Since the Today Show feature in which by Matt Lauer describing
it as the ‘Amazon Viagra’ and the appearance on the Oprah Winfrey
Show of Dr. Nicholas Perricone (a recognized authority on
anti-aging) who named the Acai Berry “one of the most nutritious
and powerful anti-aging foods in the world,” the Açai berry has
become the latest ‘must have’ health food for the beautiful body
brigade, and for good reason.
Interest in the fruit was initially fuelled by Carlos Gracie,
who opened Brazil’s first Jujitsu academy in Rio. After
incorporating frozen açai into his own diet he encouraged his
students to drink it. The fitness of the jujitsu student’s
bodies soon aroused the curiosity of Rio’s surfers and the
secret of their fitness rapidly became an established part
of beach culture.
The small, dark purple açai berries are the fruit of the Açai
or Cabbage Palm, with the Latin name Euterpe oleracea. The name
Euterpe stems from that of the Greek muse of lyric poetry and
music, especially the flute. Often represented as playing a
double flute, her name means “Delight.” Açai grows in great
abundance in the Amazon flood plain where it was originally
felled and harvested for its tender palm hearts, which were
exported, and for its berries that were only consumed locally.
The berries, consisting of a large seed or pit with only 10%
fruit, deteriorate within 24 hours of being harvested and until
freeze production facilities were set up, mainly in the Belém
area, the juice was produced only in local “açailandias,” mixed
with water and a little oil and crushed manually before being
strained. The harvest period is August to December. Local
people climb the tall, slender palms and cut the berry bearing
branches off with machetes. Harvesting is done in the afternoon
and in the evening the berries are taken to the processing
centres by boat.
The highly nutritious pulp is a staple food of the poorest
natives of the Amazon basin and also extremely popular at all
levels of Brazilian society and with all ages. It is given to
women to aid recovery after childbirth and has a reputation in
the region as a source of strength, energy & as a natural aid
to sex.
Bélem’s açai industry is now so large that it employs 30,000 and
the juice is so popular that an estimated 200,000 litres per day
are consumed by the 1.3 million population.
Apart from tasting good, descriptions range from ‘wild raspberry
with a hint of grape’ to ‘blueberries with a chocolate
aftertaste, açai also contains an extraordinary range of
nutritional ingredients.
The Amazon’s answer to the Mediterranean diet, açai has an
essential fatty acid profile similar to olive oil and more than
30 times the anthocyanidin level of red wine. It is also a rich
source of vitamins and minerals including A, B complex, C and E,
potassium, magnesium, copper, iron and calcium. It is low fat
(4%), low sodium, contains fibre and protein and is a naturally
abundant source of plant sterols.
To understand why all this is so important we need to look at
Dr Perricone’s recommendations for great skin and health “..an
anti-inflammatory diet with colourful fruit & good fats,” and
also the Government’s guidelines for a healthy heart.
Two major factors in heart disease are high cholesterol level,
especially the harmful LDL cholesterol, and the condition of
interior walls of the arteries themselves. Açai’s abundant
anthocyanidins are powerful antioxidants that prevent
destructive free radical damage to connective tissue, help
repair and maintain the integrity of blood vessel walls and
limit the effects of premature aging.
The Omega 9 & 6 fatty acids in açai are known to lower harmful
LDL cholesterol while maintaining beneficial HDL. Extracted
phytosterols are included in many products for their ability to
reduce serum cholesterol and in açai they occur not only totally
naturally but also in combination with other elements working
towards the same end.
The mineral profile of açai is an important factor. Minerals
act as co-vitamins, co-minerals and co-enzymes. They have an
important role in nerve function. Modern farming methods
deplete the soil of precious minor minerals and trace elements
essential for health.
Beyond its nutritional value, açai is one of the most important
extractive fruits in the Amazon, providing income in an otherwise
poor area of the country. Not only is it produced without
harming the Rainforest, the cultivation of this important palm
also means there is no incentive to clear the ground for cattle.
With its environmental benefits and such an amazing combination
of ingredients, working in harmony to combat so many of the ills
our modern lifestyle has brought upon itself, it is hard not to
see why Brazilians call Açai the ‘Tree of Life’.
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