The Health Benefits of Acai Berry - A Closer Look at Acai Berry Research

The Acai Berry, although new to North America, is a tree native to South America.  It has been used for centuries by people in South America for a large number of health purposes ranging from its energy increasing properties to its purported ability to improve eyesight.

Acai Berries, Acai Berry extract or Acai pulp/juice, which contain a large number of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, are all consumed by the locals in South America in large quantities.

It is only now, in these past couple of years, that North America has finally caught on to this highly nutritious and delicious fruit.  This Superfood has been featured on various news and media outlets.  Popular talk shows like Oprah Winfrey, Rachel Ray, and the Today Show have all covered the miraculous properties of this miracle berry.  It is no wonder that is it used by countless celebrities!

Acai Berry Research

Acai Berry Research has shown that Acai Berries have ten times the antioxidant potency of grapes and more than twice that of blueberries.  It also has 33 more times antioxidants than red wine grapes and 6 times more antioxidants than other juices like wolfberry, noni and mangosteen.  As far as edible berries go, Acai Berries definitely have the highest concentration of antioxidants.

Acai berries are widely used for both weight loss, because of its ability to boost metabolism, and anti-aging properties, due to its rich source of antioxidants.  Other health benefits that this Superfood claims is that it can improve your body's circulation.  This is due to the Acai Berries powerful antioxidants and anthocyanins properties, which help in preventing atherosclerosis and blood clots.

Not surprisingly, Acai Berry Research has even extended to cancer.  It has been proven that when Acai Berry extract is applied to cancer cells of leukemia was the destruction of the cancer cells.

With so many health benefits, it is no wonder that so many people are now embracing this amazing fruit and taking it regularly on a day to day basis for weight loss, improved health, vitality and prevention from various diseases.

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Himalayan Goji - A Miraculous Wonder Goji Berry?

What is the fuss about Goji? Why do people all over the world suddenly talks about Goji? Why do Hollywood celebrities like Ben Kingsley, Anthony Michael Hall, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Mischa Barton and Elizabeth Hurley and athletes like Mike De-Laval (Weight Lifter Champion), Jon Mark Owings (Professional Baseball Players), David Rodriguez (Boxing Champ) and Heidi Koster (Ms. Fitness Australia) to name a few, raved on Goji Benefits?

In 2005, the Los Angeles Times raved about "Tibetan and Chinese legends tell of people who live century-long lives while retaining the strength and beauty of youth - thanks to Lycium (goji)."

Woman's weekly - "Chinese miracle berries that keep woman young!"

The Today Show - "Goji ... Packed with antioxidants."

In 2006 Time magazine - "This years' breakout (super fruit) was the Himalayan goji berry, said to be a source of energy and longevity."

New Woman Magazine - "The latest super fruit to take Hollywood by storm is the Himalayan Goji berry."

BBC News Magazine - "Celebrities have been singing the praises of Goji."

In 2007 the news breaking was even better as the highest-rated talk show in television history - The Oprah Winfrey Show - make an unsolicited, unpaid endorsement by a leading Medical Doctor - Dr. Mehmet Oz, (author of the bestselling "YOU: The Owners Manual", and Vice Chairman of Surgery at Columbia University) - which carries considerable weight. Nobody is going to risk his/her credibility on National TV by endorsing something he/she doesn't believe in. He recommended Goji to Chicago Bulls leading scorer Ben Gordon to maintain high energy levels and not to crash after working out. Dr. Oz said: "Goji - a bright colored fruits - grow in the Himalayas are the most potent antioxidant fruit that we ever know."

So what is Goji berry? Are they a miracle "super fruit," or just another product of hype machine? Let's study it more carefully.

Delicate red Goji berry (Lycium Barbarum), in mandarin Gou qi Zi (pronounced goo-chee), known also as wolfberry, grown in the Himalayan valleys, Mongolia and Tibet, are a hot commodity in the increasingly food supplement industry. For centuries, in Traditional Chinese Medicine Goji berry is used as a medicinal herb to help fighting various diseases such as liver, boost immune system, anti-aging, aphrodisiac, maintain normal blood pressure, blood sugar as well as cholesterol level and improve eyesight and digestion. Goji berry ares also used in various Asian soups and dishes as a garnish.

