acai berry weightloss

Archive for October, 2010

More and more nutrition aficionados are transitioning to exotic or at least different fruits to shake their smoothie concoctions. The drink mixes are undergoing a recipe revolution. Normal fruits such as peaches, bananas, and strawberries are no longer the only fruits added used in these promising juices.

Mangosteen is a tropical fruit from Indonesia. It’s about the size of a small apple and contains a sweet white core that breaks off in wedges similar to an orange. A frequent fruit often used is the Mangosteen. This fruit is not marketed for sale in the United States. Regardless, fruit enthusiasts are able to get the fruit as a juice or capsule form. This is because of the inherent risk of the Mediterranean fruit fly infestation upon its importing.

Scientists found it has anti-fatigue, anti-swelling, mood enhancing, and free radical eliminating uses. Mangosteen research is evolving and there is recommendation that this tropical wonder is full of many ingredients that improve wellness to say the least.

A clinical review shows positive fight against leukemia:

“We examined the effects of six xanthones from the pericarps of mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana, on the cell growth inhibition of human leukemia cell line HL60. All xanthones displayed growth inhibitory effects. Among them, alpha-mangosteen showed complete inhibition at 10 microM through the induction of apoptosis.”(Matsumoto K, Akao Y, Kobayashi E, Ohguchi K, Ito T, Tanaka T, Iinuma M, Nozawa Y: Gifu International Institute of Biotechnology, 1-1 Naka-Fudogaoka, Kakamigahara, August 2003)

Found in India and the Tahitian Islands, the fruit of the Noni tree has powerful antioxidant content, anti-depressant promises, and immune system enhancing properties. Something else exciting added used in smoothies is the Noni. Scientists suggest it is a free-radicals eliminator as well. This all-year-round comes from Southeast Asia as well. Scientists suggest it is a free-radicals eliminator as well.

“In laboratory research, Noni has shown antioxidant, immune-stimulating, and tumor-fighting properties. The National Cancer Institute is funding preliminary research on Noni for breast cancer prevention and treatment.” (NCCAM Publication No. D398, 2007)

The fruity surprise from western tropical areas, the Acai berry, flourishing in Central and South American tropical regions is another fruit smoothie drinkers’ blend. This fruit is grape-sized and a dark bluish-red color. The Acai Berry is high in fiber and is believed to have the properties that cleanse the body of toxins. Investigations into this berry’s content show it is also best for increasing the circulatory system, promoting vitality and reduction of inflammations.

The above fruity riches are added ingredients one can use to invent their own custom recipe. These are medicinal that one can add-in in combination with blueberries. Blueberries contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E. They also contain anthocyanins and phenolics, which contain inhibiting cancer-cell properties. Blueberries also have properties to inhibit chronic diseases.

With all the options available today from health food stores offline and online, the ingredients one needs are obtainable, even if not in whole fruit form. While blueberries are easily attainable, the other fruits and berries are not so easy to obtain. A good mix of tropical goodness created with far-east-Asian or South American exotics can start a new lifestyle with health and wellness. Some of the fruits can be found in processed juice or powder form, which can be added into one’s smoothie beverage.

Exotic energizing fruits can enhance system wellness that enables them to be more productive throughout their life. The dynamic body-lift resulting from smoothie drinks rich with antioxidants are reason enough for trying them. Men and Women that feel better about themselves are capable to develop more positive thinking and action. As a result they increase their ability to change and gain improved social skills. When a person feels energized, they feel they can take on the world. This leads to a better mental attitude, which can halt depression in its tracks.

Ultimately, foods with Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) rating are best to add-in with your smoothies. ORAC will help you build up your immune system and through antioxidants in these foods, berries, vegetables, or fruits; it will help you feel well. These mixes of ORAC-rich ingredients are also pretty tasty.

Does it really matter where you buyAcai Berryproducts? Absolutely! Notall Acai products created equal! There so many factors that go into the processing of the Acai Berry, that customers should know what to look for before buying!

Given the sudden popularity of this purple gem, many companies are jumping on the band wagon to produce as many Acai products as they can. That means the consumer needs to do their homework to find a manufacturer that hasnt taken any shortcuts in their processing and ingredients. If we are not careful, we could end up with a product that has lost its active properties, is full of fillers or has unwanted chemicals.

Before you purchase Acai products,make sure the product lines up with these standards:

1) Certified Organic Ingredients. When using non-organic fruits, you could be exposed to pesticides and other chemicals. A legitimate company will produce a certificate to prove their product is Certified Organic. Non-organic antioxidant products can contain chemical pesticides, herbicides and other toxins.

2) Acai Must Be Processed Within 24 Hours. Safely transporting this little gem, often called The Crown Jewel of the Amazon, across the world is not an easy task! This highly potent berry starts losing its active properties within 24 hours of being picked. As you can imagine, for companies that care about producing a quality product, this is no simple feat.

3) Acai and Other Ingredients That Are Not Processed in China. Many products on the market today are processed in China, where they are known for using harsh chemicals and they do not have any regulations for pesticide use, nor do they have organic guidelines. Acai processing plants in China often use unregulated soy, fillers and/or chemicals in the extraction process.

4) Freeze-Dried and Not Spray Dried Acai. To preserve the berrys nutrients, Acai must be freeze-dried. Spray drying involves heating the berries at high temperatures, which destroys the active properties. In this process, they are also sprayed with a carrier such as maltodextrin to dry them out. When this occurs, a large portion of the resulting Acai powder is actually maltodextrin.

5) Acai Should Never Be Overheated. During normal pasteurization, high heat is involved. Any Acai juice product should only be flash-pasteurized, which does not harm the enzyme level of the berry and is FDA approved.

6) No Fillers Such as Soy or Maltodextrin in Processing. During the extraction of the pulp from the pit, fillers, chemicals and carriers should not be used. These items used in the manufacturing process remain a part of the end product, but are not required to be listed on the label because they are not considered to be an added ingredient.

7) No Fillers or Water Added to the Product. Adding fillers makes the Acai fluffier and bulks it up, so you are not getting as much Acai. Check the label for such fillers as soy, corn, maltodextrin, water and lots of other concentrated fruit juices. After all, when we buy Acai, we want Acai.

No Added Sugar, Artificial sweeteners, Fructose or Stimulants. Look to see that the Acai does not have added sugar. Sugar is not good for our immune systems, weight and it can cause inflammation. Also, some products may have added stimulants like caffeine or guarana.

9) No Chemical Preservatives. If we are seeking a nutritional product for our health, why would we want to consume chemicals along with it? For example, Sodium Benzoate appears in our soda and snack cakes, but why would we want it in our health foods? In 2006, the FDA re-opened their investigations into the use of Sodium Benzoate in soft drinks, because of the discovery of thebreakdown into Benzene that can occur when mixed with ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

10) ORAC Lab Testing Done on Actual Product. Make sure the companys reported ORAC (antioxidant) levels are based upon tests done on their actual Acai product and not just reports from Acai right off the tree. Just because Acai Berries have a high ORAC score when picked, does not mean it still does after the manufacturing.

As we can see, not all Acai products are created equal. In fact, a person will have a hard time finding Acai that can measure up to all 10 standards! So far, we have only found one Acai product line that passes all of these tests and that is Amazon Thunder!

Resources and Further Reading:

Amazon Acai Berry.net – All About the Acai Berry: www.AmazonAcaiBerry.net

FDA re-opens probe into benzene contamination of soft drinks – by Chris Mercer, 2/15/2006 www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=65840-soft-drinks-fda-benzene