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Sunday, May 16, 2010
What is Acai Juice ?Acai Juice has become a very popular health drink made from the acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry. It has become famous as a "super food" and a controversial weight loss aid. So where does it come from? What nutrients does it contain that classifies it as a "super food"? Is the juice as nutritious as the fruit pulp? And does it really help with weight loss?
Where does the acai berry grow?
The acai palm tree is native to central and southern America and found primarily in Brazil, Panama, Trinidad, Ecuador and French Guyana. It is in the flood plains of the Amazon River in Brazil where the trees are found in their greatest numbers. The trees are harvested bi-annually, with each tree supplying up to 20lbs of fruit per harvest. The difficult swampy terrain
of the Amazon is the reason why the acai berry does not reach the rest of the world in its as 'fresh' state. Therefore in the rest of the world, it is commonly found as a powder or a packaged juice.
of the Amazon is the reason why the acai berry does not reach the rest of the world in its as 'fresh' state. Therefore in the rest of the world, it is commonly found as a powder or a packaged juice.
So is acai a super food?
In regards to its antioxidant activity - yes! More than one study has shown that acai has
the highest antioxidant effect on free radicals than any other fruit or vegetable! Acai is loaded with bio-available anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants of the flavonoid family. This high antioxidant profile is what helps prevent life threatening conditions like cancer and heart disease. A study undertaken by Professor Stephen Talcott and published in the 2006 Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry found the antioxidants in acai killed human leukemia cells. Up to 86% of the leukemia cells that were exposed to acai antioxidants self-destructed.
er.
Plant Sterols are a plant's version of cholesterol and are very similar in chemistry to human cholesterol. Unlike some cholesterol, plant sterols don't have negative effects for h
eart health and actually help lower cholesterol. Since 1999, plant sterols have been added to margarine products and other products like yogurts. With research providing enough evidence that plant sterols reduce cholesterol, even the FDA validated the results. The validation allowed companies to legally market their products as heart healthy if
they added plant sterols to them.
There are three kinds of plant sterols found in acai - sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol. These are the three most researched types of plant sterols, all of which have been attributed with cholesterol-lowering effects.
Fatty acids profile: Around 32% of the acai berry pulp is composed
of fat, which is unusually high for a fruit (makes you wonder why it's a claimed weight loss aid). The majority of this fat is healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This breaks down approximately into -
10% polyunsaturated fat - Linoleic Acid
60% monunsaturated fat - Oleic Acid
30% saturated fat - Palmitic Acid
Both linoleic acid and oleic acids are beneficial for health. In fact linoleic acid is actually essential for health. These fatty acids help to low
er the risks of developing heart disease and help with inflammatory problems.
Amino Acids represent about 8% of the total make up of the acai berry fruit pulp. Yet again a surprising amount for a fruit. It contains a total of 19 amino acids which include - isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, arginine, histidine, alanine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid.
Vitamins and minerals: The fresh acai berry, like other b
erries, contains vitamins A and C. Other vitamins i
n this berry include vitamins B1, B2 and B3. Acai contains an unusually high amount of copper for a fruit, and also supplies noticeable levels of potassium and calcium. Other minerals present include magnesium, zinc and iron.
Ok, so that's the make up of the fresh fruit pulp, but what about the juice that we buy.
What is in Acai Juice?
In regards to its antioxidant activity - yes! More than one study has shown that acai has
the highest antioxidant effect on free radicals than any other fruit or vegetable! Acai is loaded with bio-available anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants of the flavonoid family. This high antioxidant profile is what helps prevent life threatening conditions like cancer and heart disease. A study undertaken by Professor Stephen Talcott and published in the 2006 Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry found the antioxidants in acai killed human leukemia cells. Up to 86% of the leukemia cells that were exposed to acai antioxidants self-destructed.
So what else is in acai?
The acai berry pulp contains a surprising amount of plant sterols, fatty acids, and amino acids for a fruit. So this adds to its status as a super food. The pulp only makes up about 10% of the whole berry, the other 90% is a large seed that sits at its center.
Plant Sterols are a plant's version of cholesterol and are very similar in chemistry to human cholesterol. Unlike some cholesterol, plant sterols don't have negative effects for h
eart health and actually help lower cholesterol. Since 1999, plant sterols have been added to margarine products and other products like yogurts. With research providing enough evidence that plant sterols reduce cholesterol, even the FDA validated the results. The validation allowed companies to legally market their products as heart healthy if
they added plant sterols to them.
There are three kinds of plant sterols found in acai - sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol. These are the three most researched types of plant sterols, all of which have been attributed with cholesterol-lowering effects.
