Acai Zone

Acai and the anti-aging diet

Acai is a Brazilian berry original from the Amazon Region that is considered to be one of nature’s most complete and healthy foods. The acai berry is loaded with antioxidants, amino acids, essential omegas, fibers and protein. Some of the health benefits associated with the acai berry are: increase in sustained energy, help with healthy cholesterol management, improvement of digestive system, strengthening immune system, among others. Oprah’s website described acai as “one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world…”, while the book, The Perricone Promise, calls it the “nature’s perfect energy fruit.” over at www.tangent.com.

People everywhere are looking for answers to the problems of aging — not only its outward manifestations, like wrinkles, but also the physical and mental ones as well. Doctors of every kind recommend the obvious lifestyle changes like more exercises and a healthier diet, but many are starting to recommend very specific foods with very specific properties, with acai topping list.

In an article written for the popular online health resource Webmd.com, Kathleen M. Zelman (and reviewed by Louise Chang, MD), talks about the power of foods which have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to stave off the onset or effects of illnesses like heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer’s. The fact that as we get older, our bodies are more and more susceptible to the long-term effects of “oxidative stress” and cellular inflammation makes foods with the properties to fight these effects the most attractive for people looking to age well.

Citing Dr. Nicholas Perricone, she relays that the foods that are rich in antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory, are things like cold-water fish and richly-colored fruits and vegetables. Dr. Perricone, as we have discussed in previous posts, provided a list of ten “super foods” chosen for their ability to fight off the effects of age — the acai fruit is at the very top of the list, topping all vegetables, nuts and seeds as the best food you can get with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

While this confirms what we already knew, it’s always refreshing to see people who are health advocates and experts echo what we have been telling our customers and people in general: that acai is an incredible food to eat for energy, fiber, and for its rich content of omega acids and anti-oxidants. It truly is nature’s super food, and we are so glad to be able to bring it to you in a way that is sure to transmit those healthy benefits. If you are new to our site and blog, check out all of the acai products we have, including acai powder, freeze dried acai, and acai supplements and get with the acai roots lifestyle!

* A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.
* A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.
* An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

The fatty acid content in açaí resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is important for a number of reasons. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane; together they help make cell membranes more supple. By keeping the cell membrane supple, all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is particularly important because high insulin levels create an inflammatory state, and we know, inflammation causes aging.

When three commercially available juice mixes containing unspecified percentages of açaí juice were compared for in vitro antioxidant capacity against red wine, tea, six types of pure fruit juice, and pomegranate juice with added antioxidants (provided by Pom Wonderful, the sponsor of the study), the average antioxidant capacity was ranked lower than that of the antioxidant enhanced pomegranate juice, Concord grape juice, blueberry juice, and red wine. The average was roughly equivalent to that of black cherry or cranberry juice, and was higher than that of orange juice, apple juice, and tea. [9][10]

Studies have demonstrated that blood antioxidant capacity increases within two hours of consuming a commercial açaí juice.[11]