The Acai berry is becoming more easily available, not just in health foods shops but in supermarkets. It comes in many different forms and is often added with other fruits in juices, cereals and other foods as well as by itself in the form of juice or freeze dried berries. It has been found to be extremely healthy because it contains a lot of nutrients and so it is great that it is easy to get hold of. Due to these clinical findings, many more people are buying it, but some people are still not aware of the benefits of this popular superfood.

Acai berries have been found to contain a large range of vitamins and minerals and also have a high antioxidant level. They contain Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, C and E and potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, calcium and zinc. It is thought that this selection of minerals and vitamins can help to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the body as well as increasing the amount of good cholesterol. This is great for anyone with a heart condition but also useful as a preventative measure, especially anyone who feels they may have a tedency to be at risk of heart disease.

The vitamin A has been found to improve skin health and the minerals in the Acai berry are good for healthy bones and heart. This means that some of the most important parts of the body can be improved in health by consuming these berries.

The omega 3 and 6 that the berries contain of good for energy and stamina and they have more energy than milk. These omega fats also help keep away depression.

They contain as much vitamin C as blueberries which help the body with fighting infections. They also contain dietary fibre which helps cleanse the body and keep you regular.

The berries also contain plant sterols B-sitosterol and campesterol; which have been found, in clinical studies to improve heart health and digestion.

So from analysing the Acai berry and looking at all of the nutrients that it contains and what those can do for us, it seems like the Acai fully deserves its title as a superfood.

Acai and ORAC

ORAC means Oxygen Radical Absorbance capacity and it is calculated by measuring the antioxidant activity of a substance. The higher the ORAC the better the antioxidant level. There are a selection of foods which have exceptionally high ORAC ratings, normally fruits such as blueberries and acai.

Having a high ORAC has many good health benefits. The high antioxidant levels mean that certain age related conditions may not be so severe. Research has shown that oxidation leads to faster ageing and having more antioxidants works against this process. There is also evidence to show that high ORAC scores are linked with less memory loss and improvement in mental function as well as preventing oxidation damage to the blood vessels. All of these things can lead to a better quality of life and maybe a longer life as well. They are particularly important for anyone already suffering the effects of old age or who has a likelihood of doing so, perhaps due to certain diseases running in their family.

This research is recognised by the United States Department of Agriculture, so much so that they have released a recommended daily intake. Unfortunately this is not always easily gained by just sticking to the recommended 5-a-day. It all depends on the types of fruit that you are eating, with ORAC levels in vegetables being pretty low. Fruits such as Blueberries have a high rating of 2,400 per serving compared to 218 for apples. Acai has a value of 5,500 per serving which is just above the daily recommended intake level. This means that by having one serving of Acai a day you will have enough ORAC. Unless you live in the Amazon Rainforest, fresh Acai berries are hard to come by. However, if you buy them in freeze dried form, they contain high ORAC levels, higher than in any other way of processing them.

Acai has only recently hit our supermarket shelves but is now available in a variety of forms including dried berries, juice and as an additive in cereals, chocolate and cereal bars. Its healthy properties have been recognised and it is growing in popularity, making it easily accessible for all.

Author Bio: Simon Kirby owns and run several health focused and health supplement web sites, and has been heavily involved in the health and supplements industry since 2004. You can find out more about acai, and what to watch out for to guarantee the best experience by visiting http://www.pureacai.co.uk

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: acai,acai berry,pure acai,acai berry uk,acai uk,antioxidants,superfood