GreenCravers.com

Fight colds, tummy troubles with Acai
BERRIES (not pills)

by Diana

Time to read: 2.5 minutes

Acai (pronounced “ah-sah-ee”) is a nutritional, energizing fruit that gives you more antioxidant and amino acid bang-for-the-buck than nearly every other food on Earth.  Forget about the scam advertisements, weight-loss pills etc.   It’s a superfood with remarkable powers:  supporting your immune system, digestive functions, eye health and — many suggest — mental clarity.   You’ll notice that I didn’t mention weight loss or quick fix pills being pumped by everyone from Oprah to email spammers.  I recently came back from Brazil where I tasted fresh berries.  WOW!  Acai is street food in Rio de Janiero has been used for FAR longer than down there versus the U.S.   It’s valued for NOT for weight management — more for it’s nutritional properties.  Did I mention how addicted I became to its taste in the form of an ice-cream like smoothie?  Keep reading and I’ll share a rockin’ recipe with you too.

You haven’t heard of the Acai berry? Well get on board… it well known in Brazil but not in the States until recently. Today every one is talking about Acai and how to lose weight by taking Acai pills.  Is this the most important benefit of this nutritious fruit and if so why? Well isn’t not a surprise.  Again we are facing the influence of marketing. Once again marketing is setting trends and consumer buying habits.

Acai actually possesses far more benefits including boosting our immune systems and digestive functions.

Acai pills are being promoted  everywhere from Oprah to filling up you spam box every single day. Unfortunately, losing weight (sometimes with deadly pills) earns the public’s attention.  It’s more important for us to find a quick fix to get slim rather than develop healthy habits — work at our health a little.  The result?

Mother nature’s superfoods get reduced to marketing gimmicks.  Acai just happens to posses qualities that can BOTH aid weight management and energize our body in remarkable ways… but weight loss gets all the attention.

Mega-antioxidant!

So now let’s get serious and discover the nutritional properties of Acai.  The berry is grown in the Eastern Amazon and Guianas, Northen Brazil, Venezuela and Trinidad… and flooded areas.  Hence, it’s no surprise that Acai isn’t very well known in most parts of the world.

Acai offers us:

- a remarkable concentration of antioxidants
- an almost perfect essential amino acid profile (like few other foods)
- a healthy fatty acid content similar to olive oil
- a uniquely full array of natural vitamins, minerals and trace minerals.
(Vitamin B1, B2, B3, C ans E. Very high in potash, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorous)
-  large amounts of plant sterols (phytochemicals with numerous health benefits)
-  significant amounts of natural fiber

The payoff: A simple, fast acai superfood recipe

Now let’s take an action on what we know.  Let’s experience the benefits of Acai.  Here is a simple recipe  I’ve developed in my own practice for a great start in the morning.

3 Tbs. Acai (pure juice)
2 Tbs. raw cacao powder
the meat of one young coconut
1 cup organic baby spinach
1 cup water
ice cubes

Blend everything in the blender.  Enjoy together with your child and thank Brazil for producing this fantastic fruit!

And I highly recommend you take a trip to Rio and fly with the rather famous Chico Santos — who I just happened to run into. What luck. I got to fly with a world famous hang gliding pilot! Thanks, Chico and also to my hosts, James Heffernan and Gianpaola Guidotti.