Dark and Beautiful - The Magic of Acai

Coco Mymy
Mar 31, 2016
3 min read

Until recently, açaí was almost unheard of in the United States. The açaí berry is now widely promoted in forms of dietary supplements, beverages, and weight loss pills across multiple retail stores. Any food that is repetitively showcased in grocery isles immediately catches my attention. Although it may be an ongoing super-food trend within the United States, a part of me believes many people are still left a bit clueless about this magic berry.

The açaí berry is a small and round purple fruit, about an inch-long. It comes from the açaí palm tree; a species belonging to the Euterpe genus, native to rain forests of Central and South America. The tree produces both female and male flowers that are small and are brown to purple in color. The fruit grows green in color and ripens to a dark purple color. Each tree stem usually produces four to eight bunches of fruit throughout the year but ripe fruits are the heaviest in the dry season (July to December). The tree grows slowly in low light, often taking 4-5 years before producing fruit in the rain forest canopy.

For centuries, açaí has been the main staple food of the Amazon natives. So, it is treated more like a food item by them than as a "fitness berry". It has a single large seed in the middle that makes up about 80 percent of the entire fruit. It can be found in clusters at the top of the palm tree.

Health Benefits of Açaí Berry

Açaí berry is high in calories, and hence, gives immediate strength and stamina. In addition, açaí helps speed recovery after exercise with powerful anti-inflammatory phyto-nutrients, and replenishes the body with valuable electrolytes. The berry extraction is used by Amazon natives as a treatment for diarrhea, parasitic infections, hemorrhages, and ulcer treatment. However, there are no established studies suggesting that the use of açaí products would help lose weight.

Vitamins:
Vitamin A, which may contribute to maintenance of healthy vision, healthy immune functions, cell integrity and the moisture and health of skin;
Vitamins B1(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin), all of which help regulate metabolism, support cell growth and contribute to maintenance of mental function;
Vitamin C, essential in helping the body fight infection and maintenance of bone health; and,
Vitamin E, which has been shown to increase the body’s immune response and may contribute to maintenance of heart health and maintaining healthy skin.

Nutrient minerals:
Magnesium, which helps to release energy and absorb nutrients in our foods as well as contributing to a healthy immune function and maintenance of healthy bones;
Potassium, which helps maintain a healthy blood pressure level,
Calcium, which is good for the healthy maintenance of our bones and for smooth muscle function;
Iron, whose main function is to carry oxygen to all the cells in the body through its role in creating hemoglobin;
Selenium, which contributes to efficiency of the immune system and plays a vital role in regulating the effects of thyroid hormone on fat metabolism;
Copper, which helps the body absorb iron readily so that our system can easily transport oxygen to our tissues;
Manganese, which helps the body maintain healthy bone, cartilage, and connective tissues; and,
Other key nutrients, Phosphorus and Zinc.