The acai berry is found in the Amazon forest and is promoted as having very powerful antioxidant properties. The acai berry is purple colored and small and comes from a palm tree.

Acai nutrients - nutrient content of acai
Different acai berries from different sources will have different nutrient value and the following is just an average. The caloric value of a single acai serving (approximately 600 calories per standard 100 g) is exceptional among comparative berry fruit such as goji (“wolfberry”, Lycium barbarum L.) and lowbush blueberry, apparently due to its high fat content. The fat content for açaí berry is high, some 40% of dry weight. The fiber content is about 35%. Lipid-soluble antioxidant vitamins A and E are rich in concentration, 1000 IU and 45 mg per 100 g.  Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B, Patel D, Huang D, Kababick JP. Phytochemical and nutrient composition of the freeze-dried amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. ( acai ). J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Nov 1;54(22):8598-603.

Acai Berry Extract 500 mg, 90 capsules
This acai berry extract supplement is for those who do not wish to consume the extra calories from acai juice or drink.

Click here to buy this Acai extract product, mangosteen, goji berry, pomegranate, to see a list of hundreds of high quality products, or to sign up to a very popular and FREE supplement newsletter
 

Historical uses of the Acai berry fruit
Acai has been a traditional food for several centuries of the native people living in the Amazon forest. However it was only a few years ago, about the year 2000, that the acai berry was introduced to the Western market. More information at acai berry.

Acai berry extract benefit
Apparently the dark purple skin of the acai berry has many times the anthocyanin content as red wine. The antioxidants in acai berry extract could be helpful for several health conditions but research is not yet available to let us know which conditions acai extract would benefit. Acai also has plant sterols, essential fatty acids, and fiber.

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Acai Benefit as Vasodilator
Polyphenols in acai berry have the ability to act as vasodilators, which means they can dilate blood vessels. This means acai berry extract could potentially be beneficial in conditions where blood vessel dilation is benecial.

Endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (Acai) extracts in mesenteric vascular bed of the rat.
Vascul Pharmacol. 2006 Sep 1; Department of Pharmacology and Psychobiology, IBRAG, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) a fruit from the Amazon region, largely consumed in Brazil is rich in polyphenols. Experiments were undertaken to determine whether hydro-alcoholic extract obtained from acai induces a vasodilator effect in the rat mesenteric vascular bed precontracted with norepinephrine and, if so, to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The present study demonstrates that the vasodilator effect of acai extract is dependent on activation of nitric oxide -cGMP pathway and may also involve endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor release. The vasodilator effect suggest a possibility to use acai berry extract as a medicinal plant, in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Acai berry availability
Acai is sold as capsules, and can be placed in smoothies or made into bars. You will also find acai berry made into acai juice. Acai pulp is also useful. Acai fruit juice and acai berry juice.

Acai Berry Summary
Human studies with acai fruit or acai extract are lacking, therefore no firm statements can be made regarding the clinical uses of this plant. However, eating acai berry or taking an acai berry supplement as part of a healthy diet seems to be a reasonable approach. An acai berry extract supplement can be taken once or twice a week with breakfast.

Acai Berry nutrient composition
Phytochemical and Nutrient Composition of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. ( Acai ).
J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Nov 1;54(22):8598-8603. Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B, Patel D, Huang D, Kababick JP.
Natural and Medicinal Products Research, AIMBR Life Sciences, 4117 South Meridian, Puyallup, Washington 98373, Agriculture Research Service, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1120 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, Brunswick Laboratories, 6 Thatcher Lane, Wareham, Massachusetts 02571, Integrated Biomolecule Corporation, 2005 E. Innovation Park Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85755, Food Science and Technology Program, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore, and Flora Research, 32158 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675.
A standardized freeze-dried acai fruit pulp / skin powder was used for all analyses and tests. Among many findings, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids were found to be the major phytochemicals. Two anthocyanins, cyandin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside were found to be predominant; three others were also found as minor anthocyanins. The total content of anthocyanins was measured as 3.1 mg/g dry weight. Polymers were found to be the major proanthocyanidins. The concentration of total proanthocyanidins was calculated as 13 mg/g dry weight Other flavonoids, namely, homoorientin, orientin, isovitexin, scoparin, and taxifolin deoxyhexose, along with several unknown flavonoids, were also detected. Resveratrol was found but at a very low concentration. In addition, components including fatty acids, amino acids, sterols, minerals, and other nutrients were analyzed and quantified. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid, total monounsaturated fatty acid, and total saturated fatty acids contributed to 11%, 60%, and 28% of total fatty acid. Oleic acid (53%) and palmitic acid (26%) were found to be the two dominant fatty acids. Nineteen amino acids were found; the total amino acid content was determined to be 7% of total weight. The total sterols accounted for 0.048% by weight of powder. The three sterols B-sitosterol, campesterol, and sigmasterol were identified.

