Açai – Fruit of the Tree of Life

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Article Title:

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Açai – Fruit of the Tree of Life

Article Description:

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The Açai berry has become the latest ‘must have’ health

food for the beautiful body brigade, and for good reason.

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790 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: Fri Apr 22 16:32:43 EDT 2005

Written By: Stahl

Copyright: 2005

Contact Email: mailto:mstahl@...

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Açai – Fruit of the Tree of Life

Copyright © 2005 Stahl

http://www.myincomebuilder.com/beginmil

Since the Today Show feature in which by Matt Lauer describing

it as the ‘Amazon Viagra’ and the appearance on the Oprah Winfrey

Show of Dr. Perricone (a recognized authority on

anti-aging) who named the Acai Berry “one of the most nutritious

and powerful anti-aging foods in the world,” the Açai berry has

become the latest ‘must have’ health food for the beautiful body

brigade, and for good reason.

Interest in the fruit was initially fuelled by Gracie,

who opened Brazil’s first Jujitsu academy in Rio. After

incorporating frozen açai into his own diet he encouraged his

students to drink it. The fitness of the jujitsu student’s

bodies soon aroused the curiosity of Rio’s surfers and the

secret of their fitness rapidly became an established part

of beach culture.

The small, dark purple açai berries are the fruit of the Açai

or Cabbage Palm, with the Latin name Euterpe oleracea. The name

Euterpe stems from that of the Greek muse of lyric poetry and

music, especially the flute. Often represented as playing a

double flute, her name means “Delight.” Açai grows in great

abundance in the Amazon flood plain where it was originally

felled and harvested for its tender palm hearts, which were

exported, and for its berries that were only consumed locally.

The berries, consisting of a large seed or pit with only 10%

fruit, deteriorate within 24 hours of being harvested and until

freeze production facilities were set up, mainly in the Belém

area, the juice was produced only in local “açailandias,” mixed

with water and a little oil and crushed manually before being

strained. The harvest period is August to December. Local

people climb the tall, slender palms and cut the berry bearing

branches off with machetes. Harvesting is done in the afternoon

and in the evening the berries are taken to the processing

centres by boat.

The highly nutritious pulp is a staple food of the poorest

natives of the Amazon basin and also extremely popular at all

levels of Brazilian society and with all ages. It is given to

women to aid recovery after childbirth and has a reputation in

the region as a source of strength, energy & as a natural aid

to sex.

Bélem’s açai industry is now so large that it employs 30,000 and

the juice is so popular that an estimated 200,000 litres per day

are consumed by the 1.3 million population.

Apart from tasting good, descriptions range from ‘wild raspberry

with a hint of grape’ to ‘blueberries with a chocolate

aftertaste, açai also contains an extraordinary range of

nutritional ingredients.

The Amazon’s answer to the Mediterranean diet, açai has an

essential fatty acid profile similar to olive oil and more than

30 times the anthocyanidin level of red wine. It is also a rich

source of vitamins and minerals including A, B complex, C and E,

potassium, magnesium, copper, iron and calcium. It is low fat

(4%), low sodium, contains fibre and protein and is a naturally

abundant source of plant sterols.

To understand why all this is so important we need to look at

Dr Perricone’s recommendations for great skin and health “..an

anti-inflammatory diet with colourful fruit & good fats,” and

also the Government’s guidelines for a healthy heart.

Two major factors in heart disease are high cholesterol level,

especially the harmful LDL cholesterol, and the condition of

interior walls of the arteries themselves. Açai’s abundant

anthocyanidins are powerful antioxidants that prevent

destructive free radical damage to connective tissue, help

repair and maintain the integrity of blood vessel walls and

limit the effects of premature aging.

The Omega 9 & 6 fatty acids in açai are known to lower harmful

LDL cholesterol while maintaining beneficial HDL. Extracted

phytosterols are included in many products for their ability to

reduce serum cholesterol and in açai they occur not only totally

naturally but also in combination with other elements working

towards the same end.

The mineral profile of açai is an important factor. Minerals

act as co-vitamins, co-minerals and co-enzymes. They have an

important role in nerve function. Modern farming methods

deplete the soil of precious minor minerals and trace elements

essential for health.

Beyond its nutritional value, açai is one of the most important

extractive fruits in the Amazon, providing income in an otherwise

poor area of the country. Not only is it produced without

harming the Rainforest, the cultivation of this important palm

also means there is no incentive to clear the ground for cattle.

With its environmental benefits and such an amazing combination

of ingredients, working in harmony to combat so many of the ills

our modern lifestyle has brought upon itself, it is hard not to

see why Brazilians call Açai the ‘Tree of Life’.

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Stahl enjoys the health and energy benefits

of 2 oz. of Açai juice every day. Her homepage is at:

http://www.myincomebuilder.com/beginmil