Fatty acids profile: Around 32% of the acai berry pulp is composed
of fat, which is unusually high for a fruit (makes you wonder why it's a claimed weight loss aid). The majority of this fat is healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This breaks down approximately into -
10% polyunsaturated fat - Linoleic Acid
60% monunsaturated fat - Oleic Acid
30% saturated fat - Palmitic Acid
Both linoleic acid and oleic acids are beneficial for health. In fact linoleic acid is actually essential for health. These fatty acids help to low
er the risks of developing heart disease and help with inflammatory problems.
Amino Acids represent about 8% of the total make up of the acai berry fruit pulp. Yet again a surprising amount for a fruit. It contains a total of 19 amino acids which include - isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, arginine, histidine, alanine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid.
Vitamins and minerals: The fresh acai berry, like other b
erries, contains vitamins A and C. Other vitamins i
n this berry include vitamins B1, B2 and B3. Acai contains an unusually high amount of copper for a fruit, and also supplies noticeable levels of potassium and calcium. Other minerals present include magnesium, zinc and iron.
Ok, so that's the make up of the fresh fruit pulp, but what about the juice that we buy.
What is in Acai Juice?
Acai juice can either contain the actual pulp or come as a filtered clear juice. I highly recommend buying juice that contains the actua
l pulp, which is basically a smoothie! The pulp will always contain more nutrition than a clear juice for the simple reason that it is less processed. Of cou
rse, nothing is quite as nutritious as eating the berry right off the tree. However, acai pulp juices contain most of the nutrition of the fresh fruit when picked and packed away quickly.
I would recommend looking at companies that have an ethical approach to their acai products. Companies that support sustainability of the forests and the welfare of the farmers will always produce much better products and ensure the fruit holds its "good vibe".
As a further note - some acai juices
actually have very little acai in them. These juices often contain other fruits which constitute the majority of their products, such as blueberry, pomegranate, and concord grapes. So check labels carefully, to ensure you get pure acai juice or at least a high percentage of actual acai juice.
l pulp, which is basically a smoothie! The pulp will always contain more nutrition than a clear juice for the simple reason that it is less processed. Of cou
rse, nothing is quite as nutritious as eating the berry right off the tree. However, acai pulp juices contain most of the nutrition of the fresh fruit when picked and packed away quickly.
I would recommend looking at companies that have an ethical approach to their acai products. Companies that support sustainability of the forests and the welfare of the farmers will always produce much better products and ensure the fruit holds its "good vibe".
As a further note - some acai juices
actually have very little acai in them. These juices often contain other fruits which constitute the majority of their products, such as blueberry, pomegranate, and concord grapes. So check labels carefully, to ensure you get pure acai juice or at least a high percentage of actual acai juice.
Acai as a weight loss aid?
Personally I don't buy into the acai weight loss phenomenon. Why not?
1) Every acai weight loss website I have seen up until now looks a bit spammy/scammy. These sites are often nothing more than one page of sensationalism followed by a product you can buy at the bottom. If anyone has seen
anything different, please drop me a comment.
2) In Brazil, acai is not considered a weight loss aid by any means. In fact it is considered the absolute opposite! Ask a Brazilian about acai and they will tell you "it makes you fat". Acai is high in healthy fats!
So, at present I am unconvinced of acai's weight loss claims or that it is the best diet plan.
1) Every acai weight loss website I have seen up until now looks a bit spammy/scammy. These sites are often nothing more than one page of sensationalism followed by a product you can buy at the bottom. If anyone has seen
anything different, please drop me a comment.
2) In Brazil, acai is not considered a weight loss aid by any means. In fact it is considered the absolute opposite! Ask a Brazilian about acai and they will tell you "it makes you fat". Acai is high in healthy fats!
So, at present I am unconvinced of acai's weight loss claims or that it is the best diet plan.
So what does acai taste like?
The acai berry is not the tastiest fruit around. This is one of the reasons acai berry juice products are often made with added sugar or mixed with other fruits. Acai has a deep and earthy taste - something like a mix of chocolate and red wine - without the sweetness. Some will find it more palatable by adding other berries to the mix.
Some Great and Healthy Links
- Green Tea Weight Loss
Green tea weight loss info. is a blog about the ingredients of green tea that generate weight loss. - Juicing Recipes
Juicer Recipes Now. Increase your nutrients and get healthy with our many juicer recipes, vegetable juices, fruit juices and more! - Maca
If you're interested in learning more about the fascinating herb Maca, you've come to the right place. In this article we'll provide an overview of the Maca root including its history. - Best Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein powder has become the most popular in the market. Its users range from bodybuilders to dieters to those who simply enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
My Top Picks for High Quality Acai Juice
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