Acai Berry – Benefits and Side Effects
Acai berries are indigenous to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and wasn’t known to the Americans until recently when nutritionists and health experts discovered its health benefits. The fruit is said to be part of the regular diet of the natives of the Amazon for centuries already and is considered to be the number one antioxidant today.
Cleansing out toxins from our system is an important role of antioxidants. They are helpful in fighting cancer cells and in eliminating toxins accumulated in the body from the food that we eat and the pollutants that we encounter everyday. One of the benefits of the acai berry is that it has high antioxidant content. It is said to have 300 percent more antioxidant capacities when compared to other fruits. When you have more antioxidants in your body, you become healthier. It is no wonder then that the Amazon rainforest natives are healthier and free from harmful toxins that can cause various diseases.
Acai berry is also a beneficial way to fight obesity. Great, isn’t it? Due to our unhealthy food and lifestyle, obesity is one of the major problems nowadays. With the combination of antioxidants, amino and essential fatty acids that help burn fats, obesity may no longer be much of a problem because of acai berry. The fruit will help people with obesity problems achieve the balanced weight that’s just perfect for their body.
Acai berry can help boost our immune system to fight diseases. Again, because acai berry has a great amount of antioxidants, toxins are flushed out of the body. Combined with other essential acids, it can be an anti-viral and anti-bacterial agent which is a great boost for our immune system. This can be achieved when acai berry becomes part of our regular diet.
To prevent heart diseases, our body should have low levels of bad cholesterol known as LDL which is a big threat to the heart. On the other hand, our body should maintain high level of good cholesterol known as HDL to promote a healthy heart. Acai berry can help fight bad cholesterol and maintain a considerable amount of the good ones. Vitamins A, D, E and K are better absorbed with the help of acai berry as well.
It shouldn’t be unbelievable to note that acai berry also helps in attaining good eyesight. Yes, it contains antioxidant known as anthocyanins, commonly found in bilberries, that can relieve eye strain and improve eyesight. Other eye diseases such as glaucoma can also be prevented with the combination of anthocyanins and other antioxidants found in acai berry.
When it comes to stamina, acai berry is also a great help. It’s really simple. When your body is healthy and free from diseases combined with a great immune system, it has more capacity to provide you more energy which can help you gain more stamina. Simple, right? This is a must for athletes. So if you are one, why not try eating acai berries before your game and see the results?
After discussing the benefits of acai berry, let us move on to the possible side effects of this already famous berry. As mentioned earlier, acai berries have been eaten raw by the natives of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil prior to the discovery by the health experts in the United States. Those natives have been eating them for hundreds of years and so far there were no report of negative effects.
It has been observed, though, that consumption of acai berry can lead to lose of appetite. For those who are on a diet and doesn’t want to gain weight, losing appetite can be another positive effect. However, there are those who consider lost of appetite as a side effect.
The other thing is that, because it’s gaining popularity now, it may cost you a lot buying product containing the juice of acai berry. It’s because most manufacturers are into the acai berry bandwagon now. Although I’ve said that raw acai berry has no side effects, I cannot guarantee the supplements and other processed acai berries sold in the market now. It’s because they may have added other substances such as caffeine to their products. Might as well check the nutrition facts to be sure. There’s no harm doing that.
Always remember to weigh the benefits against the side effects before purchasing acai berry products. However, I’m pretty sure that the positive effects will outweigh the acai berry side effects.