Before the city of Belem was built, an Indian tribe used to live there. Because the food was very scarce, the chief of the tribe named Itaki, demanded that all the children would be sacrificed, including his granddaughter, daughter of Iaca. In a full moon night, Iaca heard a child's cry. She approached the door of her tipi, and he saw her little smiling daughter close to a beautiful palm tree. At the beginning she got static, but later on, she ran to her and held her tightly. Mysteriously her daughter disappeared. Her body was found holding the acai tree with a smile on her face. Her dark eyes were staring at the top of the acai palm tree, which gave birth to the black palm berry fruits. Itaki then demanded all the Indians to get the fruits, obtaining a reddish wine that was baptized acai, in tribute to his daughter (Iaca inverted name). He fed his people and after this day, he suspended the order to sacrifice the children.

With 10 times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries, the Brazilian Acai berry(AH-sci-EE) is considered to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth. The health benefits are simply amazing. With the symmetry of a grape and the size of a giant blueberry, the Acai fruit tastes a bit like wild raspberry with a hint of grape. Most people have trouble putting their finger on the taste because it's so different.

Acai Berries grow on an Amazon Palm Tree and have been prized for hundreds of years by Brazilian natives for their ability to provide a sense of strength, energy, and a high nutritional content. Acai Berries are high in essential fatty acids & omegas -- 60% Oleic (omega 9) - a monounsaturated essential fatty acid which helps to lower LDL (harmful cholesterol), while maintaining HDL ( beneficial cholesterol). 12% Linoleic (omega 6) - a polyunsaturated essential fatty acid which has also been found to lower LDL, while maintaining HDL. Acai also contains many valuable Phytosterols. Sterols are compounds of plant cell membranes providing numerous benefits to the Human body, namely the reduction of blood plasma cholesterol.

The Acai Berry is a dense source of a particular class of flavonoids called anthocyanins. Acai Berry's ORAC value (a measure of its antioxidant properties), is higher than any other edible berry on the planet. The remarkable concentration of antioxidants also helps combat premature aging and the Acai Berry is also an excellent source of dietary fiber!

The acai palm is a tall slender South American (concentrated in Brazil, Guyana, Suriname) palm grown for its fruit as well as for the "cabbage" (the cluster of new leaves more commonly called the "heart of palm"). It prefers swampy areas, and grows quickly.

The fronds were (and still are) used for thatching and weaving. Each acai palm tree produces small deep purple, almost black, fruit (berries) in groups of 3-8 per bunch. The fruit is edible, and its pulp is used in wines, liqueurs, as flavoring, as colorant, and on its own as a juice.

Current (Western) Use - Acai is currently being tested not only for its health properties, but as a dyeing or contrasting agent in the human body in preparation for MRI scans of the gastrointestinal tract.

Excerpt:
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.

Full Article:
http://news.ufl.edu/2006/01/12/berries/

What is açai?
Açai is a small, round, black-purple berry with amazing nutritional properties. Its appearance is similar to that of a grape, but it has a smaller amount of pulp and a single large seed. Scientific experts have referred to the açai berry as the most nutritious and powerful food in the world.

Does açai have a high ORAC score?
Yes, the açai used in MonaVie boasts the highest ORAC score of any known fruit or vegetable tested to date. By comparison, açai has more than 10 times the antioxidant power of cranberries. Obtaining a variety of antioxidants through diet or supplementation is essential to maintaining good health.

What does ORAC mean?
ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) is a way to measure the antioxidant capacity of a food. Foods with high ORAC values are desirable for their ability to inhibit free radical activity.

What are phytonutrients?
Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants and naturally occurring compounds that contribute to the flavor, color, and disease-resistance of plants (i.e., fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes). Maximum health benefits are derived from consuming a variety of phytonutrients with a full spectrum of colors and pigments.

What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are a class of powerful antioxidants that are thought to be responsible for the French Paradox: the French have a diet relatively high in fat, yet have a decreased incidence of heart disease; this is attributed to the amount of polyphenols present in the grapes used to make French wines.

Compared to raw cow's milk, the Acai fruit pulp contains:

- 3x more lipids
- 7x more carbohydrates
- 118x more iron
- 9x more Vitamin B1
- 8x more Vitamin C
- same amount of protein and calcium
- half as much phosphorous

and even fights cholesterol and free radicals!

I've been looking at famous celebrity and athletes who have tried acai-based products. You'll be suprise who I found:

- Denise Richards @ the Sundance Film Festival
- Robin Williams also @ the Sundance Film Festival
- Owen Wilson @ the Wailau Juice Bar in Haleiwa
- Holly McPeak, USA Pro Beach Volleyball Athlete
- Rob Machado, Professional Surfer
- Ben Cohen, from Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
- Hans Rey, Extreme Mountain Biker
- Bob Burnquist, Professional Skateboarder

Acai is still relatively unknown, but that will change as more celebrities and athletes such as these experience the benefits of this superfruit!

On Oprah in late 2004, world reknown anti-ageing expert Dr. Nicholas Perricone introduced his book, "The Perricone Promise" and named the Acai berry the #1 super food in the world for "age-defying beauty".

According to Perricone, the 10 featured superfoods in his book were chosen because of their direct link to the Brain-Beauty Connection. These foods (listed here in alphabetical order) are rich in either the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), antioxidants or fiber, and as in the case of açaí-all three! In addition, we have included foods that have been proven to lower or help regulate blood sugar levels-an extremely important factor for all of those concerned with slowing the aging process and preventing diabetes, obesity, wrinkles and a host of degenerative diseases.

Read more about this on Oprah.com!

Check out the best acai product available.