Pronounced "ah-SIGH-ee," the acai berry is located in the Amazon Rainforest. It is one of the many fruits located there, which is an ideal location for it, since the acai berry prospers in swampy or floodplain areas. In the floodplains, the acai palm stands approximately 15-30 meters tall with leaves up to 3 meters long. The berry, which is approximately the size and shape of a grape, grows in bunches of 700-900 berries on the palm.

The berry, which is plentiful along the Amazon, also has a number of benefits, including antioxidants, fiber, fatty acids, proteins, and more. One of the most amazing discoveries is the amount of antioxidants. The antioxidants from the berry are much higher than those found in red wine (at least 20 times more) or blueberries (at least two times more), which are two of the largest antioxidant carriers. It is rumored to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth, which has earned it the nickname of the "super berry."

In Brazil, a majority of the population lives on the acai berry. It's said that they consume more acai than milk. Acai shops, that sell only acai, can be found on almost every street corner is the more populated areas of Brazil. Acai berries are compared to milk because they are usually consumed in juice or frozen (like ice cream) form. In fact, the acai berry, which is 90% nut, cannot be eaten in raw form. Instead, the dark, purple skin, which holds most of the health benefits, is made into a pulp. With this pulp, the natives of Brazil have turned the acai berry into a puree that can be used as a compliment to other foods or by itself.

Researchers have high hopes of finding benefits that include helping prevent cancer, having more energy, helping your heart, and more. Studies are already being conducted with the Brazilians who have been eating the acai berry for centuries. Further lab studies are currently being conducted all over the world. The benefits of acai plus the recognition it has received thus far shows that this is no passing phase. However, because of the acai boom, consumers should be careful about which product they purchase. After all, one would not purchase blueberries or grapes with hidden additives either.

Amazon Thunder Pure Organic Acai Fruit

Essential Fatty Acids, Omegas 3, 6 and 9:

These are the good fats of the human body and are very important to our health. These are considered essential because our body does not manufacture large quantities of them, in spite of being substances involved in the vital functions of a human being, especially in building the structure of cell membranes and in the synthesis of prostaglandin, lecithin and melanin. These essential fatty acids play an important role in maintaining low levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, in the stabilization of the heart rhythm, in cleaning the arteries and to normalize arterial pressure. They regulate the hormone prostaglandin, which helps the body in cleansing the walls of the blood vessels and to diminish the formation of blood clots. Some scientists do not consider Omega 9 as essential, because our body can produce it in small quantities, either way, it is associated in the reduction of the arterioscleroses, reduces resistance to insulin, which balances the glucose. Essential Fatty Acids improve the immune system.

Anthocyanins and Polyphenols (Antioxidants):

These antioxidants are the substances that protect the cells against the damage from oxidation caused by free radical molecules. These chemical products can damage you by splitting important cells, including proteins, damage membranes and to create mutations in the DNA. This cell deterioration, caused by the radicals, is a cause in the development of cancer, in the loss of mental capacity, loss of memory, degenerative illnesses and premature aging.

How much antioxidant should we consume daily?

Studies carried out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, show that a human being should consume at least 3000 units ORAC per day to have sufficient amount of antioxidants in its blood to eliminate the formation of free radicals.

Essential Amino Acid: Muscle regeneration, giving strength and resistance.

Sterols (beta-sitosterol):

These phytosterols have very special properties. Its formula is very similar to that of cholesterol and due to this it masks cholesterol and it avoids the body's ability to absorb cholesterol. For many years it has been used for lowering the levels of cholesterol in the blood and for problems of the prostate, balancing the level of sugar and help to control type II diabetes. Also anti-mutagenic effects have been reported, along with the fortification of the immune system.

Amazon Thunder Pure Organic Acai Fruit

You've google'd and yahoo'd Acai fruit only to find that there are many companies that come up on the list. But, which one, and which product, do you choose? They all say they're the best, and provide the most powerful and the most potent Acai, but who do you believe? Well, we're not going to knock any of these companies by naming names but we are going to sum their products up in a couple of paragraphs and tell you what to look for when it comes to quality and potency. Not all Acai is equal. Much of the Acai that comes to the U.S is very low in solids and also watered down and/or has a very low ORAC rating, which quantifies the antioxidants (anthocyanins) content. Amazon Thunder is the only company with regulatory quality control in place to ensure that only the purest and highest quality Acai is used in our products.

Other Acai Juices

There are companies selling versions of Acai juice that are watered down or clarified (skin extracted) versions; versions with added sugar - disguised by other terms such as: cane juice or dextrose etc., which are essentially ALL sugar and the bottom line is that sugar is the leading cause of inflammation. Have you ever done research on all of the disguised words for sugar? It is astonishing! There are literally at least 20-30 of them! Acai is an anti-inflammatory, so this should go without saying, if your Acai has any type of sugar in it, then frankly you're risking your health for an altered taste of this amazing super fruit! Why do that?

The inner pit of the berry cannot be used as it is a very stringy and hairy seed and is extremely, extremely bitter. Acai has to be frozen if it contains no preservatives, and even if it didn't, it would perish as soon as it was opened and exposed to any elements. Pasteurization alone is not enough to keep this highly perishable berry from spoiling, neither is just refrigeration alone.

