The acai berry is an astonishing nutritional discovery. Found only in the rainforests of Brazil it has only recently been available throughout the world due to advances in processing methods. This astonishing little berry boasts up to 10 times the antioxidant level of red grapes and twice the antioxidant levels of blueberries. The acai berry also diminishes the antioxidant levels of red wine bringing in 10 to 30 times as much antioxidant activity. The acai berry contains some of the highest antioxidant levels of any food found on Earth.

The acai berry is exceptionally high in 2 strong antioxidants called anthocyanins and flavonoids. Anthocyanin is the substance that makes the deep red to deep purple colors of many health-promoting foods including blueberries, red grapes, purple cabbage and of course the acai berry. Foods that are high in anthocyanins are exceptionally nutritious and full of antioxidants.

Anthocyanins and flavonoids are impressive antioxidants that defend the body from stress. Different types of stressors create free radicals within the body. A free radical is essentially an atom or molecule that is highly unstable due to a single unpaired electron. An antioxidant will pair up the random electron thereby stabilizing the molecule.

Antioxidant activity from foods is measured by what is described as an ORAC score. The ORAC score measures the capacity of a substance to neutralize free radicals within the controlled environment of a test tube. The higher the number of the ORAC score the stronger the antioxidant qualities of the food are. The acai berry has been found to have an extremely high ORAC score.

In addition to being an excellent source of antioxidants the acai berry is surprisingly high in Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids. The acai berry also contains 19 different amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. This is highly atypical for a fruit.

Vitamins and plant sterols are also abundant in the acai berry. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E are all present within this tiny little powerhouse. The acai berry also contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc. Three plant sterols have also been identified in the acai berry and these substances have been shown to provide numerous health advantages.

Besides giving all of this nutritional benefit the acai berry also tastes delicious and provides a healthy dose of fiber. You can eat the whole fruit as dried berries, sip on the juice or even consume any of the many products made with the extract. The acai berry is nutritious and delicious and it can be used in smoothies, desserts and more.

Research will continue to be conducted on the acai berry but the findings so far have been pretty astonishing. The acai berry can aid in weight loss and the protection against diseases. The acai berry offers enormous nutritional advantages that are beneficial to human health.

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