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The Açaí Berry
Açai (Euterpe oleracea) is a palm that grows alongside rivers, or in areas prone to seasonal flooding, in the region of northern Brazil centred around the State of Pará. While also growing in other Brazilian and non-Brazilian states Pará is regarded as the natural home of açaí. The berry is the size of a grape, hard, with a thin skin that provides the fabled açaí juice.
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Why is Açaí important
The beneficial effects of açaí are derived from its high levels of anti-oxidants.
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells.Antioxidants terminate the destructive chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. (source: Wikipedia).
The level of antioxidants is measured through a method known as ORAC (refer below).
Açai has been discovered to be a rich source of anti-oxidant.
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Taking Açaí
In Pará, Brazil, açaí is taken as a daily staple accompaniment to meals - often with fish, meat, tapioca or mandioca flour. Because it does not travel well it is normally pasteurised and frozen, with added sugar, prior to being transported and sold as an energy drink (often with guarana or banana) in other parts of Brazil. Either way it tastes good!
It is also served as ice cream.
In other parts of the world, principally USA, it is mixed with chocolate as a means to deliver the health benefits of the fruit.
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What is ORAC?
The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) unit is a method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. It was developed by scientists at the US National Institutes of Health.
While the exact relationship between the ORAC value of a food and its health benefit has not been established, it is believed that foods higher on the ORAC scale will more effectively neutralize free radicals. According to the free-radical theory of aging, this will slow the oxidative processes and free radical damage that can contribute to age-related degeneration and disease. Freeze dried açaí is rated at 102,700 units.
(source: oracvalues.com)
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