Acai Plant
Euterpe oleraceae is a large palm tree indigenous to the Amazon River and its tributaries and estuaries in South America. Its fruit, known as acai plant, is of great economic value to native people. Acai is a slender palm known to grow up to 15-30 meters (50 to 100 feet) high. Most of the world's Açai grows wild in the Amazon Rainforest . Acai can be found growing mainly in swamps and floodplains. The Acai fruit is a small, deep purple colored berry comparable to the size of a blueberry. Acai berries usually hang in clusters of about 700 to 900 fruits. The acai berry has a large seed and small amount of pulp. An Acai palm typically produces two crops of fruit per year.
   Acai plant has been used for centuries as a natural energy booster and to increase stamina. More recently it has been discovered in lab studies that Acai berry may be helpful in discouraging growth of tumor and cancer cells as well as being helpful for the cardiovascular system, improving blood circulation and reducing cholesterol. The Acai berry is rich in fibers, thus making it an aid for digestive problems.

Acai vitamins and nutrients
Acai may have more antioxidant activity than grapes and blueberries. Acai berry is a powerhouse of nutrients packed with vitamins. Acai also provides minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus and essential fatty acids.
High in phytosterols, Acai also contains glucosamine and celadrin.

Acai products by NP Nutra
NP Nutra makes high quality and acai products. NP Nutra offers certified organic acai products. Their water soluble Acai Juice Powder is being used in many beverages while Acai 4:1 is the preferred choice for encapsulated products.
The Acai freeze-dried extract is chosen by those who need a higher concentration of nutrients and polyphenols. They also carry 14% Acai frozen puree.

Acai Granola to Launch in Asia - press release
Vitasti, Inc. has come to an agreement with Someo International for the distribution of its Amazon Acai Berry Granola across Asia. Through Someo's established relationship with several of Asia's largest retail chains, the company anticipates yearly sales in excess of $21 million for the Asian market. Vitasti, Inc. is involved in producing and delivering exceptional products and services to its customers. One division of the company operates as Vitasti Lifestyle Markets, Bakeries and Cafes. The company meets the needs of consumers who follow specialized diets and through its own manufacturing facility, a portion of the products sold is produced to meet specific dietary needs.

Acai Extract questions and Acai Information
Q. Is it better to take an acai powder supplement or to have acai juice drink?
   A. Each form is a good option. One idea is to alternate between some days drinking acai juice other times taking acai powder capsule.

Acai Questions and Acai Information
Q. Do you sell Acai wholesale? I wish to be an acai distributor.
   A. Yes, we sell acai wholesale, we provide a wholesale discount on this acai product. Email us for more information.

Q. Is acai a vitamin?
   A. No, acai is a berry.

Q. Is your acai product organic?
   A. As much as possible we try to obtain our acai raw material from the best sources possible, but we cannot guarantee that every batch of acai product growing and manufacturing is organic.

Q. What are acai health benefits?
   A. Human studies are not available to determine the short and long term acai health benefits.
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Q. Do you ship acai to Canada.
   A. Yes, we ship acai to Canada.

Q. Can I add acai to a puree or smoothie I am making with other fruits?
   A. Yes, you can open an acai capsule and add the acai powder to make a puree or acai smoothie with other fruits.

Q. Is acai juice safe?
   A. As long as acai juice is used in reasonable amounts, we don't see why an acai drink would not be safe. Acai should not have side effects unless used in excessive amounts.

Q. Is it better to buy acai antioxidant juice or to buy an acai supplement product?
    A. Both acai juice and an acai supplement product are a healthy to one's diet. One option is to alternate between acai juice and a supplement on different days or weeks.

Q. Can acai berry extract supplement and mangosteen supplement be taken the same day?
   A. It appears that they can, we have not had any reports of side effects when these two have been combined.

Q. Can acai be used together with Hoodia-Extract?
   A. If the dosages are kept low for each, yes. A combination of hoodia, ginger, green tea extract, spirulina, and several other herbs, as found in Diet Rx, is very effective for weight loss.

Q. Is acai supplement effective for weight loss?
   A. We have not seen any good research that an acai berry supplement is effective by itself for weight loss. See weight loss pill for supplements that could help.

Q. I have been drinking 2 oz of Monavie am and pm for a month with great hope of feeling better. I have a little arthritis in my knees and fingers but they are hurting worse now than before. But the real problem I am having is severe heartburn. It started about 2 weeks after drinking the acai juice and has been an everyday problem It has gotten to the point now that it has become incapacitating it hurts so bad. I have never been bothered much by heartburn so I have to believe it may be the acai juice. Have you gotten any other reports?
   A. We have not any acai side effect reports of heartburn but we have heard of constipation or bloating from one user as a potential acai juice side effect.
      Q. I hate to be the only one with heartburn. I rarely had the problem until I started the Monavie. It stared as a daily problem after about the 1st week. I drank 2 oz. of the juice in the morning and evening as suggested. The heartburn became increasingly worse until by the time I had been on it a month it had became very painful. The heartburn stopped immediately after I quit drinking it. I had high hopes of reaping the benefits of the berry. Could the problem be from an additive in Monavie?
         A. We have no idea. You may wish to contact the people who make Monavie. Sometimes even a healthy supplement or a healthy fruit drink can have side effects if too high a dosage or an amount is consumed.

Q. Has that high ORAC number for acai berry been replicated by other researchers? Is it due to a combination of antioxidants or high concentrations of one compound?
   A. Herbs, fruits, berries and vegetables have a number of compounds in them that act together to provide antioxidant benefits. This is true of acai berry. One should not overly focus on ORAC values since there are many compounds in plants that have health benefits (for instance dilating blood vessels or anti-tumor potential) that may be independent of their antioxidant properties.

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