What only names have acquired acai berries - they are called "fountain of youth", "super food", "royal superyacht", "Amazonian pearl", etc. And the wave of popularity of this product has swept the whole world in 2004, after the results of researching the properties of these berries were published. But in practice it turned out that the qualities of the Acai were somewhat exaggerated, and the promotion of "miracle" means on their basis was called fraud on the international scale. So, what exactly are these berries really like?
Plant characteristics
The acai plant is a palm belonging to the Euterpe family. It grows in Brazil, and is cultivated mainly in the state of Para. The fruits of this plant are rich in nutrients and very nutritious. They are the main food of local people and are highly valued by them.
Asai prefers moist soils, therefore in the wild this palm is found in damp places, more often on river banks, where it grows in groups consisting of 4-8 trees. In height, this palm can reach 20 meters, and the volume of its trunk varies within 15-20 cm. As you can see in the photo, the acai berries are outwardly similar to black grapes - they are painted in dark purple color and have small sizes.
. Harvest from a tree is harvested twice a year. Fruits are mainly used for the preparation of oil, which has a high content of palmitic acid. Residents of the Amazon delta cultivate the acai palms mainly for the sake of fruits, but the core of the tree itself is edible.
Note! The tree of Acai is considered to be the most important source of food for the local population. About 42% of the food of Indians of the Cabocles is Euterpe's palm.
Effect on the body
Now let's look at the composition of acai berries, with which they are associated their useful properties:
- anthocyanins, or E163 - this substance has a direct effect on the coloring of berries, flowers and leaves of the plant. It is thanks to them that the fruits have a dark color. In medicine, anthocyanins are used as a natural antioxidant, which prevents aging processes, and this has a scientific justification;
- oleic acid - belongs to a number of unsaturated fatty acids and helps to improve digestion processes;
- vitamins A, B, C, D, E - such a set of vitamins can be found in almost any berry that grows on the territory of our homeland. Although for the sake of justice, it should be noted that in the berries of Acai vitamin E contains a lot, and he cares about the beauty, health and youth of our skin;
- potassium and magnesium - thanks to these substances, the brain is supplied with oxygen, the acid-base balance is normalized and the functioning of the cell walls is maintained. And calcium itself helps maintain the concentration of magnesium, which is the main nutrient for the heart muscle.
Important! It is not allowed to use acai berries uncontrolled, as long studies regarding their effect on the human body have not been conducted.
Based on the composition of Acai berries, we can assume that their benefits will be as follows:
- prevention of atherosclerosis;
- prevention of blood clots;
- providing antiallergic function;
- improved digestion;
- sleep normalization;
- improved blood circulation;
- increase in energy potential;
- improvement of thinking activity;
- control of cholesterol level.
Acai berries quickly acquired the status of "magic pill", which helps to cope with a number of complex diseases. However, it should be borne in mind that the benefits of these fruits will be evident only in combination with traditional methods of treatment, which should be preceded by examination by a specialist and the establishment of a correct diagnosis.
Important! It should be borne in mind that there is no scientific confirmation of any particular benefit attributed to this product by many commercial structures. And because of the huge volume of exports, Brazilians lost one of the main sources of food.
Is it possible to harm?
Actually, acai berry is most useful in fresh form - after collection it should not take more than 2 hours. Therefore, it becomes obvious that in order to obtain such a benefit, it is necessary to live directly in Brazil.
- Asai berries are attributed unique properties, which primarily contribute to weight loss. But in fact, this product is quite nutritious - its caloric value is 150 kcal per 100 g. This immediately explains the nutritional value of these fruits for the inhabitants of the Amazon delta, and at the same time does not make it possible to consider acai berries as a dietary product.
Note! Agree, because what can be a snack, if in a small portion will be 300 kcal.
- Today, the fruits of the Euterpe palm are processed mainly in dietary supplements, which should be used with extreme caution, especially with parallel intake of vitamin complexes. Such antioxidant supplements should be used only after consultation with a dietitian, and between courses should take about 2 weeks.
- You can often hear that Acai berries are recommended for use during pregnancy. But in this case, it must be taken into account that these fruits are an atypical product for our latitudes, so they can cause allergies. For this reason, the question of their use in the diet of a pregnant woman will always be decided individually.
In general, acai berries are useful, as their composition eloquently says. However, one should remember about their "foreign" origin, and this can cause an allergic reaction even in a healthy adult.