Welcome to Acai Berry Juice

All About the Acai Berry

    The Acai berry grows on palm trees in the Amazon Rainforest. The berry resembles a giant, purple, blueberry. Despite its many benefits, you cannot eat the acai berry directly. The berries must be harvested fresh and processed into a pulp. This pulp is loaded with antioxidants, healthy Omega fats, and many electrolytes. That's why only the pulp is eaten or drunk.

    Natives of the Amazon top Acai pulp with foods such as fish and meat, as well as many others. They eat an amazing amount of acai berries, so much that in the city of Belem, which has over one million people, they consume more Acai than milk. In Brazil, Acai has exploded into the mainstream, spreading rapidly throughout the country. Some Brazilians freeze their Acai and mix it with Guarana syrup.

Acai Berry Benefits

    Acai is called a superfood for many reasons. The berry naturally contains huge amounts of Antioxidants, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Fiber, Proteins, as well as good fatty acids.

    The incredible levels of antioxidants in Acai help you feel younger, and can also medical problems such as cancer (see News section for up-to-date research). Research has also shown that antioxidants can help regulate cholesterol levels in your body.

    Acai has two essential fatty acids known as Omega 6 (Linoleic acid) and Omega 9 (Oleic acid). Research shows that Omega 6 helps lower LDL, which is the cholesterol that harms your body, while Omega 9 fatty acids lower LDL and maintain HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Acai's high levels of antioxidants also play a factor in maintenance of vascular cardiac system, which is important for better blood circulation.

    The dark purplish color of the berry is due to the polyphenolic compounds present in the berry. One of the main compounds being researched is called anthocyanin. Anthocyanins are a group of Flavonoids widely distributed in plants and that give a reddish or purplish color to fruits such as blackberries, grapes,  and raspberries. The more research that is done on anthocyanins, the more benefits are found. Below are some of the protective properties of anthocyanins. 

    • Inflammation and Collagen: Anthocyanins help neutralize enzymes that destroy connective tissue. Their antioxidant capacity prevents free radicals from damaging connective tissues and help repair damaged proteins in the blood-vessel walls.
 

    • The Nervous System: By preventing tyrosine nitration, the Anthocyanin properties in Acai may help protect against neurological diseases. The primary Anthocyanins in Acai known as Cyanidin-3-glucoside have been found to contribute to the reversal of age related neurological deficits.
 

    • Large and Small Blood Vessels: Anthocyanins ability to counter oxidants make them a powerhouse in the fight against arteriosclerosis. Even in small amounts, Anthocyanins effectively guard against LDL oxidation. Anthocyanins protect the integrity of the endothelial cells that line blood vessel walls and help to maintain micro capillary integrity. Diabetes: One of the serious diabetic complications is retinopathy, which in most cases can cause blindness. This condition occurs when the body attempts to repair leaking, damaged capillaries, but does so by producing to many abnormal proteins. The protection of Anthocyanins can help prevent these capillaries from leaking and assist in the prevention of abnormal protein proliferation.
 

    • Eyesight: The Acai berry's anthocyanins may also help improve eyesight by numerous mechanisms. In the Second World War, British fighter pilots were found to have improved night vision. These findings were thought to be contributed by the large amounts of bilberries contained in the pilot’s diet. The effects of the improved night vision were not long lasting after the initial consumption of bilberry lasting just hours after initial consumption. With this new found advantage, the pilots would consume the bilberry fruits just prior to beginning their mission