We are aware that a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are the basis of a good and active life. In the present-day situation, people find it difficult to pay attention to their daily nutritional needs. One reason for this is the growing professional responsibility and lack of self-care. Do we believe in consuming things such as the acai berry fruit?
When will we realize the fact that a healthy body is a primary need, not an option?
Do we focus on the importance of nutrition as we should?
Proper nutrition does not only help us stay active and energetic. It also helps us fight back infections and illnesses. Nutritious food is one of the pillars of a healthy body and mind. Fruits and vegetables play a significant role in providing our bodies with proper nutrition. They provide us with the essential nutrients which help us sail smoothly through daily life. One such member of the fruit family is acai berry fruit.
It is available naturally in the form of a fruit. Some people also prefer the acai berry supplement due to the availability issues of acai berry fruit.
Read further to know more about acai berry.
What is Acai Berry?
Acai Berry fruit belongs to the family of berries. It is usually found in the central and southern parts of America. It comes under the category of superfoods and is full of antioxidants.
Acai berry is beneficial for several things ranging from skin health to fighting cancers.
Acai berry is a combination of around 10% fruit pulp and a seed. It is deep purple. This part of the berry fruit family grows in clusters on palm treetops in the Amazon rainforest.
It is challenging to grow acai berries because the height of acai palms is around 60 feet. Hard work comes in when it comes to preserving this superfood manually. In case of negligence, the acai fruit can lose its properties and become useless in a short duration.
People can use acai berry in its raw form, as a juice, and as supplements. Acai berry supplements are available in the form of powders and tablets.
People in Brazil call it the ‘Tree of Life.’ The American natives use acai berries in the form of fruit for various purposes. It has a significant number of qualities that make it worth a try for everyone who can reach out to it.
Read further for information about the benefits, uses, side effects, facts, and myths about acai berry fruit and supplements.
Click here to read more about acai berry.
Acai Berry: Nutritional Composition
Acai berry fruit is a superfood that is loaded with nutrients. The nutritional composition of acai berries is as follows.
Antioxidants
Acai berry is a fruit that is rich in many antioxidants such as phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and xanthones. They possess more antioxidants than any other in the entire berry fruit family. Antioxidants help not only in fighting disease. They also protect one from the growing pollution.
Omega
Acai berries are also full of fatty acids, such as omega 3, omega six, and omega 9. It is also rich in fiber and healthy fats.
Vitamins and Minerals
Acai berry is a vitamin-rich food. Several vitamins present in acai berry fruit are vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin C and vitamin E. Acai berries are also rich in minerals, calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium.
Acai Berry Powder Supplement Composition
Going by the research by USDA (United States Department of Agriculture, the acai berry supplement in powder form (3-gram teaspoon) has the following nutritional composition.
- 20 calories
- 1.5 grams fat in all
- 0 gram protein
- 1 gram carbohydrate
- 1 gram fiber
- 6 milligrams calcium
Now that you know the nutritional values of acai berries, let us go ahead with how we can utilize acai berries to the fullest.
Uses of Acai Berries
Acai berries are beneficial if we utilize them wisely. Some of the uses of acai berries are as follows.
It is traditionally used to treat a lot of diseases such as ulcers, diarrhea, hemorrhages, and parasitic infections. Acai Berries are also helpful in treating digestive issues.
American natives often use acai berries in the form of porridge.
Acai berries are also available in the form of cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners, skin creams, and natural food dyes.
They are widely available in supermarkets and big stores in the form of juices and teas. Apart from this, acai berries are also available as supplements in the form of tablets and powders.
Acai Berry Dosage
As we know, acai berry is a fruit. And going by the principles of nature, it is not harmful to consume fruits and vegetables in the requisite amount. However, it is always wise to decide what to and what not to eat according to one’s health condition, age, and a few other factors that play a role in maintaining our life.
Talking about the acai berry supplements, we would advise that pregnant women consult their doctors before opting for them. People sensitive to allergies can also follow the same advice.
Benefits of the Acai Berry Fruit
We know that an acai berry is a rare form of berries from the southern parts of America. It proves useful in many ways for consumption and application. Now, it is time that we talk about the benefits of acai berries.
Some of the benefits of using acai berries are as follows.
Antioxidant properties
Antioxidants are substances that fight free radicals. The dark purple color of acai berries is the reason for their richness in antioxidants. Being rich in antioxidants, acai berries act as something that can protect us from several chronic illnesses such as cardiac issues and cancers.
Fight Against Inflammation
Similar to other forms of berries, acai berries are also full of properties that fight against inflammation internally. Inflammation that relates to cardiac issues can also be taken care of with the help of acai berries. Similarly, with the use of acai berries, we can also fight inflammation resulting from a stroke.
Suitable for the Skin and Hair
Acai berries are full of antioxidants which are helpful for the skin. Apart from controlling the signs of aging, acai berries also lighten up the skin tone and pimple scars. Acai berries also aid in controlling acne and other skin problems. Alongside this, they are also capable of fighting pigmentation.
Full of vital nutrients, acai berries also strengthen the scalp and hair. Acai berries also prove helpful in controlling hair fall. They enhance the roots and thicken the hair. Acai berries nourish the scalp well and make the hair smooth, shiny, and healthy.
