What are Acai berries?

The Acai (ah-sigh-ee)berry is a fruit. These berries are found on large palm trees and grow in bunches. The rip Acai berry is generally blackish purple in color while the unripe berry is green in color and slowly changes color depending on the type as well as its maturity. Acai berries look very similar to black purplish grapes in both appearance and size but Acai is less pulpy than grapes. These berries also contain a single large seed.

Where do Acai Berries come from?

The Acai berry is an ancient staple food, harvested by the Natives of the Amazon for hundreds of years to promote energy, healthy digestion and good health.  It is only grown within the thick Amazon rainforest of North Brazil.  Natives of the Amazon first used the Acai berry and its high nutrient content to cure various ailments. It is said that there was a sudden increase in the Amazonian population, which led to a scarcity in food. Subsequently, the Native leader, Itaki, decided that no woman could give birth to a child and, if she did, that baby would be sacrificed. His daughter, Iaca, was bearing a child at the time. The child was born and sacrificed. Iaca cried day and night. Then, one night, she heard a baby crying. When she went outside in search of the baby, she saw a palm tree covered with fruits. She lay down under the tree. The next day, the tribe found Iaca’s body under the tree and the tree was named in her honor. The fruits of Acai were used to satisfy the peoples hunger and renewed their energy.  

Thus, Acai has been enjoyed by the people of Brazil for many years. These berries became a very important component of the Amazonian diet. These berries can be used in numerous recipes such as smoothies, salads, juice, cereals, cookies, sorbets, puddings, sauces, and milkshakes. It is even used to flavor meat and fish dishes.

What health benefits do Acai Berries provide?

More recently the Acai berry has become popular in North America as researchers, TV shows such as Oprah, newspapers and magazines have publicized it and increased awareness of its health benefits.  With its recent popularity in North America, Acai berries are now available in diverse forms such as juices, powers and tablets. The ingestion of Acai berries has been found by researchers to be very safe with no negative side effects. One of the most popular forms of the berry is found in Acai berry juices, in which a concentrate form of the berry is used. Acai berries can also be mixed with salad dressings, and used to enhance fruit desserts or drinks. It can also be used as a marinade for rooster and pork.

In the nineties, doctors and researchers began to realize the health benefits of Acai berries. They saw that it had helped the Amazon peoples to strengthen their immune systems, fight infections, protect their hearts, and control prostate enlargement. Researchers revealed that Acai berries are full of amino acids, antioxidants, omega fats, electrolytes, protein and vitamins A, B1 and E and this is what makes these berries so unique and beneficial to the human body.

The following are some of the benefits of Acai berries:

• contains large amounts of antioxidants which increases the breakdown of body fats, hence  used as a weight loss supplement
•  increases energy levels thus slowing down the aging process
• fights fatigue to  help in cell recovery
•  are naturally low in sugar which,  makes it safe for individuals with diabetes
• Improves mental clarity
• promotes sound sleep
• enhances  sexual desire and performance
• fights cancerous cells 
• normalizes and regulates cholesterol levels
• aids in the proper functioning of the heart
• reduces inflammations
• increases blood  circulation
• helps to improve  vision