Açaí – The Amazonian Wonder Berry

In recent years the Amazonian jungle has become recognised as a storehouse of wonderful natural medicines. Dr. Jeffrey Klein tells us that 70% of the 2000 plants found to be active against cancer cells are to be found in the Amazonian Rainforest.

The açaí berry is just such a fruit.

Analysis of the berries has found they contain large amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, and more antioxidants than other fruits. They are also rich in phytonutrients. These are the colourants in the skin of the berry that are also powerful antioxidants. In fact the açaí berry contains more than five times the amount of antioxidants than Ginkgo biloba, one of the popular brain stimulating herbs known for its antioxidant power.

In case you have forgotten what antioxidants do in your body, they have been described as preventing the oxidising attack on cells in our body, thus preventing or slowing down the ageing process. One description suggested imagining a car engine that was slowly being shot through with microscopic holes. At first there would be no signs of the engine ‘ageing’. But as the amount of holes increased, even though they were microscopic, the engine would slowly run less efficiently till it stopped.

Such damage to cells is known to be one of the beginnings of cancerous growths in the body. So the antioxidant rich açaí gives one an edge on the advance of such a disease.

Jeffery Klein, writing about the açaí berries in this booklet Nature’s Medicine Chest, says that one group of the antioxidants in the berries, the anthocyanins, found in the purple colour of the skin, are being used to prevent conditions such as high cholesterol, macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and varicose veins.

But there is still another wonder in this berry. It contains not only omega-3, but also omega-6 types of essential fatty acids. These help to lower cholesterol, but are also immensely important for prolonging brain health.

And, one last thing, the drink created from açaí berries acts as an energy booster.

Oh yes – the native people of the Amazon claim it is a natural aphrodisiac.