Goji berry is the most incredibly nutritious dense food ever found and provide major life sustaining minerals and nutrients that your body needs. It contains High Levels of Bioactive Polysaccharides - LBP (Lycium Barbarum Polyssacharide) and full spectrum of nutrients: 19 amino acids, 11 essential minerals including calcium, iron (more iron than found in spinach), pottassium and zinc, 22 trace minerals: selenium and germanium, more vitamin C than found in orange, vitamin E (rarely found in fruit), vitamin B-Complex, essential fatty acids, more beta carotense than found in carrots, zeaxanthin (eye protection), flavonoids and polyphenols, beta sistosterol, cyperone, solavetivone, physalin, betaine, superoxide dismutase(SOD).

The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale is a test developed by the USDA ( United State Department of Agriculture) researchers of Tuft University - Boston to measure the antioxidant levels in food.

The ORAC is a score measurement of the ability of foods, blood plasma and any other substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube to determine how well a certain food helps your body to fight various life threatening diseases such as cancer and heart diseases. Research studies at Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tuft University discovered that consuming vegetables and fruits with a high ORAC value may help slow the aging process. Goji berry are rated the highest ORAC values (in units per 100 grams) compare to other, i.e. containing high level of antioxidants:

Goji Berry - 25,300
Pomegranate - 10,450
Prunes - 5,770
Noni - 5,380
Raisins - 2,830
Blueberries - 2,750
Mangosteen - 2,240
Strawberries - 1,540
Spinach - 1,260
Brussels sprouts - 980
Broccoli - 890
Plums - 949
Oranges - 750
Cherry - 670

The Bovis Energy Scale - was developed by a French Antoinne Bovis in the 1930's- used to measure the "life energy" present in water, plants, rock formations, humans, etc. Human body shows a score Bovis scale reading of 6,500 (anything below 6,500 is life-depleting and anything above is life enhancing). The Bovis scale of:

noni at 17,000
mangosteen at 53,000
Goji berry at 355,000 - an amazing 20 times higher than the rating of noni!

So now you know what the raved is about... Although for centuries Goji berry are used in traditional Herb Chinese medicine, in soups and Chinese food as garnish, many especially Westener have neither even heard of goji berry nor knowing that it is available in juice form. You should consider Himalayan goji juice as part of your daily supplement as it is currently amongst the best supplement product you can find in the market today.

Irwan Lee is the owner of Powerhealths.

Click here for further information resources on the miraculous health benefits of Goji Juice and its business opportunity.

Acai Berry and Its Health Benefits - Fact & Fiction

Unless you've been trapped on a desert island the last year or two, you've probably heard of Acai, the newest "superfruit on the block." While "superfruits" are nothing new, and several have made brief appearances on the market recently (noni, goji, mangosteen, etc) none have "caught fire" like Acai. We can thank the mainstream media for this.

So what exactly is Acai? And what sort of benefits can one expect from supplementing with it?

The acai berry is the fruit of the palm tree with the same name and is native to central and south America, where it normally grows in the rainforest. Acai is a rich source of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds responsible for the dark purple color of the fruit.

Anthocyanins are believed to have significant benefits; preliminary clinical studies performed on animals show anthocyanins to have anti-aging and anti-cancer characteristics (1) as well as protective effects against cardiovascular disease (2).

One of the things that has made Acai so popular with those who perpetuate the superfruit craze is its very high ORAC score. ORAC, or oxygen radical absorbance capacity, is a score used to rate the antioxidant power of different foods.

While it's difficult to determine a credible ORAC score for this fruit, there's no argument that it is very potent in this regard. In fact, a recent study (3) validates both acai pulp and juice's ability to increase concentrations of anthocyanins and plasma antioxidant capacity in human volunteers.

Beyond their antioxidant content, acai berries are rich in monounsaturated fat, similar to olive oil. As part of a healthful diet pattern, these "healthy fats" may also help reduce cardiovascular risk (4). The berries also provide a range of nutrients, including vitamins B, C and E, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, fiber and phytosterols.

