acai nutritional research

Acai is an all natural energy fruit from Amazon palmberries. Wild Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, acai tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. It is one of the most nutritious foods in the world.

The ACAI Berry is full of essential fatty acids like omega 6 and omega 9. It is also rich in fiber making it excellent for those with digestive or elimination problems. In fact, the peoples of Brazil have traditionally used acai berries to treat digestive disorders.

Acai research also shows that acai is remarkably high in Oleic which is influential in lowering your LDL.

Acai research has shown that in addition to the anthocyanins and essential fatty acids, acai contains huge percentages of plant sterols. Plant sterols and stanols are phytosterols - essential components of plant membranes - that resemble the chemical structure of animal cholesterol. They have been shown to reduce cholesterol and enhance the immune system.

Research shows that the acai berry has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants in the plant world (up to 33 times the antioxidant content as red wine grapes). Acai also has a very high percentage of flavonoids and Phytosterols.

Acai research is so new however,  that scientists are not yet sure exactly which compounds most account for the antioxidant capacity of the acai berry. It is believed, but not proven, that the high levels of polyphenols are responsible for most of the antioxidant activity.

Recent acai research at the University of Florida has shown the acai berry to be very effective in fighting leukemia cancer cell cultures in the laboratory. It's theorized that this is due to the high amount of antioxidants in acai. Other research studies have show similar results from tests on grapes and mangoes - other fruits that are high in antioxidants.

The purpose of the Florida acai research study was not intended to show whether compounds found in açaí berries could prevent leukemia in people. It was designed primarily as a cell culture model. It is true however, that compounds that are effective against cancer cells in cultures, tend to be effective also in the human body.

Next on the Acai Research Front

Laboratory research on the acai has already begun. The next and concurrent phase will be nutritional research on acai in the human body - specifically how well acai interacts with other foods and nutrients and exactly what effects it has on the body.