Acai Drinks

Acai “purists” who claim drinking acai drinks make them healthier and ache less may have some scientific data to back up their claims. A study by Natural and Medicinal Products Research, AIMBR Life Sciences, in Puyallup, Washington linked anti-inflammatory functions and immune functions to acai pulp.

Immune Booster

The researchers found that acai pulp powder had exceptional activity against superoxide.  “the highest of any food reported to date against the peroxyl radical as measured by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with fluorescein as the fluorescent probe“.   Why do we care about superoxides?  Superoxides may contribute to the production and development of disease and possibly, to aging through the oxidative damage they exact upon cells.

Anti-inflammatory

The study also looked at the bioactivities related to anti-inflammatory of Acai as well.   In other words, does Acai have the ability to lessen certain signs of inflammation, like swelling, tenderness, fever, and pain, the reasons many people take aspirin and ibuprofen.   Acai was found to be a potential cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibitor.  The inhibition of the Cox’s can offer easing from symptoms of inflammation and pain.   Wow, that acai smoothie is looking better all the time.  So there you go, keep in mind that there is a lot of research still ahead for acai drinks.   However, in looking at the science, those purists who call acai, the acai superfood, might not be as radical as people think.

History

The Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) berry or acai superfood, as it has been touted by Dr. Nicholas Perricone in his book, “The Perricone Promise”, was discovered growing in palms trees in the rain forest in Brazil.  The berries are used in juice blends, energy drinks, sodas, and other beverages.  History tells us acai drinks date  back  thousands of years as an elixir to cure various ailments by the tribes of the Amazon jungle.  Acai drinks are also used as popular energy drinks in Brazil today.

The Skinny

So why is this berry that grows on a palm tree in the middle of the Brazilian rain forest so great?   Here is what we know:

* acai is jam-packed full of antioxidants

* acai has 10x the amount of anti-oxidants as grapes

* they have 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine

* their essential amino acid complex is almost perfect

* the fatty acid content is comparable to that in olive oil

What’s In It For Me

Packed together in a berry the size of a small grape and prepared as a drink, this “Viagra of the Amazon” as it’s known amongst the locals, has been purportedly used for energy boosting, weight reduction (acai slim), cancer fighting, metabolism boosting, inflammation reducer, athletic enhancer, skin smoother and bedroom enhancer.

Consuming these drinks have led many to profess phenomenal health benefits.   But long-term advantages are still unknown, before you run down to the Amazon to buy acai wholesale by the truckload, know that more research needs to be done.  However, recent research has shown some extraordinary results, particularly an experiment in which cancer cells were shown to self-destruct when exposed to acai extract at the University of Florida.  So in a nutshell,the acai smoothie you are drinking every day just might be the answer to a thinner, healthier and better life.