So does Acai merit its status as a "superfruit"? Maybe. But the hype is running well ahead of the reality.

For example, anthocyanins are not unique to Acai. You can find them readily available in much cheaper fruits like blueberries and red grapes. In fact, a recent study (5) ranked Acai below pomegranate juice, red wine, concord grape juice, blueberry juice and black cherry juice.

Despite this, Acai's exotic image and celebrity status has led to an escalation of wildly ridiculous claims that have no basis in fact. This is especially true of products sold on the Internet.

For instance, you'll find it sold as a weight loss panacea, a "detoxing and cleansing" solution, and a "cure all" for just about everything. Of course, there is absolutely no evidence Acai helps with weight loss, "detoxes the body", or provides any benefits short of those discussed above.

To make matters worse, many of these products are sold through negative option billing scams. In essence, you sign up for a free trial of a product and are added to a recurring billing program you didn't endorse and cannot cancel. This, not surprisingly, has captured the attention of law enforcement.

Conneticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had this to say...

"There are no magical berries from the Brazilian rain forest that cure obesity, only painfully real credit card charges and empty weight loss promises."

And more recently, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has been warning consumers to avoid signing up for free trials of acai-based weight loss products,echoing the comments of Mr. Blumenthal.

CSPI senior nutritionist David Schardt, author of the "acai scam" expose (published in the April '10 issue of CSPI's Nutrition Action Healthletter) summed it up this way...

"If Bernard Madoff were in the food business, he'd be offering 'free' trials of acai-based weight-loss products..."

Additionally, several expensive acai-based juice products are being hawked via various MLM and pyramid schemes. Consumers need to be mindful that every enthusistic endorser is often also a promoter, and stands to benefit financially from any sales s/he makes.

Consequently, such recommendations need to be viewed with a hearty dose of skepticism.

So what's the bottom line on "this miracle from the rainforest?"

There's no doubt it's a super antioxidant, and rich in various nutrients. But it's not a cure-all. Even in Brazil, where fresh acai is eaten daily, it's not regarded as a cure for cancer or other degenerative diseases. It's just... fruit.

Nutritious, but not miraculous. And not necessarily superior to less exotic, cheaper, more readily available options.

1. Nutr Cancer. 2006;54(1):84-93

2. J Appl Physiol 100: 1164-1170, 2006

3. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Sep 10;56(17):7796-802. Epub 2008 Aug 12

4. JAMA. 2005;294:2455-2464.

5. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 27;56(4):1415-22. Epub 2008 Jan 26.

Paul Crane
Author, Webmaster, Founder
UltimateFatBurner.com
The source for science-based reviews of fat burners, vitamins and bodybuilding supplements since 1999!
http://vitamins.ultimatefatburner.com

Is It True That Goji Berry Juice Benefits Your Health?

Countless stories throughout time have talked about goji berry juice benefits. The goji berry has its origin in the valley of the Himalayas, China and Mongolia. The goji berry has been part of the Himalayan cultures for ages and is often used in colorful festivals. This article will talk about the special elements of the goji berry and whether it can contribute to your health, yes or no.

The Goji Berry should not be confused with the Noni fruit from Polynesia. The Goji berry is also called by people in the health food market as the Himalayan Goji Berry, Tibetan Goji Berry, Lycium Fruit and Chinese Wolfberry, the Fountain of Youth, The Cure for Cancer. Why? Maybe salesmen and especially network marketers just like to confuse you with their $44 a bottle of Goji Berry juice.

Nonetheless the Goji Berry is an excellent fruit type and goji berry juice claims to benefit your health in several ways. We will mention a couple of their elements. The goji berry contains 19 kinds of amino acids, 21 trace minerals, carotenoids with beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B6, E and has 500 times more anti-oxidant vitamin C by weight than the beloved orange.

