Acai

Acai in Brasil

The history of the berry from the Brazilian Amazon that is changing the concept of healthy food. Acai (açaí - a-sigh-ee) is a palm tree that grows in the North of Brazil. It is known by the native people (indigenas) as "içá-çai", which means “fruit that cries”. The Acai tree can be found all over the Amazonia region. To make Acai, juice is extracted from the pulp of the skin of the seed. No trees are harmed in the process. For hundreds of years, acai (açaí) has been a traditional food of the native people of the Amazon – and part of its folklore, finding its way into legend as well as onto the table. Once upon a time, there was an Amazon Indian girl named Iaca, whose father was the tribal chief. His tribe had grown so large that there wasn’t enough food to go around. So, the chief decreed that all newborn babies must be killed. When Iaca, his own daughter, bore a child, the chief had his decree carried out. Iaca mourned her baby’s death alone in her hut for days. Then she thought she heard a baby crying. When she went outside in search of the baby, she saw a palm tree shooting up from the earth, covered in fruit. Full of despair, she lay down under the tree and died. The next day, the tribe found Iaca’s body under the new tree. The tree’s fruit satisfied their hunger and renewed their energy, and the chief lifted his harsh decree, declaring that the fruit would be named after his daughter (“Acai” is “Iaca” spelled backwards). With abundant food for all, the tribe grew and flourished. Acai has been enjoyed for decades by the people of Brazil. A bowl of Acai is usually eaten in the morning with breakfast. In the 1950’s, doctors began to realize the health benefits of Acai. In the 1960’s, the famous Gracie jiu-jitsu family recommended eating Acai before and after workouts. Recently, several new medical studies in the United States and Europe have found even more exciting health benefits of Acai.

Acai in Rio

Even though acai grows far away from Rio de Janeiro (thousands of miles), it was in Rio where acai gained a lot of publicity and some real powerful endorsers. Brought to the city in the 70-80's by northern Brazilians who moved to Rio, or "cariocas" (people born in Rio) who had roots in Para or Amazonas - acai started being consumed as a natural source of energy by cariocas on a daily basis. Cariocas are known for their very active and healthy lifestyle - and acai was a perfect combination. At that point another Amazon treasure called Guarana had been used for many decades as a natural energy booster, and since acai could only be brought frozen from the North - it was created the Acai Bowls Rio Style ("acai na tigela"): a delicious and healthy combination of frozen acai, guarana, fresh fruit and granola. This style of acai quickly became very popular with amateur and professional sports practicants such as Surf, Jiu-Jitsu, Capoeira, Futebol (soccer), Beach Volley, Futvolley, etc.

Acai (Açaí), also known as super berry or power berry (in the Amazon they call it "Viagra da Amazonia") due to the amount nutrients and fibers ascribed to it.

Because of its rich content of anthocyanin pigments that give it the characteristic deep purple color, açaí likely imparts important health benefits associated with consumption of antioxidant pigments, such as reduced risk or prevention of cancer, diabetes, chronic inflammation, heart and vascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and other types of neurodegeneration, high blood cholesterol, stroke, bacterial infections, urinary tract infections, age-related visual deterioration and premature aging. Acai is constantly used topically as a strong antibacterial mix in Brazil.

Some Important Properties of the Acai Berry:

Antioxidant: helps slowing the ageing process.

Omega Fatty Acids: fights harmful cholesterol and prevents heart disease.

Phytosterols: enhances the immune system and reduces blood plasma cholesterol

Dietary Fibers: nurtures a better digestive system.

It is also a source of protein, calcium, vitamins A, E, and B6. On top of that the acai berry tastes delicious and is often described as a blend of berries and chocolate.

Acai in the fight against cancer?

On a study performed at the University of Florida in 2006, it was showed that acai antioxidants could induce faster death, also known as apoptosis, of leukemia cells in vitro. An article is published on the University's website, titled as "Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows". The article starts like this:
"GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits. Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences."
Mr. Talcott emphasizes the fact that Acai is one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants: “Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries."

This preliminary research indicates a possible anti-cancer effect of anthocyanins and other pigments, as shown for North American dark berries like the blueberry and black raspberry.Six reports have been listed on the US National Library of Medicine database, since 2004.