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Posts Tagged ‘Benefits’

The benefits of alcohol consumption have long been known. The Bible refers to alcohol’s medicinal properties no less than 191 times. Alcohol is beneficial in controlling the following conditions: hypertension or high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, angina pectoris, liver disease, hepatitis A, pancreatic cancer, duodenal ulcer, gallstones, kidney stones, digestive ailments, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, bone fractures, hearing loss, macular degeneration, poor cognition and memory, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stress and depression, and erectile dysfunction.

Even more significantly, innumerable studies have proven beyond any doubt that alcohol consumption leads to a decrease in the rate of heart attacks and strokes. The results of studies conducted on hundreds of thousands of men and women from several countries and continents have consistently shown that alcohol consumption reduces death from heart disease and a host of other ailments.

Huh?!! So why does alcohol consumption keep getting such bad press?

Well, it’s not the alcohol that’s to blame, but the consumer of it.

For these beneficial effects to take effect, the key is for the alcohol to be taken in MODERATE doses.

Ahhh!! There’s the rub.

Alcohol consumption has wondrous effects if, and only if, the consumption is MODERATE. Listen to just a minuscule portion of the findings.

* The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that moderate drinkers have the greatest longevity. Moderate drinking results in a sharp decrease in heart disease risk (40%-60%). (This is a pretty major effect considering that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States, responsible for one million deaths in America each year.)

* A study of 12,000 male physicians done in the U.K.

over a 13-year period found that moderate drinkers had the lowest risk of death from ALL causes.

* The Italians did a study of 1,536 men aged 45 to 65. The study found that the moderate drinkers among them gained about 2 years of life compared to occasional and heavy drinkers.

* China also did a large-scale study of middle aged men. It too found that those who drank moderately had a nearly 20% lower mortality rate compared to men who abstained from drink.

The studies are not confined to male subjects. Alcohol does not discriminate between the sexes.

* The Harvard Nurses study of over 85,000 women reported reduced mortality among the moderate drinkers.

* Harvard researchers did a study of over 5,000 women with type 2 diabetes. The moderate drinkers among them had significantly lower heart disease rates than those who didn’t drink. In fact, the women who drank about half a glass of alcohol a day reduced their risk from coronary heart disease by more than half.

And the list goes on. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism did an extensive review of recent research from over 20 countries and the findings were quite consistent. Moderate drinkers live longer than those who either abstain from alcohol or who drink heavily. This is largely due to a decrease in diseases such as coronary heart disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Moderate drinkers enjoy better health than abstainers or heavy drinkers. It’s been found that abstainers have double the risk of stroke as moderate drinkers.

Okay. So what’s considered moderate drinking?

Different countries have different standards. But generally, for non-pregnant women, it’s one to two drinks a day, for men it’s two to three drinks.

Now, what constitutes a drink?

A medium glass of wine, a can of beer or a .5 ounce shot of whiskey or other spirit generally have the same amount of pure alcohol in them and would be considered as a drink or one alcoholic unit.

Many of the beneficial effects of moderate drinking reverse if a person drinks too much. The amount is a key factor but so is consistency and regularity. Five drinks in one night do not equal – and produce a totally opposite effect from – five drinks spread out over five nights.

So take heed. Moderation and consistency are key to getting the health benefits that alcohol offers.

Most of the people around the world, look for a cup of coffee whether in home or at the work spot. The aroma, taste and the sense of feeling for a cup of coffee refreshes the entire body. Nowadays, the coffee is the world’s most popular beverage and it contains the widely researched ingredients. The Coffee is everyone’s favorite drink. Thus the coffee has plenty of health benefits which is already proven in many studies.

Thus Drinking a cup of coffee has initialized to improve an individual’s alertness and concentration. So, it helps us to reduce the feeling of tiredness or lethargy. The key ingredient responsible for the enhanced mental performance is the caffeine which is naturally contained in the coffee.

Reduced Gall Stones:

The Harvard school of public health recently researched and published a study about the caffeinated coffee on a regular basis.

Thus it proves that, it can dramatically decrease the incidence of gall bladder disease and gall stones in humans.

Reduced Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease:

Then the European Journal of Neurology have shown that the individuals who drank about 2 cups of caffeinated coffee per day doesn’t develop the  Alzheimer’s disease than the other individuals.

Reduced Risk for Parkinson’s Disease:

Many studies have shown that the amount of coffee consumed is  inversely related to an individual’s  relativity to the Parkinson’s disease. Thus the more coffee you drink, there are  low chances of developing the disease.