Several Chinese studies have done research into the elements of the goji berry and came with to the conclusion that it is rich in anti-oxidants and that some of its components have the ability to stop the growth of cancer. It regulates blood pressure, regulates weight, counters premature aging etc. Unfortunately there's only one study published about the effects of the goji berry on humans, which makes Chinese claims that it can stop the growth of cancer and even cure the disease very unreliable.

However the positive benefits of various well-known fruits and vegetables for example have been published in thousands of articles compared to goji. Any fruit you take is rich in amino acids, minerals, vitamins and enzymes and therefore thinking that only drinking Himalayan goji berry juice benefits your health is a joke.

Goji Berry, the Fountain of Youth or the Cure for Cancer? Please, think again there are better and certainly cheaper alternatives and it's right in front of your eyes. You can get your fruits and vegetables from your local produce market and start enjoying the health benefits of what's already there.

Susan O'Brien is a huge fan of juicing since she changed her diet and saw what kind of benefits it had on her health. She shares valuable information on quality fruit and vegetable juicers and gives information on http://www.juicerbuddy.com that can help you get more energy and power throughout your day.

Acai Berry Benefits

Gaining quite a reputation is a fruit called Acai. It is pronounced (ah-sigh-ee) and grows wild in the Brazilian Amazon in the form of palm berries. After the company Sambazon first exported the fruit from Brazil, Acai can now be found in the finest health food stores and juice bars worldwide.

Acai is thought of as nature's perfect energy fruit. It is packed full of amino acids, antioxidants and essential omega fatty acids. The good fats! Also contains lots of iron, fiber, and many other vitamins and minerals. It looks like a purple marble or grape and tastes like a blend of berries and chocolate.

The people living in the Amazon region in Northern Brazil, have consumed Açaí for hundreds of years and it's healing and sustaining powers are legendary.

Acai Berry is known to harness the following properties:

Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antimutagenic, Cardiovascular System.

Acai berries contain extremely large amounts of essential fatty acid & omegas which have been proven to lower LDL & HDL cholesterol levels. There is also a high concentration of antioxidants to fight premature aging. Acai Berry has a dense source of a particular class of flavonoids called anthocyanins. The ORAC value of Acai Berry is higher than any other edible berry in the world !

Acai Berry is also an excellent source of dietary fiber. It is rich in organic vegetable protein which does not generate cholesterol during its digestion and is easier processed and transported to your muscles than animal protein. Besides its outstanding content of protein and unsaturated lipids, Acai is also rich on carbohydrates which provide your body with the necessary energy for the day and also strenuous tasks including sports. Acai can help to promote health in the cardiovascular system and digestive tract. It has a perfect essential amino acid complex and valuable trace minerals ratio, vital to proper muscle contraction and recovery.

The proanthocyanidine contents in Açaí Berries are 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins (these are the purple colored antioxidants) of red wine per volume. Although the French have a high fat diet, they have a low incidence of cardio vascular disease compared to the western countries. This is because of their red wine intake. Acai Berries help promote a healthier cardio vascular system and digestive tract, because of its synergy of monounsaturated fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols. The Fiber promotes a healthy digestive system which research suggests soluble fibers may help lower blood cholesterol. The insoluble fiber may help to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers.

Aside from the energy and fluid replacement, Acai Berries provide a nutrition profile complete with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (omega 6 and 9). The fatty acid ratio in Acai is similar to that of olive oil. Studies show this is a contributing factor to the low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean populations like Greece.

Acai Berries also contain plant sterols including beta-sitosterol. Today, sterols are being used to treat associated benign prostate dyperplasia. These plant sterols have also been shown to help control cholesterol as well as act as precursors to many important substances produced by the body.

Acai contain Theobromine which acts as a bronchial dilator to help open air passage ways in the lungs. This increased air capacity helps in oxygen intake, which increases endurance, strength, and athletic performance.

The Amazon Berry, with ten times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries, is now considered to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth.

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Carl English is extremely interested in the mysteries of ancient superfoods and there life giving qualities. The world according to health is quickly changing towards a more alternative approach. For more article on other sacred fruits visit his site at http://www.ancientsuperfoods.com. He has a special deal on a wonder product that Oprah has announced as the #1 Age-Defying Beauty Superfood on the planet.