Posts Tagged ‘Acai Berries’

Facts and Fiction Surrounding the Acai Berry

Friday, May 14th, 2010
Acai berry fruit is a rare fruit that can only be found in the Amazon. It’s rare not because it’s an endangered plant, but because exporting it takes a lot of effort. It can’t simply be sipped as a fresh fruit because it spoils easily. This is largely because of the high (good) fat content in its pulp. Also, only 10% of acai berry fruits are beneficial for human dietary consumption. About 90% of the fruit are seeds, which have no nutritional value.

Popularity

Acai berry products have been popular through the years for its anti-aging benefits. Fairly recently, medical researches have found that it’s also largely responsible for weight loss. Oprah pronounced it as the world’s #1 superfood, because is has the highest lever lf antioxidants, anthocyanins, vitamins, and minerals, compared to other fruit sources.  

Make Sure You Read The Label

Because the acai berry fruit can’t be imported from the Amazon as fresh produce, it needs to undergo various types of preservations. The most common is freezing the acai fruit pulp, which is responsible for the rare and pricy fruit pulps that the most health conscious of us buy from specialized stores. The more common derivative of acai berries, however, are capsule supplements.

You should carefully read the label and look for a “freeze dried” note. This means that the acai berry has been frozen and dried before it was turned to powder. “Spray drying” which may be the technique used for cheaper acai berry supplements strip the fruit of all its nutrients. Do not buy “extracts” of acai berries as well, because it defeats the purpose of buying acai berries in the first place. When you buy these berries, you would want their full benefits.

Nutritional Facts

When you buy acai berry, you rest assured knowing that you’re purchasing organic products. This means that you don’t have to worry about odd side-effects which may be caused by chemicals added into your supplements. Acai berries give you the same benefits as any other fruits, only in a more concentrated manner. For example, we already know that most plant foods have antioxidants, Omegas and Anthocyanins. For such a small fruit, though, researchers have found that these substances exist in a high percentage on a single acai berry fruit.

Acai berries offer 10 times the amount of Anthocyanins compared to good old red wine. This means that taking a single capsule of acai berry supplement can actually be more beneficial for the heart compared to a full glass of red wine. This is especially good news for people who are allergic to alcohol.  

Acai berries also have twice the antioxidants that are found in blueberries. Blueberries used to have the highest amount of cancer-fighting antioxidants before the discovery of this new fruit. Those who have difficulty with their bowel movement may also benefit from the high fiber content (14%) of acai berry products. This is certainly a healthier way to lose weight compared to artificial laxatives which only cause our bodies to get dehydrated.



By: Joseph Long

About the Author:

For more information on the acai berry, visit AcaiBerryPlanet.com



Acai Berry Tablets – Better Than Juice?

Saturday, May 8th, 2010
No doubt you’ve heard the buzz surrounding acai berry tablets and acai berry juice. This popular “superfood” called acai has been featured on Oprah, the Today Show, and several other programs. Acai berries contain a host of nutrients such as antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids. But which is more beneficial, the capsules or the juice?

From a health standpoint, the pills are probably more beneficial than the juices. Like most fruit juice products, acai berry juice is often sold as a juice blend. MonaVie, for example, is actually a blend of nineteen different fruit juices. Consequently, you don’t really know how much acai you’re getting. Juices also tend to be watered down and may contain added sugar or other undesired ingredients. Be sure to read the labels on all fruit juices, as many of them surprisingly contain very little juice.

By contrast, acai berry tablets are created through a much more precise process that results in a purer product. The acai berries are freeze-dried and then processed into a fine powder that can be encapsulated or compressed into a tablet. However, this powder is not the same as “acai berry powder” that is yet another form of acai. The loose powders that you can buy in bags are made from acai berry extract, not the freeze-dried berries. So if you want to get the most acai for your money, the tablets are the way to go.

Other reasons for choosing tablets over juice include personal preference, budget, and lifestyle. Some people do not like the taste of acai berries, while others just prefer the convenience of taking a pill. Last but not least, acai berry juice is not cheap. A bottle of MonaVie costs almost $40, and it has only enough servings for about one week. At $40 per week, that’s about $173 per month or $2080 per year. Bottles of acai berry tablets vary greatly depending on the manufacturer (be careful — cheaper brands may not contain authentic acai), but the average price per one-month supply is only about $58.  If sparing $2 a day to look and feel great is too much, then acai may not be for you.



