Recent research has added another gold medal to the already lauded acai berry. Researchers have shown that this tiny purple Brazilian berry is, to date, the fruit that is better absorbed by the body than any other fruit because of its superior antioxidant content. The data shows that similar to Vitamin C, more is not always better. When consumed in excess, the disease-fighting compounds of the acai berry will be excreted once the body absorbs and uses what it actually needs. Since the acai berry is still a relatively new phenomenon in the U.S., health experts have not yet determined the appropriate acai consumption required to get the most powerful punch of antioxidants.
If you’re wondering if the pulp or juice version of acai is working better for you, don’t worry. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, both forms have been shown to be absorbed by your body in equal porportions. So go ahead and sip your smoothie or acai juice with gusto, but don’t go overboard.
The latest in Super Foods looks a bit more like the Who’s Who list in Hollywood with its revolving door of the best and most nutrient-dense natural eats. One of the current super stars is the acai berry which comes from Central and Latin America. Tasting like a cross between red wine and chocolate, the acai berry boasts a plethora of disease-fighting antioxidants as well as amino acids, fiber and essential fatty acids. This A-lister fruit has food and supplement manufacturers creating product after product that contains its magic ingredients.
But what about other supposed Super Foods, like blueberries, raspberries and green tea? Does the acai berry push them a few rungs down on the Super Food ladder? No, says Ed Runz, a columnist for the Daily Herald. He and other health experts warn against being a Super Food monogamist and instead continue to focus on getting your nutrients from a variety of fruits and veggies. Eating your broccoli, even though it may not be as exotic as sipping a tropical acai berry smoothie is just as important and beneficial to your health as making these newer Super Foods a mainstay of your diet.
For those of you who are in desperate search for finding a healthy reason to drink your favorite martini or cosmo, you can call off your search. A solution has been found.
By now, most of us have heard about the acai berry - the wonder fruit that comes from that Amazon Rain Forest. From supplements to powders to smoothies, this new Super Food is everywhere. And now you can enjoy it as an evening cocktail.
VeeV, a new 60-proof liqueur is an infusion of acai berries and some other tropical fruits. Apparently, it’s not too sugary-sweet and you can rationalize the $35 a bottle price tag in knowing that $1 of each bottle sold goes to the Sambazon Sustainable Acai Project, which works to protect the Amazon environment during acai harvesting.
This holiday season impress your party guests with a new acai-infused cocktail and when you raise your glasses and drink to your health, know that you are doing just that. Here’s the VeeV Acai Cosmo recipe.
In the U.S., we grow and produce millions of fruits and vegetables every year, but there are a few crops that we must travel beyond our borders to acquire. One of them is the nutrient powerhouse, the acai berry - a dark purple berry that grows in the Brazilian jungles. The acai berry is being praised by health experts all over the world for the comprehensive nutrient profile that it sports in such a tiny package.
A small California company called Sambazon, started by a few environmentally-friendly surfers, began selling acai products here in the States back in 1999, before the acai boom hit. But out of concern that Amazonian farmers were not getting a fair trade price for their acai crop, they worked out a plan with these farmers that would bring them more financial stability and would protect the biodiversity of the rain forest.
Recent research has added another gold medal to the already lauded acai berry. Researchers have shown that this tiny purple Brazilian berry is, to date, the fruit that is better absorbed by the body than any other fruit because of its superior antioxidant content. The data shows that similar to Vitamin C, more is not always better. When consumed in excess, the disease-fighting compounds of the acai berry will be excreted once the body absorbs and uses what it actually needs. Since the acai berry is still a relatively new phenomenon in the U.S., health experts have not yet determined the appropriate acai consumption required to get the most powerful punch of antioxidants.
No Comments 