Antioxidants and Cancer-Fighting Properties:

The Coffee is a powerful source of antioxidant agents which are free from cancer-causing free radicals.

The Coffee consists of the compound methylpyridinium, which is found in many food items and are not available in the coffee. Thus you can get  antioxidants from both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee  beans sufficiently.

Bowel Stimulation:

The Coffee is a stimulant and also a laxative. Some alternative practitioners can even prescribe the coffee to stimulate the lower colon.

However, the coffee is also a diuretic and it can cause the constipation in some individuals. But normally every all the issues should be practiced in moderation and the health concerns should always be discussed with a medical professional. So, a moderate amount of coffee has its own benefit, an excessive amount can also cause some problems. Thus there should be some limit in coffee drinking and heavy coffee drinking can lead to irritability, anxiety, sleep deprivation, cardiovascular problems and higher cholesterol levels too.

There has been and probably always will be a big debate on whether beer has true scientific evidence that it is good for your health.

For most people, beer might not seem to equate directly to health benefits. It might seem like a potbelly is the only result of drinking too much beer. Of course, too much beer is also the cause of that nasty hangover. However, beer can actually have some positive effects on your health that might surprise you more than a little.

There are many beer drinkers in the world. So, it is good to know that there are a number of health benefits of drinking beer.Hence,here are some benefits of beer.

A compound found only in hops, which are used to make beer, have been discovered to prevent cancer. Of course we all know that hops are an ingredient in beer and therefore Xanthohumol has high hopes of making beer a new anti cancer drug.

Beer has the ability to lessen the chances of heart disease. It contains vitamins B6 which have the ability to counter chemicals in the body which are responsible for heart problems, such as amino acid.

Beer is a proven stress reliever and sleep inducer. Nothing like relaxing with a glass of delicious beer you brewed yourself. In fact, the very act of making beer is relaxing.Home brewed beer contains no fat and no bad cholesterol. Drink it guilt free!

Great news for beer drinkers! Bone material has also seen positive effects of beer consumption. The study suggested that beer can help maintain bone density, but too much beer can also increase the chance for bone fractures, which is why finding a healthy balance is just as important as drinking it.

Apparently, according to The New England Journal of Medicine, moderate beer drinkers are actually able to reduce their chance of having a stroke. In beer drinkers who drank no more than one beer per day (and no less than one per week), the chance of stroke was reduced by up to 20%.

Memory Booster – Studies in mice have shown that moderate consumption of beer can actually stimulate the growth of new nerve cells in the brain. These are responsible for memory capacity in humans.

Increase in beer consumption may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. Results showed that there was a 40 percent lower risk of kidney stones in beer drinkers, but the researchers were stumped as to whether the results were due to water, alcohol or hops.

Slowing The Aging Process – Scientists have found that hops, the key ingredient in beer, affects the body’s production of neoterin and trytophan, which help the body deal with inflammation. There are anti-oxidants in beer that help the body fight the symptoms of aging from the inside out.

So the next time someone looks down their nose at you for the stories that you tell about the night before and the beer that you drank. Come back here and point out that you were just doing the healthy thing and having a couple of beers.

Water is good for everyone and this can lead you to have a good health. Most of the time it has seen it is been suggested by many doctors to drink more water to maintain healthy and active living, so it is vital for us that we should drink water on daily basis for having a prosper health. But drinking water is not a subject of prosper health in whole; there are many certain things that could help us to have a better heath too such as healthy food along with various health supplements etc.

 But besides of the story drinking water is more important than anything, so if have decided to focus on your drinking water then I would say try mineral water for having therapeutic benefits.

Mineral water is healthy water drinking solution which is consisting of minerals and other dissolved substances like salts, gases and sulfur compounds which can provide you therapeutic benefits.

According to World Health Organization and Health News Digest, mineral water helps in replenishing water naturally lost from the body and balance electrolytes as the dissolved minerals; it also helps body for driving out harmful substances and can help you to strengthen immune system and can help you in balancing the digestive system as well.

 So as you can see there are several benefits of having healthy drinks. So it is always be advisable to you that try having healthy drinks for better, healthy and active living.

For your brief knowledge – there are several ways and several drinking solutions which can drive you to stay healthy. In terms of healthy drinks, coconut water could be your alternate choice for making it your drinking solution, if you don’t want to go for mineral water.