By: Rachel Hoekstra

About the Author:



Acai Berry Ultimate

Sunday, March 7th, 2010
When purchasing any weight loss product, it is important to do your research. Many people are exchanging their opinions about Acai Berry Ultimate on DietBlogTalk.com

For an additional source, check out Acai Berry Ultimate on the very popular Sensational.com

Overview

Acai Berry Ultimate is yet one more participant in a strange, strange niche market. This supplement, and other products suspiciously similar to it, offer consumers a supposed opportunity to harness the power of the Acai Berry for detoxification and weight loss purposes. There’s one teensy weensy problem, however: Acai Berries aren’t known for their ability to do either of these things. Because of this, we’re nearly convinced that there’s something fishy behind Acai Berry Ultimate and its cronies. Take our word for it, take someone else’s word for it, just don’t take Acai Berry Ultimate.

Ingredients at a Glance

Acai Berry Ulimate apparently contains only Acai Berry Extract. If it contains anything else, the product website sure isn’t doing consumers any favors by way of ingredients disclosure. This alone is enough reason for suspicion, but then again, the whole affair has us on our guard.

Ingredients in Focus

Acai Berries are counted as a superfood because they deliver good fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This happy combination is good for the body. And so, the berries ought to be considered a legitimate addition to a healthy diet.

But as for detoxification and direct weight loss effectiveness, Acai Berries have little to offer. To the extent that the berries are typically a part of the diets of health-conscious people, they may contribute in a roundabout way to cleansing and weight loss. But as a cleansing and/or weight loss solution on their own, the berries – and so Acai Berry Ultimate – are nothing to write home about.

Positives

•    Acai Berries are delicious and nutritious.

Negatives

•    Acai Berry Ultimate seems like a scam.

•    The product website is basically useless for an educated decision.

•    Acai Berries are neither detoxifiers nor weight loss agents.

Final Thoughts

If consumers find they’re intrigued by the properties of Acai Berries, then all the better. Incorporate them into a balanced diet and compliment that diet with regular exercise and a healthy fat-burning supplement. But as for Acai Berry Ultimate, there seems to be little reason to believe it can achieve anything remotely similar to what the product website claims.



By: Shane Crafton

About the Author:

Shane Crafton is a diet editor, who’s team specializes in health, fitness and weight loss reporting.



Acai Berry Research – the Benefits of the Acai Berries are Truly Amazing? Can Acai Improve Your Health?

Monday, January 4th, 2010
Acai Berry Research – The Benefits of the Acai  Berries are truly Amazing? Can Acai improve your Health?

Read any Acai Berry research and you will find pages after pages detailing the numerous benefits of Acai berries. The natives of the Brazil rainforest have always known the many health benefits of this fruit. They have been enjoying the benefits for centuries. Researchers have attributed the longevity and strong immune systems for nearly every native of Brazil mainly because of the Acai fruit.

Acai Berry juice, supplements and energy drinks have now become quite popular in the United States. Recently the Acai products were featured on Oprah as one of the top super foods for anti-aging treatment. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, bestselling author and anti-aging expert has called this berry the “Number one super food in the world.”

Acai has Rich Nutritional Content

Is this stretching it a bit too far? But when you look at its nutrient rich content and its many health benefits, you say ‘no’. There is no doubt that it is one of the best super foods in the world. Acai berry fruit contains Vitamin B1, B2, B3, C, E and A. It is also a rich source of iron, potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Besides that it also contains essential fatty acids such as Omega 6 and Omega 9 and all the amino acids. It contains more protein than an average egg.

Acai Berry research has shown that Acai contains 33 times more antioxidant than red wine grapes. When compared to other juice products like Mangosteen, Wolfberry and Noni, Acai products contain 6 times more antioxidants. In fact, no other fruit or berry even comes close to matching the rich nutritional and antioxidant content of Acai berry.

Helps Your Body Fight Cancer

Acai berry research has also shown that the fruit has anti-cancerous properties. A research by University of Florida in 2006 established that the antioxidants present in the Acai fruit destroy cultured human cancer cells. Though one should not consider Acai as a cancer cure, the high level of antioxidants present in the berries do help your body fight this deadly disease.

Aids in Weight Loss

Researches have also shown that when combined with proper diet and exercise, the Acai berry fruit is very good for weight loss. These berries contain Omega fatty acids that help boost our metabolism. Furthermore, Acai also contains a lot of fiber that helps promote healthy digestion and cleanses the body of fat. Since Acai has lot of fiber, it keeps you feeling full. When you are not always craving for food, you tend to lose weight faster.

Increases Energy and Stamina

Acai Berry research has shown that it helps increase our energy and stamina. The natives of Brazil have already known this for hundreds of years, but we are only finding about it now. However, it is better late than never. Acai is easily available today in many forms, so enjoy its many benefits.

For additional information or to experience the benefits of Acai, please visit  www.acaiberriesforbetterhealth.com



By: Lisa Jefferson

About the Author:

Online Author, Affiliate Marketer, Associate Real Estate Broker.