Acai Berry Health Benefits
The acai berry has a ton of health benefits. It is one of the world’s most interesting and unique foods. It may also be one of its healthiest. Chock-full of antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, the tiny little acai berry packs a nutritional wallop rarely seen in the natural world. In fact, some experts consider it to be the world’s most “complete” natural food. The native peoples of Brazil have eaten the berry for centuries and there are, in fact, many local legends about acai’s incredible healing and sustaining powers. It remains a popular “health and energy” food in that country today. Fortunately for North Americans and Europeans, in the last few years acai berry products have made their way to foreign shores. You can find out more about acai berry health benefits below.
The acai berry (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee) comes from the acai palm which is a palm tree grows in South America and Central America. It grows mainly in swamps and flood plains. They are tall trees that grow to be 15 to 30 meters tall – that means they can get roughly 100 feet tall. The leaves can be 9 feet long.
The acai berry is a small purple to black pitted fruit similar in size and appearance to a grape. It grows in bunches of 700 to 900 berries. The trees produce fruit twice a year. The fruits are about 1 inch in diameter with seeds that are about ¼ of an inch. The berries are harvested as one of the primary foods of the local people and also are an important part of the economies in the areas where they grow.
The juice from the berry, and even the pulp, is commonly used with other juices to make juice blend drinks, smoothies, and other beverages. It is also used as a flavoring for ice cream, mixed with granola, and in flavored liqueur. They can be used as a flavoring for or added to almost anything. The berries have a high fat content and deteriorate rapidly (spoil) so you won’t see fresh acai berries very far from the region where they are grown.
Now to the acai berry health benefits. That is probably why you are reading this article. The acai berry has a good portion of protein, fiber and key omega fatty acids. The acai berry also has a high level of anti oxidants that many studies have shown to be very beneficial for people to take. These properties are why many people tout the acai berry as a super fruit and it is sold as an all natural health food supplement.
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