by Travis Van Slooten

You have no doubt heard about the acai berry and its healthy properties, but what are the acai nutritional benefits that have made it so popular recently? Reading over the potential benefits of the acai berry is like reading a laundry list of different health foods and supplements. It’s hard to imagine that one little berry could possibly be so incredibly beneficial. But the facts don’t lie and when you break down what the acai berry contains, it’s almost mind-boggling.

The Ever-Important Antioxidant

If you’re paying any attention at all to many of the leading diseases present in our society today, you’ve most likely come across the terms free radical and antioxidant. These are like the good and evil in our bodies, the former causing the diseases and the latter combating its effects. Free radicals are produced in the body even while we go about our daily activities. These are naturally produced atoms that lack an electron pair, and they go about stealing electron from other atoms, which in turn cause other atoms to turn into free radicals. Now in low levels, free radicals are tolerable in the body but an overabundance of them can trigger a host of illnesses including some of the most serious ones like cancer and heart diseases. Antioxidants slow down the negative effects of free radicals by providing that much-needed electron.

And this is where the acai berry is so incredible. ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) measures how well a food combats free radicals. The avocado, long known for lowering rates of prostate cancer, has an ORAC count of 19. Cranberries, touted as the king of super fruits, measures an astounding 94. But the acai berry has an ORAC count of 610. Go ahead and read that again. It’s not a typo. The acai berry doesn’t just push the bar, it sets an entirely new standard among super fruits.

There is Still More to the Acai Berry

The acai is not touted as a super food for nothing. True, its antioxidant content is just unbelievable but it doesn’t stop there. Acai contains a component called anthocyanins, the same substance found in red wine, which is effective in fighting coronary heart disease. A decent amount of unsaturated fats can also be found in acai berry. These unsaturated or “good” fats, produce essential fatty acids like Omega-6 which are needed in the body. Acai berry is also a good source of fiber, which is an energy booster.

Is the Acai Berry Deserving of the Title of Super Fruit?

There aren’t many foods out there as impressive as the acai berry. It has earned its rank among the super fruits. The nutritional benefits of the berry are just being studied, but when you see exactly what is in the acai berry, it is not hard to imagine that it will stay at the top of the health supplement ladder. The acai nutritional facts don’t lie and this remarkable little berry is here to stay.

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