One of the newly discovered berry stars of antioxidant plants is the acai (ah-sigh-ee) palm berry (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) that comes from the tropical regions of Central and South America.
The genus is named after the muse Euterpe of Greek mythology and the major plant family is Arecaceae. The vernacular name is sometimes called Assai Palm.Where do acai palms grow and what are the characteristics of the berries?What is it about the acai that has caught the attention of consumers?What nutrients stand out in the acai berry?What about the antioxidant strength of acai?What does medical research say about the health properties of acai?Three studies analyzed the antioxidant properties of acai, showing its powerful effects against specific oxidizing agents like peroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. One interesting finding was that the total antioxidant capacity of acai could be accounted in just 10% of the identified anthocyanins. This finding indicates that acai is loaded with other, yet unidentified, antioxidant phytochemicals.With research beginning to show remarkable benefits of acai, why not introduce this tasty berry into your diet?* US National Library of Medicine, PubMed, http://pubmed.gov* Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acai
Copyright 2006 Berry Health Inc.
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