acai berry weightloss

Archive for June, 2009

Acai has a number of benefits, including antioxidants, fiber, fatty acids, and proteins. The antioxidants from Acai are ten to thirty times that of red wine and more than twice that of blueberries. It’s known to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on the planet, earning it the title of “super berry.”

The Amazon “super berry” has gained recognition in the media, including television and magazines. There are several companies and websites that offer Acai products. Some products contain Acai exclusively, while others use it in combination with other ingredients. Acai shows up in fruit drinks and in powder form as health and energy products.

With all the popularity in recent years, the benefits of the Acai berry is widely unknown. People of the Amazon have long experienced the benefits of Acai to fight disease, strengthen the immune system, fight infection, protect the heart, and provide overall health and healing. These same benefits of this “super berry” are now available to health-minded individuals through taking Amazon Thunder.

Acai is a complete food source and contains an abundance of nutrients necessary for restoring and maintaining optimum health. Acai contains amino acids and vital trace elements important for muscle contraction and regeneration. Acai’s nutrients, including a large amount of natural lipids, provide needed energy to tackle competitive sports and daily chores. Acai contains more protein than the average egg. Proteins are the primary component of hormones and body tissues, including muscles and organs.

The Acai berry can help to regulate your stress levels and repair your body. Acai’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties can counter infertility due to stress, pollution and factors related to free radicals. Acai’s immune-system-strengthening qualities help protect the entire body. Acai has been used for centuries to cleanse the body from contaminants. The regenerative nutrients and strong antioxidants in Acai help keep our cells operating efficiently and may slow aging.

By boosting the immune system, Acai’s rich nutrient profile helps boost the body’s natural defenses. Recent findings published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine indicate that Acai’s beta-sitosterol prevents immune suppression and modulates the lymphocyte activity. Free radical damage is one of the primary causes of immune weakness or dysfunction. Acai can reduce the frequency of infectious diseases. Acai’s antioxidant properties help prevent damage to DNA, which lowers the risks posed by carcinogens and mutagens.

Acai possesses high concentrations of polyphenols, making it an excellent source of antioxidants. Some polyphenols abundant in Acai are anthocyanins, some of the more potent forms of antioxidants. Other polyphenols in Acai, antho-cyanin and cyanidin-3-glucoside, may improve the production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells. Nitric oxide allows blood vessel walls to relax and expand, resulting in less stress on the heart, decreased risk of vessel blockage, and increased blood flow. The antioxidant punch of Acai may also be a powerful weapon in the fight against benign prostatic hyperplasia, commonly known as an enlarged prostate.

Acai is rich in essential fatty acids, which may help reduce harmful LDL cholesterol while supporting levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol. In diabetes weak capillaries can lead to a condition called retinopathy, which often leads to blindness. The anthocyanins in Acai protect small and large blood vessels, including veins, arteries and capillaries.

Acai’s low glycemic index improves glucose and lipid levels in diabetics. Acai’s low glycemic index also helps control appetite and delay hunger, which can help individuals trying to lose weight.

Acai provides dietary fiber, excellent for digestive tract health, high levels of calcium, vitamins A and E, and phosphorus. Acai has a significant amount of calcium, which help strengthen bones, prevent fractures, and can help prevent osteoporosis. Women who experience extreme menstrual pain can also benefit from Acai. Calcium-rich foods help coat the lining of the stomach and uterus, and help reduce the pain from cramps and bloating.

Acai’s dietary fiber helps promote the health of the digestive tract, including the colon. The broad array of antioxidants in Acai may help protect and repair the lower esophagus damaged by acid-reflux disease. Acai’s acid-suppression effects reduce the acidity of stomach contents when reflux does occur. The antibacterial properties of Acai kill bad bacteria, fungi and parasites, including ulcer-causing bacteria. Acai’s anti-inflammatory abilities may prevent the malabsorption of vital nutrients by preventing damage to the wall of the small intestine.

Acai’s phytosterols help reduce the erosion of the skin’s protective coating. Because it’s so high in anthocyanins and phytosterols, Acai helps protect connective tissues, including collagen. Acai acts as an astringent which contract, shrink or tighten body tissues, including skin. Astringents can be used to stop bleeding in small cuts or to give the skin a fresh, tingling feeling.

Modern science is discovering the life-enhancing benefits of the Amazon “super berry”. Research indicates that Acai can help neutralize free radicals, prevent heart disease, thwart cancer, and much more.

Acai contains powerful nutrients, which combine unique properties and ingredients in a single product. There’s no other fruit that can be compared with the effectiveness of Acai and no product on the market that can compete with the quality of Amazon Thunder Pure Organic Acai Fruit.

BRAZILIAN ACAI BERRY SMOOTHIE

Most of us know that smoothies can add a great benefit to the average person’s diet, which often sadly consists of too little fruit and vegetables. The typical American diet robs us of many vital nutrients and minerals needed to maintain health. Moreover, if we combine a combination of healthy foods into one Smoothie, we are taking in all of the good found in the individual ingredients.

Smoothies are not only low in calories, but also superior in antioxidants. They are a personal favorite of mine, as smoothies can be made to not only taste good, but also be a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants build up our natural immunity to diseases, which is especially important for those of us who have concerns with heart disease and cancer.

This recipe combines three fruits that are high in antioxidants, the acai berry, the pomegranate, and blueberries. Today, there is a lot of press surrounding the benefits of all three fruits, although two of them not commonly in popular in most U.S. households. Each of them have different, but complimentary health benefits.

The lesser known of these fruits is the acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry, which has been used for many generations by the natives of Brazil. It possesses ten times the antioxidant benefits of grapes, and twice that of blueberries. Currently, there are a lot of juice products using the acai berry. These can greatly vary in price, so its important to determine which product fits your budget. Because of its many great benefits, advertising about the benefits this one fruit, can sometimes cross the line of common sense. However, don’t be deceived, it’s still a great addition to a healthy diet, even if it doesn’t cure every medical condition known to humankind.

The second fruit in this recipe is more commonly known here, but generally doesn’t rank on the top of the list, when we think of fruit. The pomegranate is a thick red fruit about the size of an orange, native to the Middle East, but was widely planted in the U.S. and South America since the days of the early Spanish explorers. It has a sweet-tart flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C, folic acid and other free radical fighting antioxidants.

The third fruit in this smoothie is of course, the ever-popular blueberry, a fruit that we are all familiar with, as it is native to North America. It’s widely known that blueberries can do amazing things for our health, some of which are: Combating aging, reducing cholesterol, and as an aid to averting and combating cancer.

This recipe contains the natural marriage of all three of these fruits that are all rich in antioxidants. It combines the smooth berry flavor of the acai with the natural tartness of pomegranates, adding an extra punch of antioxidants with the sweetness of the blueberries. It also makes a great breakfast on the go for busy families.

BRAZILIAN ACAI BERRY SMOOTHIE

2 cups fresh or slightly thawed frozen blueberries

1 container (8 ounces) low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup milk

6 ounces – Bom Dia Acai Berry Juice with Pomegranate (Bolthouse Du Brazil)

3 tablespoons honey

1 cups ice cubes (about 16 cubes)

In a blender container, place blueberries, yogurt, milk, Acai berry juice and honey; and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes a few at a time, blend until finely crushed. Serve immediately.

For added sparkle when serving to guests on special occasions – Sugar dip the rim of the glasses by wetting the rim with water and then dipping the glass in decorative sugar of your choice.