Scientists believe that
the tropical rain forests of the world harbour many secrets, good and bad. Some
say that there are probably many viruses in remaining rain forests that could
be unleashed by human destruction of these valuable resources. That is the
potential bad side. But there is definitely a good side to the rain forest
secrets. One of those is the Acai berry.
I now live in Palawan,
in the south west Philippines, where much of what is left of the Philippine
rain forest is found. I am sure there are a few secrets here yet to be
"discovered". Two years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman
who a friend told me was a herbalist, who relied on the rainforests for his
medicine. People who had diseases the doctors had given up on would go to him,
and, I am told, his treatments would bring relief. The remarkable thing about
this gentleman is that when I met him, he seemed like a very fit, lithe and
healthy 65 year old who looked 58. It turned out he was 100 years old. So I
wonder what rain forest secrets that man knows?
The Acai berry is a
secret of the Amazon, not Palawan. At least, that has been the case up until
recently, but more is becoming known now about the acai berry. Today there are
more and more people discovering the health enhancing properties of this food
from the Amazon which is rich in nutrients.
The dark purple acai
berry is very rich in several important nutrients, including those antioxidant
vitamins we need so much in modern living. The acai berry grows naturally
on the top of the palm trees found in the rain forests of Brazil and the
Amazon. The fruit of the acai is harvested by local Amazonian farmers,
and itr is then used to make a fruit "bulb". This is then rapidly
frozen to preserve the nutritional value of the acai.
The Hidden Powers of Acai Berries
Acai berries have many
highly nutricious and beneficial ingredients. One is anthocyanins, of which the
acai has very high concentrations. Anthocyanins are what is thought to
give red wine its many health benefits. In addition, the acai berry contains
good concentrations of protein and fibre. Another major benefit is the healthy
omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, which are considered important to a healthy
heart.
With so much going for
it, it is easy to see why the humble acai berry, with the pulp of this fruit,
has been increasing in popularity so steadily. People concerned about
their good health have long been searching for a ready source of antioxidants,
protein, fiber and fatty acids, and the little acai berry contains all these
important elements and more. How's that for a little secret of the Amazon rain
forest?
There are many places
where you can purchase acai berries and the juice that is often made from
them. These sources include local health food stores, and whole food
retailers. As the acai berry continues to grow in popularity, it is
likely that even supermarkets will eventually sell the acai fruit
products. For the time being, however, the acai berry and juiceit is
mostly confined to specialist, health and organic stores.
Also, there are also
some internet retailers which sell products made from the acai berry.
Such products include the fresh frozen juice made from the rich pulp of the
acai berry. This is one of the most nutritious products you can find made from
the antioxidant rich acai.
Choose Your Acai Products Carefully
If you are shopping for
acai berry products, it is essential to buy only from the most reliable
suppliers. If the acai berry is not harvested and packaged properly, it will
lose its nutritional value. It is critical that the acai berry be wild
harvested, and even more important that it be quickly frozen to retain its
nutrient values. Acai products that have been left on the shelf too long,
or those whcih were not packaged properly will lose some or much of their
health benefits.
There are, however, a
number of quality manufacturers who sell a wide variety of acai berry products.
Their acai berries have been harvested and packaged using the traditional
methods of the farmers of Brazil and the Amazon. Those traditional
farmers have been harvesting the acai berries for many years, and they know how
to harvest, freeze and package them to retain their nutritional value, plus of
course their good taste.
Post a Comment