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Acai berries are the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree.
Acai berries taste like an intoxicating blend of chocolate and berries. Acai berry is chock full of essential fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidants. Although acai may not yet be available in the average Safeway, you can easily find it in several health food and gourmet stores.
Among the many benefits of Acai is that it can prevent and sometimes reverse signs of aging. A mixture of antioxidants assist in fighting premature aging. Acai has 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and up to 25 times then the established health benefits of red wine. These antioxidants work together to keep your skin soft and smooth and supple and youthful looking. Acai can also actually reverse some pre-existing facial wrinkles.
Acai also contains an effective combination of dietary fiber, monounsaturated (healthy) fats, and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health. Phytosterols from plant sources have been found to be beneficial in treating many conditions, such as the immune system deficiency, arthritis and high cholesterol. The plant sterols compete for absorption sites with those of cholesterol (an animal sterol), they thus reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body. Total and LDL (low-density lipid) cholesterol levels can be reduced by the consumption of phytosterols.
Acai berries also boast an amino acid complex which acts in conjunction with minerals to promote proper muscle growth and health. This is important to anyone trying to increase their muscle mass or anyone trying to prevent muscles wasting.
The health benefits of acai berry are numerous and varied. The important essential fatty acid content of acai is very similar to that of healthy oils such as flax seed oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil and olive oil. It is also is a great source of oleic acid.
Oleic acid is critical to good health for many reasons. Oleic acid helps make cell membranes healthier by making them more flexible by allowing for the penetration of omega-3 acids. By making our cell membranes flexible, our cells can function optimally. This benefit really can’t be exhagerated as high insulin levels create an inflammation and inflammation causes all sorts of problems. Oleic acid also exhibits other health benefits. It has been shown to prevent the development of heart disease which is a major concerns amongst adults.
An interesting use of oleic acid which is found in acai berry is its use as an ingredient in Lorenzo’s oil made famous in a TV movie of the same name. This medication was developed to prevent the onset of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a condition effecting boys that attacks the myelin sheaths of the body, causing debilitating symptoms similar to those in multiple sclerosis. Though Lorenzo’s oil does not cure the condition, it can delay onset or progression of the disease in those who are not yet symptomatic.
The health benefits of acai are varied and truly compelling. You owe it to yourself to take the advise of Rachel Ray and give acai berry a try.
