The Acai Berry

It seems that every day a new diet comes out. We are constantly being encouraged to stop eating bread, stop eating red meat, or to just start taking "magic pills." A new diet, the Açaí Berry Diet, pronounced (ah-sigh-ee), which has been endorsed by Oprah, NBC, ABC, and CBS has been getting a lot of speculation-could it be the magic diet everyone has been looking for? Furthermore, what exactly is the Açaí berry? The Açaí Berry has a long history for the civilians of Brazil. It was first said to be used by tribes in the area who discovered the berry in its unique location. It grows on the canopy of the Amazon rainforest, which is located mainly in Brazil. The Açaí berry looks like a grape, and is said to taste like a mix of blueberry and chocolate. Due to the location, the Açaí berry is exposed to an excess amount of ultraviolet light. This allows Açaí to have a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), which measures the antioxidant capacity in food. According to a 2006 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, it was found that Açaí has an ORAC value that is ten times higher than other antioxidant rich foods. Along with having the high ORAC value, Açaí also contains many vital ingredients for human health. It contains polyunsaturated fats, dietary fiber, vitamin E, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, and anthocyanins (also known as antioxidants). Dr. Nicholas Perricone, who is a board certified clinical and research dermatologist, made a list of 10 super foods that give the body extraordinary health. He listed Açaí as number one on the list. Oprah Winfrey has supported Açaí since she realized the health benefits. She stated on her show, "It may seem odd to start this list of superfoods with one you've likely never even heard of. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Açaí is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree." Alongside all the nutrition of the berry, some added benefits have been discovered. Açaí gives the body higher energy levels, strengthens the immune system, improves circulation, and promotes healthier skin. Açaí also contains a significant amount of fiber, which helps in reducing hunger cravings. Recently, several companies that make the Açaí pills have stated claims that it will help you lose a significant amount of weight. This, however, is not completely true. Açaí is a very healthy food that gives a lot of important nutrients to the body, but does not help you lose weight when it is not paired with a healthy diet and exercise. Although this seems like an amazing diet supplement, it can get rather costly. Due to the high level of healthy Omega fat in Açaí, it can go bad within 24 hours if it is not freeze dried. This process keeps all the nutrition, but it is also expensive. Many of the companies that sell Açaí have been making it into a powder form, which causes the Açaí to lose a lot of its nutritional value. In January, the Better Business Bureau warned consumers about different Açaí scams, and to not believe any of the free trial offers. Many who have tried the "free" trials found out later that their credit cards had been charged. If you're looking for a new food that can give you the right nutrients, Açaí may be what you have been looking for. Although it can be expensive, it might be worth the money. However, if you are looking to buy Açaí, make sure you read the nutritional facts to make sure that it contains all the ingredients, and didn't lost most of the nutritional value by becoming a powder form. As long as you are buying it from a reliable company, it should give you all the ingredients that tribes in Brazil have been eating for centuries.

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