The Euterpe oleracea or more commonly known as acai palm has been gaining a lot of media attention in the recent years. Heavy marketing efforts by prominent health and nutrition companies also helped to turn the word ‘acai’ into something of an instantly recognizable term. The craze surrounding the acai berry, which comes from the acai palm tree, is understandable, given its high nutritional values and certain antioxidant properties that even made some tout it as the wonder food of the century.
The main reason why this fruit gained worldwide fame is mainly due to its antioxidant properties. Acai berry health benefits mainly stem from the fact that it contains significant amounts of flavonoids and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are a class of antioxidants under a wider group of antioxidants classified under flavonoids. They are responsible for the bright colourful hues of berries, flowers, fruits and vegetables, which explains why acai berry appears to be dark red and purple.
Acai berry health benefits that results from antioxidants are wide-ranging. Flavonoids are chemical compounds that are commonly found in fruits, vegetables, tea and red wine. These antioxidant compounds are thought to aid in neutralizing free radicals in the body, thus minimizing damage from the harmful molecules of by-products produced by our body’s metabolism and certain environmental effects. Antioxidants are thus regarded to be useful in preventing oxidative-stress related diseases of the heart and lungs.
Anthocyanins, in some lab experiments, have shown to be effective in neutralizing free radicals like oxygen radicals and peroxyl radicals in controlled environments. Thus, they contribute to acai berry health benefits greatly. Studies in flavonoids have shown that people who take red wine and green tea have lower incidence of cancer. Therefore, acai berry, having rich contents of flavonoids, could help in preventing cancer as well.
These main acai berry health benefits point to the fact that they are one of the most potent health food available in the market today. However, scientific research has yet to prove that direct increase of antioxidant levels in the body can help to prevent diseases, and health experts doubt whether acai berry really is the wonder fruit many claim to be. It certainly is not a miracle cure as some marketing campaigns try to make it to be, and fat fetched acai berry health benefits such as weight-loss do not have concrete links or evidence to prove it.
Acai berry health benefits do affect some important functions of the body, however. Besides its obvious antioxidant properties, some users of acai berry products note they have improved feeling of wellness and better mental clarity after consuming acai berry. Acai berry health benefits are wide-ranging indeed and this fruit can be a very good nutritional supplement to one’s diet.
It is up to smart consumers to decide whether the acai berry health benefits in some products do achieve what they claim to do. Acai berry is definitely an excellent choice of fruit, yet people should never substitute it for a well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals.
