Acai Nutrition Information

Acai nutrition information

Acai (pronounced uh-SAH-ee), with its deep reddish-purple juice, is full of antioxidants. Acai comes from the same trees hearts of palm come from. They are expensive because of the labor-intensive task necessary to carve up an açai palm. Native to the tropical Central and South American flood plains, the trees are cultivated from Belize to Brazil to Peru. They bear a small, round white or purple-black fruit about the size of a small grape.

The Acai has a combined taste of a blend of berries and chocolate and is royal purple color.

Potassium is the most abundant nineral in the acai, They are also rich in copper, and unusually high in manganese.

Experiments conducted at the University of Florida show that the polyphenolic compounds from acai fruit could significantly slow the proliferation of cultured human leukemia cells. The actions of different compounds in acai appear to be separate, not additive.

The health-promoting compounds identified in the purple acai fruit pulp include two major anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside. Interestingly, the anthocyanins accounted for only about 10 percent of the overall antioxidant capacities of the fruit. Two things were obvious: Compounds not yet identified are responsible for the major part of the antioxidant capacities of the acai fruit pulp and the power resides somewhere in the purple.

Researchers at the Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences of the University of Bonn, Germany, found the antioxidant capacities of the purple acai to form an excellent defense against three different types of dangerous oxygen radicals.

Acai is packed with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids

The antioxidants in acai help prevent premature aging. Acai also has a synergy of dietary fiber, monounsaturated fats and phytosterols that promote cardiovascular and digestive health. It also has an amino acid complex with trace minerals that induce muscle contraction and regeneration. Acai has fatty acid content similar to that of olive oil and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. This oleic acid helps the penetration of the cell membrane by omega-3 fish oils with which it is possible to make cell membranes supple. A supple cell membrane helps in the efficient functioning of hormones, neurotransmitters and insulin receptors. The anti oxidant properties of Acai also helps in the prevention of heart and vascular disease. This is why Acai is used extensively in the production of dietary supplements and why we use it in some of our cereals.

Acai berries also have the health-giving omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids, rarely found in fruit, are low in calories and contain fibre, calcium and vitamins. Doctors say they help to fight leukaemia and premature ageing and the berries are even believed to increase libido. A study by the University of Florida showed that extracts from the berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 per cent of cultured leukaemia cells tested.

Acai powder is used in Amaranth Supreme

We hope you found this acai nutrition information helpful.

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