The Power of Acai

Acai - Fruit of the Tree of Life

Copyright © 2005 Michelle Stahl

Since the Today Show feature in which by Matt Lauer describing it as the Amazon Viagra and the appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show of Dr. Nicholas Perricone (a recognized authority on antiaging) who named the Acai Berry "one of the most nutritious and powerful anti-aging foods in the world," the Acai berry has become the latest must have health food for the beautiful body brigade, and for good reason.

[The correct spelling is açai but since many keyboards don't have the "ç" character, "acai" is a generally recognized variant spelling.]

Interest in the fruit was initially fueled by Carlos Gracie, who opened Brazil's first Jujitsu academy in Rio. After incorporating frozen acai into his own diet he encouraged his students to drink it.

The fitness of the jujitsu student's bodies soon aroused the curiosity of Rio's surfers and the secret of their fitness rapidly became an established part of beach culture.

The small, dark purple acai berries are the fruit of the Acai or Cabbage Palm, with the Latin name euterpe oleracea.

The name euterpe stems from that of the Greek muse of lyric poetry and music, especially the flute. Often represented as playing a double flute, her name means Delight.

Acai grows in great abundance in the Amazon flood plain where it was originally felled and harvested for its tender palm hearts, which were exported, and for its berries that were only consumed locally.

The berries, consisting of a large seed or pit with only 10% fruit, deteriorate within 24 hours of being harvested and until freeze production facilities were set up, mainly in the Belém area, the juice was produced only in local "açailandias," mixed with water and a little oil and crushed manually before being strained.

The harvest period is August to December. Local people climb the tall, slender palms and cut the berry bearing branches off with machetes. Harvesting is done in the afternoon and in the evening the berries are taken to the processing centers by boat.

The highly nutritious pulp is a staple food of the poorest natives of the Amazon basin and also extremely popular at all levels of Brazilian society and with all ages. It is given to women to aid recovery after childbirth and has a reputation in the region as a source of strength, energy and as a natural aid to sex.

Bélem's acai industry is now so large that it employs 30,000 and the juice is so popular that an estimated 200,000 litres per day are consumed by the 1.3 million population.

Apart from tasting good, descriptions range from ‘wild raspberry with a hint of grape' to ‘blueberries with a chocolate aftertaste, acai also contains an extraordinary range of nutritional ingredients.

The Amazon's answer to the Mediterranean diet, acai has an essential fatty acid profile similar to olive oil and more than 30 times the anthocyanidin level of red wine. It is also a rich source of vitamins and minerals including A, B complex, C and E, potassium, magnesium, copper, iron and calcium. It is low fat (4%), low sodium, contains fibre and protein and is a naturally abundant source of plant sterols.

To understand why all this is so important we need to look at Dr Perricone's recommendations for great skin and health "..an anti-inflammatory diet with colourful fruit and good fats," and also the Government's guidelines for a healthy heart.

Two major factors in heart disease are high cholesterol level, especially the harmful LDL cholesterol, and the condition of interior walls of the arteries themselves.

Acai's abundant anthocyanidins are powerful antioxidants that prevent destructive free radical damage to connective tissue, help repair and maintain the integrity of blood vessel walls and limit the effects of premature aging.

The Omega 9 and 6 fatty acids in acai are known to lower harmful LDL cholesterol while maintaining beneficial HDL.

Extracted phytosterols are included in many products for their ability to reduce serum cholesterol and in acai they occur not only totally naturally, but also in combination with other elements working towards the same end.

The mineral profile of acai is an important factor. Minerals act as co-vitamins, co-minerals and co-enzymes. They have an important role in nerve function.

Modern farming methods deplete the soil of precious minor minerals and trace elements essential for health.

Beyond its nutritional value, acai is one of the most important extractive fruits in the Amazon, providing income in an otherwise poor area of the country.

Not only is it produced without harming the rain forest, the cultivation of this important palm also means there is no incentive to clear the ground for cattle.

With its environmental benefits and such an amazing combination of ingredients, working in harmony to combat so many of the ills our modern lifestyle has brought upon itself, it is hard not to see why Brazilians call Acai the ‘Tree of Life'.

Michelle Stahl enjoys the health and energy benefits of 2 oz. of Açai juice every day.

One source of acai is Acai Berry Select Herbal Supplements

[ 2009 Update: While acai is still recognized as a powerful antioxidant, various Internet sites have sprung up hyping the local Brazilian folk medicine beliefs as proven facts. Worse than that, some of these sites are allegedly fronts for credit card auto-ship scams. Re-read the facts on acai above and stick with companies you trust.]

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.