Archive for September, 2009
What Are Free Radicals?
Most health-conscious individuals have an abstract notion that free radicals are harmful to the human body, but few understand the nitty-gritty details. Free radicals sound like the name of a bad garage rock band, but in fact they are unstable molecules floating inside the body. They disrupt living cells by stealing their electrons, and excessive organic damage can result if antioxidants aren’t present to clean up the mess.
A limited number of free radicals appear in the body as a result of metabolism, but many more are acquired through pollution, cigarette smoke and radiation. Studies have shown that vitamins C and E are particularly effective at fending off free radicals and their destructive tendencies. Freeze dried acai supplements contain more antioxidants than any other fruit, so they can be used as the first line of defense against free radicals.
Acai and Antioxidants – Part 1
Acai Berries are rich in antioxidants, but what are they?
Antioxidants are nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, free radicals are naturally created.
How is Oxidation harmful?
Oxidation is the chemical reaction associated with the transfer of electrons from one substance to an oxidizing agent. This is how free radicals develop, these free radicals are responsible for the chain reactions that cause cell damage. While normal amounts of free radicals help break down toxins and combat disease, too much lead to an imbalance in the body and causes stress. The antioxidants eliminate the harmful chain reactions within the body caused by too many free radicals.
The Benefits of Antioxidants
A diet that contains foods high in antioxidants helps balance the body and fights the cell damage that can causes medical problems. These problems can show up as blocked arteries, cancer and diabetes. Studies show that people who consume a good amount of antioxidants reduce their risk of heart disease and some diseases of the neurological system.
Antioxidants are also seen as a way to help regenerate the body after a session of heavy physical activity. Consuming high levels of antioxidants helps the body to repair and recuperate at a quick rate, and lowers the risk of disease and injury.
Antioxidant-rich foods usually contain vitamins, such as E, C, and carotene. Minerals, such as copper, zinc, selenium, and manganese are also included.
The level of antioxidants in foods are in line with its colors, such as orange, red, blue, and purple. This is why Acai berries are quite powerful when it comes to delivering an energy boost.
Açai Berry Capsule, Juice or Frozen Pulp
The Açai berry is a volatile fruit and must be processed within 24 hours after harvest before it deteriorates and perishes away quickly. Local inhabitants are able to consume the Açai berry fresh whereas countries outside must consume it in a different form.
Açai berry could be processed into pulp and frozen before exporting out to other countries. The frozen pulp can be added to drinks, like a fruit smoothies. There are more obstacles in exporting pulp outside of the country – one of them would be weight – heavy to transport – and the second is the requirement for refridgeration during transport. The cost for additional precaution would be passed on to the consumers.
Pulps could also be turned into juice. However, as Açai pulps need to be diluted with water or other juices, the high nutritional values of the Açai are greatly diminished as a result.
Açai berry are also freeze-dried into a powder form which could then be mixed with water or other juices. Again the nutritional values of the berry are greatly diminished.
The most popular form of freeze-dried Açai to take with the maximum nutrients retained is in capsules. They could be taken any time, any where and any place. The freeze-dried Açai berry capsules are the most convenient and versatile supplement packed in a little parcel.
Nutritional Values of Açai Berry
There is a ton of vitamins and minerals packed in a little purple fruit called the Açai berry – the size of a blueberry. This berry is grown only in the Amazon jungle.
19 different amino acids have been found in Açai. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. It is essentially a super fruit for bodybuilders and there are approximately 8 grams of protein in every 100 gram serving of Açai berry.
Half of the Açai berry is fat, with close to three quarters of this fat being unsaturated fat, including Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9. These omega fats are essential in the muscle recovery period after an intensive workout. Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids are good fats that cannot be produced by the body but must be obtained through healthy food intakes. These fats serve many functions, one of which is to increase the rate at which the body burns fat.
There are close to 15 grams of fiber in every 100 grams of freeze dried Açai powder. Fiber works as a cleanser scraping the inside of your intestines and cleaning out any toxin buildups. Fiber makes you feel full, warding off food cravings and temptation to eat more than you need. Consuming Açai berry products or supplements is also a tasty way to get the extra fiber your body needs to maintain proper blood sugar levels- an important way to keep fat from accumulating in your tissues.Açai Berry Facts, Health Risks, and a Source to Reduce These Risks
Açai Berry Facts
- Taste: sweet berry and chocolate
- Consumable products: juice, pills, powder or directly as a berry
- Native Brazilians eat the frozen pulp with bananas as their daily diet.
- Has 10 times the antioxidant level of grapes and over double that of blueberries
- Has about 30 times on average the power of the Anthocyanins of red wine. It is a powerful antioxidant (antioxidants protect cell damages).
- Eat a rainbow-rich diet to obtain as much vitamins and minerals as your could and supplement it with Açai berry products.
- Since Açai berry has exceptionally high values of omega fat, once harvested, it must be preserved immediately or it will quickly go bad. So to bring the berry outside of Brazil and to keep the most of its nutrients intact, the Açai berries are freeze-dried before leaving the country.
Health Risks
What does your daily intake of food looks like? Are you aware of what goes into your food? Are you aware of the toxins in the environment and eventually into our food and drinking water.
Toxins get accumulated in our body because of unhealthy eating habits like artificial food, fast food, oily and spicy food, red meat, consumption of alcohol and cigarette smoking. A majority of the toxins come from our regular food as most of vegetables and fruits carry pesticides or due to high pollution in the atmosphere.
These harmful toxins ruin your overall health. As a result, serious health problems will occur. Toxins cause major ailments and inhibit blood circulation process, which ultimately lead to serious heart conditions and other medical problems.
A Possible Source to Help Reduct Health Risks:
With high antioxidant and high fibre properties, Açai berry helps to remove and flush out harmful toxins from your body. Regular and consistent consumption of Açai berry will get your body cleansed naturally.
In addition, the Açai berry can help you achieve your weight loss goals by complimenting a regular healthy lifestyle, diet, and exercise regime. The extra energy, as testimonies from consumers had noted after taking the Açai berry supplements, will help you with your endurance for a longer exercise program.
Açaí Berry: The Super Supplement
While the Açaí palm tree has many commercial uses such as the leaves being made into hats, masts and baskets, it is best known as a dietary supplement. The açaí berry is sold by companies and individuals in the form of tablets, juice, smoothies, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.
Açaí juice contains high levels of antioxidants-the same as or higher than Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry, cranberry, orange, and apple juices. Studies have shown that antioxidant supplements help in maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease.
Spotting an Açai Scam
Scam artists traffic in the naïveté of today’s gullible consumers. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know who to trust when you’re dealing with promises and guarantees online. Recently, a group of bogus companies have used the considerable health benefits of the açai berry as a way to rope in even more unsuspecting dupes. These companies operate under the pretense of offering free trials of açai while promising unrealistic weight-loss benefits.
You’ve probably heard the old saying that, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” As such, you should do your homework about the açai berry and its true health implications. In the end, you’ll find that the fruit contains vital antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids that improve the body and mind. Get all the information you can; that way you won’t fall for an açai berry free trial scam.