Discover the Health Benefits of the Secret Super Fruit

Well, since Dr Nicholas Perricone appeared on Oprah to tell everyone about it, perhaps the Acai Berry isn't quite such a secret any more. For those not already in the know, Dr Perricone puts the Acai Berry right at the top of his list of 10 'Super Foods' and there are now statistics galore that prove to us just how incredibly healthy this grape sized berry is. Pronounced as if the 'c' was an 's', the Acai berry is the fruit of the Acai palm, a tree which is native to the area around the Amazon river basin and long a staple of Brazilian cuisine.

The berry has a delicious flavor with a hint of chocolate and is used both for its pulp and its juice.

The Acai shows up in smoothies, drinks, as a savory or sweet dish with granola or tapioca, even in ice cream! However, the Acai berry is extremely perishable, spoiling in less than 24 hours after picking, which has made it a fruit unsuitable for export. Despite its great benefits, it has simply been impossible to get it outside of its native habitat. That is, until recently. Why is this fruit causing so much of a stir among nutrition experts? For starters, the Acai berry has twice the antioxidant content of blueberries and ten times that of red grapes.

These antioxidants found in Acai are more long lasting in effect as well.

The Acai contains a lot of fatty acids, including oleic acid, which can reduce cholesterol levels.

The University of Florida has done studies on the fruit, finding that the Acai berry also has compounds called polyphenolics which can slow down the progress of leukemia.

The Acai berry is at the top of the 'super foods' list because it: has anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol, helps your body burn excess fat, regulates metabolism, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, protects against cancer and heart disease, promotes digestive health and gives you energy too! Eating these berries, let alone using them in dishes as the Brazilians do has been beyond the reach of people not living in the Amazon River basin. However, now the berry is being exported in the form of frozen pulp. This is why you may have started seeing Acai smoothies here and there at juice bars.

These can be a bit expensive, however. Somewhat less expensive is Acai powder, made by dehydrating and freeze-drying the pulp of the Acai berry.

The powder is easier (and cheaper) to ship abroad and can be used to give all of the health benefits of the whole fruit. Read the fine print though, always. When you're seeking out an Acai supplement, make sure that it is actually the skin and pulp of the Acai berry being used. Some Acai products contain only the seeds of the Acai berry, which are very low in nutritional value. The Acai berry is truly a nutritional wonder - and now it's one everyone can enjoy the benefits of, whether you ever have the chance to go to Brazil or not!