The benefits of taking Acai
Benefits Of Taking Acai
Acai Berry Benefits, Not Just For Weight Loss – It Assures Longevity
By Matthew Denos, PhD
Acai has been hailed as a superfood, capable of improving health and encouraging weight loss. The Acai berry is the small, purple fruit of the Acai palm tree that is native to the Amazon River basin.
For generations, the berries have constituted almost half of the diet of the Caboclo people of Brazil. Due to enthusiastic praise from many experts regarding the many acai benefits, recent years have seen an enormous increase in popularity and demand for Acai products across the globe.
The secret of Acai’s numerous healthful benefits is found in its rich store of anthocyanins. These are a type of phytonutrient responsible for the purple, blue or red coloration of many fruits. Blueberries, cranberries, elderberries, loganberries and strawberries all contain anthocyanins.
This phytonutrient has been the subject of many types of research, including animal and cell-based studies, clinical trials and biochemical analyses. The research has shown that anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory, anti-cardiovascular and anti-carcinogenic properties.
The latter was evidenced by the reduction of excess blood vessel growth, which resulted in decreased tumor formation of over 50%. Anthocyanins are powerful anti-oxidants and mitigate age-related oxidative stress. They improve cognitive and neuronal brain function, as well as repair DNA, while protecting its integrity. Because DNA damage is a precursor to aging, anthocyanins are effective anti-aging supplements.
Acai Extends Lifespan – The Study
The free radical theory of aging postulates that highly reactive molecules called “reactive oxygen species” destroy the body’s cellular components. DNA, a macromolecule, accumulates oxidative damage over time, with aging as the end-result.
An effective aging intervention is therefore thought to be the reduction of oxidative stress. Animal experiments have shown that reduced oxidative damage increases longevity.
The first study to use an animal model to examine Acai berry’s potential anti-aging properties was published in the January 2010 issue of the journal Experimental Gerontology. For this study, a popular experimental animal was used: Drosophila melanogaster, more commonly known as the fruit fly. Two aging models were adopted to evaluate results. Model #1 used fruit flies that were given a high-fat diet. Model #2 used fruit flies that had been genetically modified to experience severe oxidative stress.
Harmful Effects Of High Fat Diet Reversed By Acai
Previous studies had shown Acai pulp’s strong anti-oxidant activity. Based on that evidence, the research team conjectured that Acai would reverse the harmful effects of a diet high in fat, which is as damaging to Drosophila melanogaster as it is to humans.
For this part of the study, the research team used two groups of fruit flies. One group was fed a high-fat diet known from previous studies to reduce the flies’ lifespan by 19%. The other group was fed the identical high-fat diet, but was supplemented with 2% Acai pulp.
A 22% increase in lifespan was registered in the Acai-supplemented group, allowing them to live out a normal lifespan, as though they had not consumed the high-fat diet. By contrast the Control group, which received no supplementation, died at an accelerated pace consistent with the consumption of the high-fat diet.
The researchers found that the Acai-supplemented diet increased the activity of anti-aging genes. Furthermore, the lead author of the study, Dr. Xiaoping Sun, wrote that prevention of insulin resistance and control of type 2 diabetes—commonly observed comorbidities of obesity—may be another benefit of taking Acai pulp.
Acai Minimizes Oxidative Damage
The research team postulated that Acai pulp would extend the lifespan of fruit flies that exist in a state of oxidative stress. The biology of aging uses a standard model of oxidative stress. It consists of fruit flies that have been mutated genetically to have a dysfunctional SOD enzyme.
SOD stands for Superoxide Dismutase. The SOD enzyme is responsible for repairing the cellular damage that is caused by free radicals. Without a functional SOD enzyme, the fruit flies cannot repair oxidative damage and therefore live with constant oxidative stress.
For the duration of the SOD-mutated flies’ lives, the research team provided the test animals with food that included 2% Acai pulp. The supplemented diet resulted in an 18% extension of lifespan in the fruit flies, as compared with the non-supplemented control group. This finding shows that, through minimization of oxidative damage, Acai improves longevity.
The study’s authors speculated that Acai’s anti-aging properties derive from its high levels of polyphenolics, which allow it to function as a scavenger of damaging free radicals. It is worth noting that Acai supplementation in fruit flies has demonstrated similar effects to resveratrol supplementation in mice. Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound with anti-aging properties and has been shown to increase longevity in mice that were administered a high-fat diet.
Acai Benefits Summary
Whereas peer-reviewed journals have published over 20 studies that address Acai berry’s antioxidant effects and potential health benefits, this is the first study that actually tested Acai’s anti-aging properties in animals.
Acai’s weight-loss properties continue to be the subject of on-going research and experiments. Whatever the outcome of those tests, there is no doubt that anthocyanin-rich berries should be a component of any healthy diet designed to encourage weight-loss.
Some people take the road to weight reduction by adapting a medically-designed diet. This can be achieved by using Medifast promo coupon codes, or even a Diet to Go discount. However, these diets, which are popular in the U.S., will only be enhanced by the addition of Acai berry, which has the potential to enhance human health and promote longevity.
Where to buy Acai Berry
It is estimated that as many as 1 in 3 Acai Berry products contain little to no Acai content at all. As a herbal supplement there is little regulation, providing the product contains a small amount of Acai it is able to use the name prominently on the packaging.
If you are looking for a trusted Acai Berry supplement, our top choice would be the excellent Pure Acai Berry. It comes with a 6 month money back guarantee, full ORAC certification available to view on the website, and contains nothing else except 1500mg of pure Acai.
Buy Pure Acai Berry from the official website
================================================
