It’s no secret that fruits are nutritious foods. The berry family is particularly composed of fruits good for your health. The best of berries is the acai berry. It can be found in the palms growing in the Amazon region in the depths of Brazil. The people living there has had acai berry as a staple in their diet centuries since they have long discovered that the acai berry has many healing properties and lots of health benefits. It is only recently that word of the acai berry has began to spread in the United States and to other parts of the Western world.
Because the acai berry has long been part of the local lore in Brazil, there have been many legends about it. One such famous story is about a tribe who supposed lived in what is now called Belem. The story begins in a setting of a drought or food shortage in the area. To appease the gods, the chief of the tribe commanded all children to be sacrificed, including the grandchild of the chief – offspring of his daughter Iaca. However, one full moon night, Iaca, the daughter’s chief heard a child’s cries. This prompted her to look for her daughter and after searching, she found her under a palm tree. The child was looking up to the tree which had berries on them. This was the blessing because they now had food and the children wouldn’t be sacrifices anymore. Their wine was made from the berry which was named after the chief’s daughter, Iaca – inverted, it reads acai.
There is a recipe for a drink which combines the pulp from the fruit flesh of the acai berry and guarana seed. The drink, with similar effects as caffeine, provides energy and it gives the mind clarity. The fruit of the acai berry is only has 10 percent of fruit flesh and most of it is made up of pits. To separate the pulp from the pits, the acai berry goes through a mixing and stirring process. Water is added to the acai berries and the mixture is stirred so that the pulp and the pits of the fruit will separate from each other. This method is how acai puree is created.
Harvesting acai berry is very tricky because it needs to be picked quickly. If you don’t freeze it immediately after ripening, it loses its nutrients and anti-oxidants. Acai berry cannot be shipped or carried to other countries as it is, it must be dry frozen for freshness.
Why is the acai berry very much touted? Because it contains a lot of anti-oxidants, fiber, and omega 3. Having anti-oxidants mean that acai berries can prevent premature aging and strengthens the immune system as it eliminates free radicals.
Other vitamins found in the acai berry address the eyesight and helps the body in its muscle and neurological functions.
Fatty acids are helpful in getting rid of bad cholesterol and maintaining the good cholesterol. It is also good for better circulation of blood.
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