The acai berry a small fruit or berry from the amazon rain forest. Boy that is a little boring but it sure has created quite a stir Oprah, Time Magazine, Dateline News.

Wow everyone is talking from “gives me energy” to “it has very curious factors relating to cancer, reported by Floria university”.

This berry comes from the acai palm and has been eaten by the natives of the Amazonian basin for generations. They have used it as a medicine for skin problems, stomach problems and as a “Viagra like” booster.

All I know is I like the taste of the little guy. It has a sweet and tangy taste kind of like raspberry and gives you a clean wide awake feeling. No it is not like redbull, no rush jittery Buzz. Just clean wide awake “good” feeling.

Ok back on track. The Internet is a strange little world that loves to promote and create buzz ie people talking about things. Entire social networks are created just for that. Look at myspace, digg etc.. they solely exist to promote and amplify buzz. If you add that to the claims about acai and you can see that yes it is a great little berry BUT people love hype. So take all of these claims and temper them down a bit. The buzz becomes “good feeling” – cures cancer becomes “may help lead towards a better treatment” What you have to decide is are you going to Join the buzz or sit on the side lines.

A company know as Fruta Vida International makes a juice that contains the acai berry juice, that is extracted from the berry pulp and frozen. It contains the benefits of acai berry in a tasty juice. They have created a company around the nutrition benefits of acai berry and also a way to profit from this supplement. Their system uses a MLM pay plan that focuses on helping the “little guy” or part timer. With the baby boomers getting older and the newer generation more health aware then their parents. Now add in the market buzz. This company appears to positioned very profitably. Just two of these positions “health” and “acai” would be enough to gain some serious traction, when you add in the leverage of MLM you have an explosive combination.

Now when someone ask’s you have you heard about acai, Smile and say no what what is that? You will be able to witness the buzz first hand, but when they are done you can say “You know I heard of this company called Fruta Vida and the sell this juice ….

Acai berry , The amazonian berry or amazing berry? You decide.

Before the popularity of the acai berry gained notoriety we had only vitamins A, C and E consumed by drinking orange juice or taking vitamin supplements. But today, we are not talking about just small preventative measures taken, but a real blow to sickness and disease, which has taken the form of antioxidant rich functional health beverages that many consumers swear by in their quest for health and wellness.

Currently, the antioxidant gaining the most attention the Acai (pronounced ah-SAH-ee) berry which is known as a super antioxidant. The acai berry is a small dark blue fruit, similar in size to a blueberry or small grape but with less pulp, that grows in clusters of berries on acai palm trees. The acai fruit is popular among health food enthusiasts because it is high in many important vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids (such as Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9), and anthocyanin/anthocyanidin phytonutrients which are members of the flavonoid class of antioxidants.

The dark purple berry, which tastes something like a blend of berries and chocolate, supposedly contains 10 to 30 times the flavonoids contained in red wine. Traditionally, Brazilians used the fruit to treat stomach disorders and skin conditions. The fruit is highly unstable when picked and rots easily, so it is rare to find the acai fruit whole when you are not in the region where they are grown. Outside the tropics the fruit is usually found in either juice or pulp form. This wonder food is purported to fight cancer, control cholesterol, increase energy, improve physical intimacy and helps weight loss. Some people even use acai as a facial astringent because the fruit has high anti-bacterial properties.

Cupuacu (coo pwAH soo) is referred to as The Taste of the Amazon. Cupuacu is a member of the chocolate family. The indigenous Indians have used the fruit as a primary food source for years. The Cupuacu fruit grows on the Cupuacu tree, which is a small to medium tree in the Rainforest that belongs to the Cocoa family. This fruit is known for its creamy exotic tasting pulp. The pulp is used throughout Brazil and Peru to make fresh juice, ice cream, jam and tarts. The fruit ripens in the rainy months from January to April and is considered a culinary delicacy in South American cities. The seeds contain a sweet-smelling, white butter, which can also be used to make excellent-quality white chocolate.

This particular fruit, Cupuacu has not gained the national attention as the acia berry or yerbe mate. Its benefits has not been publicized nor is it contained in many health related beverages, supplements or foods. Cupuacu contains unique antioxidant phytonutrients called polyphenols. You may be familiar with polyphenols from other common medicinal plants, notably green tea and grape seeds. Cupuacu also contains at least nine other known antioxidants including Vitamin C and Vitamin A, making it a well-rounded antioxidant cocktail. The top three reasons to make Cupuacu part of your diet include: the increased ability to fight disease and cancer, more youthful and healthier looking skin and hair and it reportedly lowers cholesterol levels.

Indigenous people, as well as local communities along the Amazon, have cultivated Cupuacu as a primary food source for generations. In former times, Cupuacu seeds were traded along the Rio Negro and Upper Orinoco rivers where indigenous people drink Cupuacu juice after it has been blessed by a shaman to facilitate difficult births. The “beans” are utilized by the indigenous Tikuna people for abdominal pains.

Cupuacu also has a unique type of polyphenols called theograndins. Theograndins have potent antioxidant activity and provide cardiovascular protective and immune supportive benefits. Yet, everyday brings new findings of other advantages of theograndins that are unique to cupuacu. For example, in tests on some types of cancers, theograndins were uniquely effective at killing colon cancer cells. Research is underway to determine whether cupuacu or isolated theograndins have a place in modern cancer therapy.