Promote Cognitive Health
Acai berries prove helpful in fighting age-related health problems, which might have no cure. These berries help in dealing with several cognitive health issues that are as follows.
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
Acai berries also help in relieving stress and anxiety.
Promotes Heart Health and Fights Cancer
Acai berries also help in maintaining cholesterol levels. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, we can say that acai berries are capable of fighting against heart diseases. They can also reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Acai berries are full of antioxidants. One such antioxidant is known as anthocyanin. This antioxidant helps in activating the enzymes that detoxify. Anthocyanins also help in dysfunctioning the cancer cells. Not only this, but they also stop the regeneration of cancer cells in human beings.
Now, we know about the benefits of using acai berries. It is also essential to understand why one should avoid them.
Let us proceed towards the side effects of using acai berry fruit or supplements.
Dangers of Using Acai Berry
Reportedly, there are no side effects of using the acai berry fruit. However, one should remain cautious in case he or she is prone to allergies of any sort. On one side, there are almost no side effects of using acai berry fruit.
Contradicting this is the use of an acai berry supplement. If you are someone who uses acai berry supplements, take note of the following side effects that it can have.
Acai berry supplements are made using a combination of caffeine, sugar, tobacco, and other toxic substances. The use of these substances complicates the supplements all the more.
Health Issues
The use of acai berry supplements can lead to the formation of toxins and plaque in the body. These toxins can lead to several health problems, such as acne, fatigue, candida, etc. Acai berry supplements have garlic and gingko. These substances can lead to blood thinning. The usage of echinacea increases the chance of liver inflammation. Continuous usage of this substance can also weaken the immune system.
Reduces appetite
If you are underweight, avoid acai berry. The reason for this is that acai berry suppresses appetite and aids weight loss.
High Sugar Content
Like the other berries in the berry fruit family, acai berry is also rich in sugar. It also has a good number of calories in it. So, if you are someone who has diabetes, please avoid consumption. Be cautious, even if you have a family history of diabetes.
Swelling and Respiratory Issues
The use of acai berry supplements can lead to respiratory problems. Using acai berry supplements can result in swelling in the mouth, lips, throat, and tongue. Sometimes, the usage of acai berry may lead to wheezing.
Partial Illnesses
The use of acai berry supplements can cause headaches, partial deafness, etc. It can also harm a person’s vision. Acai berry supplements can also cause intestinal irritation and even colon irritation.
Combination of Acai Berry with Other Plants
We know that acai berry is a nutritious fruit in itself. But, we can also combine it with several other plants for betterment. Following are the acai berry plant combinations that might prove beneficial.
Acai and Gojri
The combination of acai and Gojri prove helpful in improving the immune system. It has anti-aging properties and also protects the skin. Gojri and acai berry together can also fight cancer cells.
Acai and Turmeric
The combination of acai berry and turmeric is full of antioxidant properties. It is suitable for digestive health and cardiac health. Also, it can fight cancer.
Acai and Ginseng
Ginseng and acai berry together improve vitality and increase energy levels. The combination is also suitable for managing diabetes and cholesterol levels. It is also ideal for maintaining a healthy immune system.
Spirulina, Chlorella, and Acai Berry
The combination of acai with these two supplements improves endurance levels. It is also suitable for a person’s skin and hair quality. The richness of vitamins and minerals keeps the immune system healthy.
Click here to read about spirulina.
Acai Berry Fruit or Acai Berry Supplement?
There is a growing experience of health benefits of the acai berry amongst people. It’s fantastic nutritional values have put it in the category of superfoods. The increasing popularity of this fruit is encouraging people to come up with acai berry supplements.
Acai Berry supplements surely carry the benefits of the fruit. However, the making of acai berry supplements requires tobacco, caffeine, sugar, and other substances. Perhaps, they are unaware that the usage of these substances in the formation of acai berry supplements can deteriorate the inner values of the fruit. Also, these substances, individually, are capable of hampering a person’s well being and good health.
Many acai berry supplements are a combination of several preservatives. Preservatives and additional substances are likely to do more harm than good to your health. But, we surely cannot deny the fact that Oprah gave it the name ‘wonder supplement’ too.
Following the points above, we advise our readers to be wise with their choice concerning acai berry fruit or supplement. It would help if you considered your health condition. You may even consult a nutritionist or a physician for some good suggestions about the same.
Quick Tips
Acai berry is a fruit that is available all around the world in frozen or liquid form. Similarly, it is also available in the form of tablets and powders. Often, it is mixed in food products.
Some tips that may help you consume this superfood in various forms are as follows.
Use acai berry as an ingredient in smoothies and porridges. Juices and frozen acai berry purry are yet few options. Adding acai berry as an ingredient to oats, granola bars, and cereals is yet another option.
Conclusion
Acai berry is a rare member of the berry fruit family. Like most berries, it also has a humongous amount of nutritional values. However, excess consumption of acai berries can lead to complications due to the high sugar and calorie content. Like all the berries, acai berry is also rich in antioxidants, which make it useful for a person’s overall health. However, excess of everything is terrible. So, make sure that you consume acai berry at a specific limit.
Disclaimer: In this blog, the blogger is offering suggestions. The readers are free to choose what they want to live by or ignore in this blog. Under any circumstances, the blogger will not be responsible for anything that happens when the readers go by the suggestions mentioned here.