Acai Berry Health Benefits - Acai Rich in Antioxidants

Acai (Açaí), also known as super berry or power berry (in the Amazon they call it "Viagra da Amazonia") due to the amount nutrients and fibers ascribed to it.

Because of its rich content of anthocyanin pigments that give it the characteristic deep purple color, açaí likely imparts important health benefits associated with consumption of antioxidant pigments, such as reduced risk or prevention of cancer, diabetes, chronic inflammation, heart and vascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and other types of neurodegeneration, high blood cholesterol, stroke, bacterial infections, urinary tract infections, age-related visual deterioration and premature aging. Acai is constantly used topically as a strong antibacterial mix in Brazil.

Some Important Properties of the Acai Berry:

Antioxidant: helps slowing the ageing process.

Omega Fatty Acids: fights harmful cholesterol and prevents heart disease.

Phytosterols: enhances the immune system and reduces blood plasma cholesterol

Dietary Fibers: nurtures a better digestive system.

It is also a source of protein, calcium, vitamins A, E, and B6. On top of that the acai berry tastes delicious and is often described as a blend of berries and chocolate.

Acai in the fight against cancer?

On a study performed at the University of Florida in 2006, it was showed that acai antioxidants could induce faster death, also known as apoptosis, of leukemia cells in vitro. An article is published on the University's website, titled as "Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows". The article starts like this:
"GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits. Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences."
Mr. Talcott emphasizes the fact that Acai is one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants: “Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries."

This preliminary research indicates a possible anti-cancer effect of anthocyanins and other pigments, as shown for North American dark berries like the blueberry and black raspberry.Six reports have been listed on the US National Library of Medicine database, since 2004.

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