Many other brands also contain guarana (caffeine) and toxic preservatives or are bottled in plastic. Bottling Acai in plastic is not recommended because it has to be hot filled at a minimum temperature of 185 F and with this temperature level, there is always the issue of plastic leeching. Not to mention that sunlight exposure or sitting in the back of a hot truck can also lead to plastic leeching which has been linked to many health problems. Clearly there is no other version of Acai like Amazon Thunder, which is truly 100% pure Acai with no added sugar or chemicals. It is 100% pure organic Acai pulp (4lbs per bottle!) sweetened with a touch of Organic Concord Grape Concentrate because Acai benefits from a sweetener that is healthy and brings out the exotic and pure taste of the Acai fruit. It is very thick and concentrated with bits of the Acai pulp fully intact and it is unfiltered. This is very crucial as all of the health properties come from the skin of the Acai.

Are all of the ingredients of the Acai Juice brand that you are looking at 100% organic? If not then you are putting pesticides and other potentially dangerous toxins into your body. The whole point of an antioxidant is to destroy free radicals. If it is not 100% organic then it is going against itself. Simply do the comparison test. Our product's solids don't settle like other watery blends. In fact, you literally have to shake the heck out of it just to get it out of the bottle! You can see the thick texture of the omega oils and the purity of the solids. All of our product ingredients are 100% organic and packed at organic, certified, FDA-regulated packing facilities.

Other Acai Powders and Capsules: One can easily be fooled by other versions of Acai capsules or powders on the market today. You have heard of 4:1 powders, extracts and more. The truth of the matter is that they are all spray dried versions full of multidextrin carriers (dried corn starch)and magnesium stearate, or rice powder. Most companies don't have to list these ingredients on their labels because they are added during the manufacturing process, and therefore, due to certain regulations, companies do not have to list them. Some companies even go so far as to add coloring to the Acai powder to make it appear to be the real thing! The bottom line is that it's not the real thing, but how can you tell? Here's a couple of points to ponder:

#1 - The capsules or powder will be pink or pale in color: This tells you it is spray dried Acai, which is the lowest quality of Acai available with at least 40% of the above mentioned fillers. It will also be bone dry and lifeless. Not much more than a placebo. It's no wonder why so many of these companies are able to sell their product for so little.

#2 - If the capsules look beautiful and dark purple they must be the real thing, right? Wrong - not always so. There are many companies that add carriers even to freeze dried Acai to spread it further. But, how can you tell? Open the capsules -- the powder should be oily from the Omegas 3, 6 and 9. The powder should literally cling to your hand and it should taste as Acai tastes -- blueberry-like with a hint of chocolate. Why do companies add these fillers? It is much more efficient for them and it makes the filling process much easier. Because of the oils in the Acai it can be very messy to fill. Amazon Thunder is the only company in the world making 100% pure, freeze dried Acai capsules and scoop powder and we do it at all costs because the customer deserves the best; their health is on the line, so we bring the best!

#3 - Is it 100% organic, including all of the materials? If not, then you are putting pesticides and other potentially dangerous toxins into your body. The whole point of an antioxidant is to destroy free radicals and if it's not 100% organic then it is going against itself. Amazon Thunder Acai capsules, juice and powders are the only 100% pure and organic Acai products on the marketplace worldwide and are packed in 100% organic certified FDA-regulated facilities.

Amazon Thunder Pure Organic Acai Fruit

By ALEX TIEGEN
Alligator Contributing Writer

University of Florida scientists discovered that Brazilian acai berries, native to the Amazon floodplains, have shown an ability to combat cancerous cells in lab tests.

These scientists are beginning to test the berry's effect on human subjects.

Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition department, and a team of researchers revealed in a report published Thursday that chemical compounds extracted from the acai berry could battle human-cultured leukemia cells.

Acai berries, which grow on palm trees and have been eaten by indigenous communities for hundreds of years, have been used for pulp in many health drinks, but few researchers had tested the berry's effect on cancer since it became available for use outside of Brazil five years ago.

"We try not to assume that a plant used in food or health drinks has medical use," Talcott said. "In this type of experiment we look for two things. We try to see if the cancerous cells are dying, and we try to see if the cells release an enzyme known as caspase-3."

Caspase-3 is an enzyme released by cancerous cells as they die.

Talcott's team selected five samples from an acai berry and introduced them to a leukemia cell, according to Talcott's summary report of the experiment.

Depending on their concentration, the chemical compounds from the acai berry caused a fatal response in 25 percent to 84 percent of the collected leukemia cells, according to Talcott's report.

But Talcott and his team are hesitant to say that acai berries can combat or cure cancer in human subjects. Testing on humans began in November, but Talcott will not reveal the results until after the experiments end later this month or in February.

"What we're looking for is whether the test subjects have lower blood pressure or lower cholesterol and whether the berries are absorbed into the blood stream," Talcott said.

If the acai berry study reveals more benefits for human subjects, Talcott and his team may recommend adding them to peoples' diets.

"We're always reluctant to say a fruit can cure or prevent cancer," he said.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit's purported benefits.

Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH'-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

"Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants," Talcott said. "This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries."

He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.

"This was only a cell-culture model and we don't want to give anyone false hope," Talcott said. "We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies."

Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants' chemical activity.

Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai's antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.

"One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they're perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking," he said. "Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them."

Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai berries. Besides Talcott, UF's acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics department of UF's College of Pharmacy.

Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.

Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.

"A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven't been tested scientifically," Talcott said. "We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects."

In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.

Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.

The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.

"Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer," said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. "Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting optimal health."

Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows

Amazon Thunder Pure Organic Acai Fruit