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acai berry
An açaí palm, or aqai, (pronounced /??s???i?/, aa-sigh-ee” is one of several species of palm tree in the genus Euterpe cultivated for their fruit and superior hearts of palm. The species Euterpe oleracea is usually called Açaí Palm, after the European adaptation of the Tupian word ïwasa’i, ‘[fruit that] cries or expels water’. Global demand for the fruit has expanded rapidly in recent years, and açaí is now cultivated for that purpose primarily. The closely-related species Euterpe edulis (jucara) is now predominantly used for hearts of palm.
Eight species are native to Central and South America, from Belize southward to Brazil and Peru, growing mainly in swamps and floodplains. Açaí palms are tall, slender palms growing to 1530 meters, with pinnate leaves up to 3 meters long.
Acai Harvesting and uses
Acai Stem
Heart of palm, the soft inner-growing tip of some palms (Euterpe edulis, Bactris gasipaes), is often consumed in salads.
Acai Fruit
Açaí palm
Serving of açaí pulpThe fruit, a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter, similar in appearance and size to a grape but with less pulp, is produced in branched panicles of 700 to 900 fruits. Two crops of fruit are produced each year. The fruit has a single large seed about 0.250.40 inches (710 mm) in diameter. The exocarp of the ripe fruits is a deep purple color, or green, depending on the kind of açaí and its maturity. The mesocarp is pulpy and thin, with a consistent thickness of 1 mm or less. It surrounds the voluminous and hard endocarp, which contains a seed with a diminutive embryo and abundant endosperm. The seed makes up about 80% of the fruit (Schauss, 2006c).
The berries are harvested as food. In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm was described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up such a major component of diet (up to 42% of the total food intake by weight) and is economically valuable in the region.
The juice and pulp of açaí fruits (Euterpe oleracea) are used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, açaí is traditionally served in gourds called “cuias” with tapioca and, depending on the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet (sugar, rapadura, and honey are known to be used in the mix). Açaí has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as açaí na tigela (”açaí in the bowl”), mostly mixed with granola. Açaí is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice. The juice has also been used in a flavored liqueur.
Acai Berry As a dietary supplement
Recently, the açaí “berry” has been touted and marketed as a dietary supplement. Companies sell açaí berry products in the form of tablets, juice, smoothies, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.
Marketers of these products make non-proven claims that açaí provides increased energy levels, improved sexual performance, improved digestion, detoxification, high fiber content, improved skin appearance, improved heart health, improved sleep, and reduction of cholesterol levels. Açaí has higher levels of antioxidants, which are claimed to promote health, than cranberry, orange, and apple juices, but less than Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry juices. Absolutely untrue claims include reversal of diabetes and other chronic illnesses, as well as expanding size of the penis and increasing men’s sexual virility and sexual attractiveness to women. Açaí is most commonly marketed as a weight loss product.
As of March 2009, there are no controlled studies backing up any of these claims. According to ABC News correspondent Susan Donaldson, these products have not been evaluated (in the United States) by the FDA, and their efficacy is questionable. In late 2008, lawyers for The Oprah Winfrey Show began investigating alleged statements from supplement manufacturers who suggested that frequent Oprah guest Dr. Mehmet Oz had recommended their product or açai in general for weight loss.
Acai Berry Other uses
Apart from the use of its berries as food, the açaí palm has other commercial uses. Leaves may be made into hats, mats, baskets, brooms and roof thatch for homes, and trunk wood, resistant to pests, for building construction. Tree trunks may be processed to yield minerals.
Comprising 80% of the fruit mass, açaí seeds may be ground for livestock food or as a component of organic soil for plants. Planted seeds are used for new palm tree stock, which, under the right growing conditions, requires months to form seedlings. The seeds are a source of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acai_berry#Fruit
acai berry uses
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March 9th, 2010 at 5:21 am
BE AWARE OF THE …
BE AWARE OF THE ACAI BERRY PILLS ONLINE SCAM!!!!!!!!!
The Better Business Bureau in the U.S. released a statement this January warning consumers to be wary of website offering acai berry-related weight loss products, saying it has received “thousands” of complaints from consumers.
March 9th, 2010 at 5:21 am
THE SO CALLED “FREE …
THE SO CALLED “FREE TRIAL” CAN COST YOU A LOT OF MONEY!!!
In many cases, when customers try to contact the company and cancel their subscriptions, they are forced to sit for more than an hour on hold. Additionally, some consumers have complained of unauthorized charges on their credit card or bank accounts for products they did not order.
Several customers reported they were eventually forced to close bank accounts and cancel credit cards to stop the charges.
March 9th, 2010 at 5:21 am
FALSE TESTIMONIES
…
FALSE TESTIMONIES
Winfrey, Oz, and Ray have all publicly disassociated themselves from the sites that make unauthorized use of their names.
A disclaimer was added to the Oprah website last month that reads: “Consumers should be aware that Oprah Winfrey is not associated with nor does she endorse any açaí berry product or online solicitation of such products.”
EAT THE FRUIT!!! THAT’S GOOD FOR YOU!!!