ACAI INSIGHTS
Açaí HEALTH BENEFITS, RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Açaí, the anti-ageing, amazonian beauty berry with incredible health properties.
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WHAT IS AÇAI AND WHAT MAKES IT A SUPERFOOD?
Treasured by the Mayans, these berries are known as ‘nature’s purple gold’ in indigenous cultures for their vitalising health benefits. Loaded with healthy fats, vitamins (A,C,E), trace minerals, fibre, flavonoids & anthocyanins. These super berries contain an array of sacred micronutrients hard to come by in food sources.
Açaí gets its deep purple colour from these anthocyanins, which act as powerful antioxidants to reduce cell damage caused by free radicals. Rich in vitamin E and Omegas, this berry is renowned to promote healthy-looking skin by supporting the skin’s tissue repair process.
Some health benefits of açai berries include:
- Has a high antioxidant level (ORAC value of +5000 per 1 tsp), 5x more than raw cacao & 30x more than goji berries
- Excellent source of vitamin E for skin and scar tissue repair, as well as hormonal support
- Electrolytes in açaí help skin retain its moisture, resilience & elasticity by helping the water balance in the body
- Source of trace minerals, amino acids, and small amounts of essential fatty acids
- Contains valuable phytonutrients, especially anthocyanins, in addition to vitamin C, vitamin A and dietary fibre
- Is anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial
- Increases blood circulation and lowers the risk of blood clots
- Good for cardiovascular health
- Low in natural sugars
DISCLAIMER: Always check with your healthcare practitioner before using medicinal foods/superfoods during pregnancy or on prescribed medication.
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AÇAI FOR SUPPLEMENTATION
Here’s how to pick the best açaí powder available
Find raw & freeze-dried powder
Freeze-drying the berries within 24 hours after harvest retains their full nutritional value and integrity ensuring that you get the purest, concentrated, nutrient-dense açaí powder.
It’s important to freeze-dry açaí within 24 hours of being harvested as the berries are extremely sensitive and go rancid after 24 hours, making it impossible for the nutritionally potent fresh fruit to be successfully exported to people around the world.
Raw is also a crucial factor when selecting your açaí because its micronutrients and phytonutrients (antioxidants) are heat sensitive. These key nutrients will be destroyed if exposed to any heat processes. Freeze-drying allows the berries to keep their nutritional potency.
It is for this reason that it’s recommended when using açaí to add the powder to cold meals and foods or after the cooking process is complete. This ensures the nutrients remain intact and will be readily absorbed.
HEALTH BENEFITS & NUTRITIONAL POTENCY OF AÇAI
There’s a reason why açai berries have climbed the ranks in health among scientists & nutritionists in the last decade.
Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) berries are small, deep purple berries that grow on the açaí palm tree (Euterpe oleracea), a species of palm tree in the Arecaceae plant family that is native to Central and South America, especially Brazil where they grow in parts of the Amazonian rain forest.
Açaí gets most of its health benefits from valuable phytonutrients (anthocyanins, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E) and dietary fibre.
Anthocyanins are a class of flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants known to protect your body from cellular degeneration. Many studies have validated anthocyanins for their anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. They have also been shown to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and aid in the treatment of certain types of cancer and diabetes.
Açaí berries are one of the highest antioxidant fruits in the world, which is why they have powerful heart healing properties. They reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and macular degeneration, as well as preventing cardiovascular disease, improving eyesight and many other anti-ageing benefits. Additionally, they increase blood circulation and lower the risk of blood clots.
They also increase the function of immune cells even when consumed in low doses. They have very high levels of vitamin C together with ellagic acid, an antioxidant that reduces cancer cell growth. The phytochemicals in açaí strengthen the cells, which make it easier to fight infections or influxes of free radicals.
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- Maintenance: 1 teaspoon (5g) daily
- Medicinal & Therapeutic Use: 1 teaspoon (5g)*
- 1 teaspoon measure = 5ml = approx 2g (2000mg)
- * Please consult a medical practitioner for correct anecdotal dosage.
- NOTE: SOARING FREE Açaí Berry Powder is certified organic, freeze-dried, unsweetened and unpasteurised.
RECIPES
Here are some simple, quick & delicious ways to have açaí’:
- Blend into smoothies or fresh juice
- Sprinkle over breakfast smoothie bowls or fresh fruit
- Mix into cultured dairy yoghurt or non-dairy yoghurt alternative
- Shake into Moroccan spice rubs or dukkha for an exquisite zesty kick
- Add to snack recipes such as raw bars and truffle balls
Try our silky Açaí Beauty Mylk recipe
A silky smooth skin-nourishing blend using our açaí’ berry powder as a booster.
- Serves 2
- Takes 2 minutes to make
- Rich in antioxidants & skin food
MORE INSIGHTS & SCIENCE ON AÇAI’S HEALTH BENEFITS
The açaí berry is considered a ‘superfruit’ or ‘superberry’ due to its nutritional density. It has particularly high antioxidant levels which are linked to reducing oxidative stress that accelerate premature cellular ageing. The important thing to note about the antioxidant capacity of the berry is that these antioxidants are highly sensitive to heat and susceptible to light, humidity and temperature. It’s therefore crucial to have proper processing, storage and packaging procedures in place to ensure the antioxidant activity is preserved.
Generally speaking most açaí products on the market do not take the above into consideration, meaning the berry loses its nutritional potency. More often than not you’ll see açaí products on shelves packed in clear plastic or with a light purple colour – these products will also be priced cheaper to capture unfortunate and uninformed health consumers. Another thing to look out for is the ingredients listed on the product. Ingredients such as sugars, salts or preservatives all have a negative influence on the açaí berry’s nutrient and antioxidant activity. Salts and sugars can influence the stability of phytonutrients (anthocyanins & antioxidants ) which can destroy their nutritional value. Hence why additive-free, clean & freeze-dried açaí powders are recognised as the better choice.
Today the use of açaí as a functional food is growing widely throughout the world. There is also a growing market for using açaí in both nutraceuticals and dietary supplements. This is due to more research becoming readily available on the health-promoting and therapeutic benefits of açaí. Findings and research are all starting to point out the extraordinary biological properties of these berries compared to other fruits. Studies published in the past on açaí’ (pulp or extracts) have revealed the biological effects associated with its phytochemical composition which is rich in polyphenols: anthocyanins and flavonoids. Cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, quercetin, orientin, and proanthocyanidins are the major polyphenols found in açaí. Its biological effects include it being an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory, a cardioprotective, and a neuroprotective as well as improving dyslipidemia and obesity.
RESEARCH & FURTHER READING
Evidence:
31 Abstracts with açaí research – https://www.greenmedinfo.com/substance/acai
Further reading:
- https://draxe.com/nutrition/acai-berry/
- https://www.foodmatters.com/article/powerful-health-benefits-of-acai-berry
- https://www.davidwolfe.com/acai-berry-health-benefits/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128124918000175?via%3Dihub
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124047389000179
