Brazilian fruit brimming with benefits

For thousands of years, Brazilians have had access to an abundance of plants and fruits that grow in the Amazon rainforest.

One of these indigenous fruits, the acai berry, has been used to prevent and heal infection as well as improve overall health.

Now, as the acai (pronounced “a-sigh-ee”) berry’s benefits become known, others are making it part of their diet.

Resembling large blueberries, acai fruits are said to taste like a blend of chocolate and wild raspberries; they have 10 times the antioxidants of grapes. Acai fruit also is a source of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E.

“I have been using (an acai supplement) for just a few weeks … My energy levels are up, and I feel sharper and more in tune throughout the day,” said Richard Tan, 41, of Long Island, N.Y., who recently was shopping in the local Earth Fare here.

In his bestseller “The Perricone Promise,” Dr. N.V. Perricone, a dermatologist, author of three books and frequent talk show guest, calls acai the No. 1 super food in the world. The fruit also was listed as one of Oprah Winfrey’s top 10 foods for health and beauty in 2005.

Acai fruit contains anthocyanins — antioxidants in plants that are thought to improve the body’s ability to control blood sugar and assist in lowering cholesterol. That could be good news in South Carolina, where diabetes and heart disease rates are among the worst in the nation.

But more research must be done to uncover the health advantages of acai.

“I do think that once they start doing more research, they will find the nutritional value of it,” said Dan Nessel, researcher at PowerSupplements.com. “There’s still a lot to be discovered.”

Taken From : www.thestate.com