Foods that could Save Your Life! will reveal that many of the delicious foods that we often reserve for those special occasions, like cranberries and sweet potatoes, need to be invited back on a more regular basis. You will also be introduced to more unfamiliar foods like the super-nutritious grains teff, quinoa, and amaranth, along with antioxidant-rich fruits like açaí from Brazil and goji berries from China. There is a wide world of healthy and delicious foods from which to select. Every food entry includes the following sections so that you can decide which foods will make the best additions to your diet.
Açaí (Euterpe oleracea)
Did you know…the antioxidant capacity or “ORAC” value for a four-ounce portion of Açaí is 6576? That is more than blueberries, strawberries, and red wine combined!
What’s the Story?
Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berries are produced by a palm tree grown in the floodplain areas of the Amazon River in Brazil. Theye have a unique taste—like wildberries with a hint of slightly bitter chocolate—yum! The berry, about the same size as a blueberry, is ninety-five percent seed. The seeds are discarded, leaving the skin alone for açaí products.
A Serving of Food Lore…
In the Amazon, açaí palms cover an area equivalent to half the size of Switzerland. Açaí is a primary food staple of Amazon River communities. It is served as a beverage and is a main part of the meal, much in the same way as bread or rice in other cultures. In the city of Belém in Brazil, more of the fruit is drunk than milk—an estimated 200,000 liters of açaí juice is consumed daily among a population of 1.3 million.
Where Is Açaí Grown?
Açaí is unique to the Amazon rainforests of Brazil and commercial production of the berry is found mainly near the city of Belém.
Why Should I Eat Açaí?
Surprisingly for a fruit, the vast majority of the calories come from fat: A four-ounce serving of pure açaí contains about 100 calories and six grams of fat. However, it is rich in anti-inflammatory omega-9 fats and also contains little sugar. Açaí contains essential fatty acids, iron, calcium, fiber, vitamin A, and other antioxidants.
Scientists have discovered that açaí is rich in anthocyanins, a special group of plant chemicals believed to have many health benefits. In fact, açaí contains ten times more anthocyanins than is found in an equal serving of red wine. Anthocyanins in açaí make up only about ten percent of the total antioxidants contained within this amazing little berry.
Açaí also contains phytosterols, a plant component known to reduce cholesterol, treat symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (swollen prostate), and help protect the immune system from physical stress.
Home Remedies
SEXUAL PERFORMANCE: Açaí combined with guarana syrup is a popular drink in Brazil. One of the reported benefits from drinking the
concoction is improved sexual performance.
BEAUTY: Dr. Nicholas Perricone mentions in his anti-aging books that açaí has beautifying properties.
Throw Me a Lifesaver!
CANCER: Utilizing a test tube study, University of Florida researchers found powerful antioxidant compounds in açaí that greatly reduced cell
proliferation and enhanced apoptosis (programmed cell death) in human leukemia cells.
Tips on Using Açaí
SELECTION AND STORAGE:
• Açaí comes in juice, frozen pulp, bottled smoothies, and powder forms that are all readily available at most health food stores and grocery
markets. Due to their highly perishable nature, fresh açaí berries are only available in Brazil.
• Look for flash-pasteurized açaí products which preserve açaí’s anti-oxidants and beautiful purple color.
PREPARATION AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
• Heating açaí may diminish some of its antioxidants.
• Açaí can be used to make sauces and jams.
Brazilian-Style Açaí Bowl
Servings: 2 • Prep time: 5 minutes
Royce Gracie is an international star in the sport of jujitsu and has a long family history of using açaí for improved performance. Royce’s grandfather, Carlos, opened Brazil’s first jujitsu academy and began to incorporate açaí into his own diet and those of his students many years
ago. Our family loves this recipe over yogurt, ice cream, pancakes…you name it! All four ingredients are powerhouse foods.
INGREDIENTS:
2 100-gram packs Sambazon original açaí pulp
4 ounces organic apple juice
1 organic banana
1 teaspoon organic honey
DIRECTIONS:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender until thickened. Top with organic granola and additional organic honey to taste.
BREAK IT DOWN…
Calories: 190; Total fat: 5g; Saturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 10mg; Total carbs: 44g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 34g; Protein: 3g.