Yerba mate (pronounced yer-bah mah-tay) is also one of the ingredients in this functional health beverage in addition to Aloe Vera Gel Pulp, CoEnzyme Q10, Cat’s Claw Bark and over 100 other nutritional ingredients. Although yerba mate has not enjoyed the same level of media exposure as the acai berry has recently, it certainly commands respect and attention. Yerba mate is a tea like beverage popular in Argentina. The word mate derives from the word Mati that names the gourd that is used to drink the tea.

It is widely held that this tea contains mateine, a chemical cousin of caffeine that has subtly different properties. Though similar to caffeine in its ability to provide energy, it can have a milder and safer delivery to the body. Although, yerba mate is not known to interfere with sleep cycles, it does have a tendency to balance the cycles, inducing more REM sleep. Many people report that they require less sleep when using mate; usually such an experience is accompanied by a deeper, more relaxing sleep experience.

Yerba mate is replete with antioxidants that help the body fight free-radicals. Yerba mate may assist with the following: increased mental awareness and elevated mood, weight loss, increased ability to fight off disease and increased energy and vitality.

Additionally, yerba mate helps relieve allergies. It has been noted that yerba mate is helpful in opening respiratory passages to overcome allergy symptoms. It has been shown to reduce the severity of some allergies and hay fever. Yerba mate works by stimulating the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids, which help suppress the inflammation and immune response due to allergies.

Does yerba mate exhibit anti-cancer properties like green tea? Aside from its significant antioxidant effects, research from the University of Illinois suggests yerba mate could in fact be a potent ally in cancer protection. Labs around the country are starting to test the Acai to find what possible medical use it has. There is no doubt that this amazing fruit has a promising future in the medical world. While more study needs to be done to prove the effectiveness of some of these claims, there is no doubt that adding any of one of these plants or fruits to your diet will improve your overall and future health!

The health beverage industry is a booming market. It is currently producing over 4 billion dollars in sales and is forecasted to grow to over 10 billion in the next few years. The growth is being fueled by one thing: consumer demand. It should be no surprise why so many companies are jumping on the functional health beverage band wagon.

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“Information on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to act as a substitute for medical advice provided by a qualified health care provider, nor is any information on this intended to diagnose, treat, care or prevent any diseases. Statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.”

In alternative health, acai is all the rage. While relatively new to the American consciousness, acai has been around for centuries and has helped many people with its healthful qualities. In order to benefit completely from acai, however, one must truly understand what it is and what it does.

What is acai?

Acai is a distinct purple berry indigenous to the Amazon rainforest. The acai fruit may be found in some of the large palm trees that grow in the thick forest; these trees can reach as high as 82 feet! Unlike cherries, which grow individually in trees, the acai berry grows in bunches, more like bananas. One average, each palm tree can yield anywhere from three to eight bunches.

What’s so great about acai?

You might say acai is fast becoming known as a wonder food for its versatility. Acai has nutrient properties and is naturally rich in:

* Omega fats (the good kind, unlike the saturated fats found in fast food)

* amino acids

* electrolytes

* antioxidants

* protein

* vitamins A, B1 and E

The people of the Amazon rainforest use acai in many different dishes – from drinks and shakes to breakfasts and bars. Brazilians use acai to flavor meat and fish entrees, too, topping dishes with a pulpy, curd-like substance made from the fruit.

Not only does acai provide a delicious taste to complement food, it is known around the Amazon for amazing health benefits. Acai is known to be used for treatment of digestive problems, skin irritation, sexual dysfunction, and even insomnia. The acai berry is naturally low in sugar, too.

Only in recent years have people in North America discovered how acai makes them feel energetic and healthy. Take a trip to your favorite smoothie place and you might find acai as one of the add-in ingredients available to you. Not only are consumers finding the benefits of acai to their interest, but researchers and the media are amazed by the power of this small berry. NBC’s Today did a feature story on acai in 2004, and more recently researchers at the University of Florida tested the attributes of acai to discover it actually destroyed cultured leukemia cells!

Will acai cure cancer? We can’t say for certain. All we know is that acai possesses some very strong health properties that may benefit people in the long run.

Can you eat the berries that make acai directly?

Strangely enough, no. It is not recommended that one just pluck the berries from the tree and start snacking. The berries are harvested and processed, and the acai is extracted from the pulp of the berry and sold in stores all over South America. It is said that beverages containing acai are more popular than milk in the southern hemisphere. That’s because South Americans know they are getting a pure, healthy drink that benefits their alertness and well-being, and it gets them through the day.

Where do you get acai?

Enter acai into Internet search and you are bound to find hundreds of online shops selling acai in various forms – drinks, powders, and capsules. This wonder supplement is in very high demand, but when you shop for acai it is important to know whether or not you are getting the purest extracts of acai available, directly from the Amazon Rainforest. Check the labels!

Does acai cause any side effects?

Current research indicates no known side effects to taking acai in any form. Though acai has been around for ages, it is still quite new to the United States, and no doubt is still being observed by health professionals. However, the testimony of the overall health of the Amazonian people speaks well for this little fruit with big potential.