Acai Berry | Acai Fruit | Acai Antioxidants | News

Antioxidants protect the body. To illustrate, think about your car. Most all of us have automobiles, which we rely on to get us to where we need to go every day. We fill our vehicles with gasoline and have regular tune-ups to ensure our cars don’t let us down unexpectedly. The outward appearance of our cars can also reflect how their internal systems are functioning. That is why we protect our automobiles from rust. If you allow rust to attack, then your vehicle’s overall performance will soon be affected.

Now, think of your body as your vehicle. Free radicals, like rust on a car, will speedily deteriorate our bodies without proper defenses against them. Antioxidants are nature’s defense against free radicals. Take the necessary time to fine-tune your body with a suitable amount of fruits and vegetables so your body will benefit from the antioxidants they contain.

The U.S. National Research Council recommends five fruit and vegetable servings per day to maintain an adequate supply of antioxidants to the human body; however, government surveys show that only five percent of American adults consume five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

There have been many case reports in Brazil of people seeing their LDL (bad) cholesterol going down after consuming açai daily. This may be because açai is 84 percent monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (good fats).

A study of food habits of natives in the Amazon was funded in the 1980’s by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences & World Wildlife Fund. Açai was found to form such an important part of the diet, that up to two liters a day of it is consumed by individuals in the region. It is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The study stated: “Those who consume açai often appear strong and full of energy.” Acai has a long history of traditional use in the Amazon. Modern surveys show natives in the Amazon consume up to two liters of açai a day and add it to most meals. Natives report that fresh açai gives them energy due to its nutritional value.

Who should consume açai? The answer is simple: everyone! You may not realize it, but as you read this text right now your body is producing free radicals. Free radicals are a group of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can and will damage your body’s cells. They can be defended by antioxidants.

Although our bodies are constantly producing ROS, a person’s lifestyle can make him or her more susceptible to abnormally high levels of ROS. Excess ROS leads to aging, disease, and body damage. Consumption of antioxidant sources such as açai helps reduce ROS, thereby slowing the aging process.

Listed below are some ways ROS are generated:
1. When cells produce energy
2. During exposure to cigarette smoke
3. During exposure to environmental pollutants
4. From excessive alcohol consumption
5. From too much exposure to the sun
6. When bacterial, fungal, or viral infections occur
7. Excessive exercise (inadequate recovery time)

If any of these situations apply to you, then the antioxidants found in açai would be beneficial to your body.