Healthy Nutrition from the Acai Berry

Do you know where the acai berry comes from? How about the health benifits it has?

The acai berry is found only in the rainforest's of Brazil, yet it is quickly becoming recognized as one of the most healthy foods in the world. It has only been in current times that this berry has become on hand for international consumption because it is so remarkably fragile and it is only obtainable now because of highly developed processing methods.

This little berry contains a large quantity of antioxidants. While all of the very important nutrients found in this berry are important, two of these vital antioxidants have been confirmed in different studies to have a enormous benefit on our physical condition. These antioxidants are crucial to the impediment of disease and tribulations typically connected with aging.

The acai berry is abundant in a flavonoid called quercitin. Quercitin is a plant-derived flavonoid that is indicated as being at least partly responsible for the reduction of cancer, Alzheimer's and other diseases. Studies point toward this link however; there is no consistent clinical evidence on the nutrient or the supplements in particular. It is known as a possible causal aspect because diets high in fruits and vegetables that are high in quercitin contribute appreciably to the lessening of disease.

In certain studies quercetin has demonstrated important anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the production and release of histamine and other allergic mediators. It also has strong antioxidant activity as measured by the Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity or ORAC scale.

The acai berry is extremely high in quercetin. Other sources of this critical nutrient include red onions, tea, apples and red wine.

The acai berry is also loaded in anthocyanins, which is the dark purple pigment in such foods as blueberries, eggplant and purple cabbage. This antioxidant has been demonstrated in laboratory studies to be possibly helpful for the impediment of cancer, aging and neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes and bacterial infection.

In another significant study, laboratory mice were given a purified form of anthocyanins. The mice in the control group who received this nutrient were able to decrease their body fat and retain it, whereas the other group who received a placebo and another group who received the actual fruit did not have the same result.

The acai berry is abundant in these two crucial flavonoids and other very important antioxidants and nutrients also. This little berry contains more than 30 times the amount of anthocyanins that is present in red wine. This little berry from the rain forest of Brazil is quickly becoming known as one of most nourishing foods ever found in the world.

Acai berries are a delicacy found only in Brazil where the acai berry grows in the rainforest on acai palms. Learn the health benefits of the acai berry.