Coconut water is good for our organisms and is consisting of lauric acid which can help our immune system to fight the various diseases and is used as an intravenous fluid in extreme situations when it comes to saving lives. Furthermore, it helps in stomach problems, kidney and urethral stones problems too and regulates your digestion and supports you for reducing heart problems and the risk of cancer. So as you can see there are enough number benefits of drinking Coconut water. So friend, if you have any health issues related to immune system or digestive system or any other issues like heart problems then consult with your doctors and seek suggestion for your health drinks.
 

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Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Fruits and vegetables are essential components of your daily diet. Some contain natural antioxidants that can help to keep you healthy and fit, providing nutrients which are valuable resources of energy and sustaining the quality of your life.

The common vitamins present in fruits and vegetables include vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Almost all fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calories. Many are excellent sources of natural fiber.

Some health professionals recommend from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables. The serving depends on your daily caloric intake. If you need around 2000 calories each day, you might need up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

You should get best results if you consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eating a single type or color of fruit and vegetable may not offer the required nutrition. Each type and color of fruit or vegetable that is generally available has some benefit.

To get the best nutrients from your fruits and vegetables, eat those which are in season in your region. Fresh produce has the best levels of the nutrients we may need during the season.

If you eat out-of-season fruits and vegetables, their nutrient value might be less, they will probably cost more and their production and transportation may have a greater financial and environmental cost.

Your diet has a critical role in defining your health and energy levels which affects every other part of your life. The fruits and vegetables you consume regularly are a powerful storehouse of beneficial, even vital, vitamins and nutrients which help out body to protect itself against many diseases and other negative factors in our environment.

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Different fruits and vegetables offer varied benefits for your health.

Vegetables that are said to be high in antioxidants and nutrients include broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, onions, cauliflower, red peppers, squash, tomatoes, and garlic.

Fruits that some say are high in antioxidants and nutrients include apples, blueberries, apricots, bananas, cherries, cantaloupe, oranges, kiwifruits, peaches, and pink grapefruits.

Nutrients of Fruits and Vegetables

 

Fruits and vegetables contain many different varieties of nutrients. Some fruits and vegetables are a virtual storehouse of beneficial minerals like anthocyanins, resveratrol, lycopene, and more phytochemicals are being found as research into the fruits and vegetables is conducted.

 

 

Phytochemicals

 

These plant nutrients help sustain your body against the worst ravages of the aging process and may help to reduce health risks like heart ailments, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Some of the phytochemicals include:

 

Anthocyanins, available in blackberries, blueberries, cherries, eggplant, plums, and kiwi fruit are claimed by some to have important properties that may help reduce the occurrence of severity of some urinary tract infections.

 

Lycopene, available in watermelon, tomatoes, and pink grapefruit.

 

Resveratrol is available in red grapes and peanuts. CAUTION: more people are finding they may have an allergic reaction to peanuts every year

Suggested Servings of Fruit and Vegetables

 

People are often confused about the quantity indicated by a single serving or a cup.

 

Ideally, one cup refers to:

 

Vegetables

 

2 cups raw leafy vegetables

 

1 cup raw or cooked vegetables

 

1 cup baby carrots or approximately twelve carrots

 

1 cup cooked or canned dried beans or peas

 

1 medium potato

 

1 cup vegetable juice

 

Fruits

 

1 cup cut-up or cooked fruit

 

1 medium piece of fruit

 

1 large banana

 

1/2 cup dried fruit

 

1/4 small cantaloupe

 

1 cup berries or grapes

 

1 cup 100% fruit juice

A great e-book is focused on showing you the benefits which are claimed for adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet and broadening the choices which you know about. It will also give you a variety of tasty and nutritious recipes toward the end of the book.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

It is only the green tea that can be addressed as the best health drink. As more people begin to look into trying green tea as a health drink, they start to realize how great it works and they spread the word along to someone else that is trying to stay healthy. When you look online and even read the health magazines you will know the amount of benefits that green tea can proffer. There are lot of people that have used the green tea and benefited from it.

The ones suffering from cancer can get benefited a lot by drinking green tea as it helps in slowing down the spread of cancer cells and eventually they do not grow at all. The leaves that are used to make green tea contain a substance called EGCg which is an ingredient that researchers have found to stop cancer. This has helped them in their study to further advance into finding a cure for cancer.

It helps in fighting the HIV infection as well as it contains the same factors. The green tea also gives benefit in the form of fighting against the bacteria apart from helping the teeth from decay and plaque. Though ones oral condition improves a lot it is best if they still have their regular visit to the dentist. For those that are having a hard time losing weight, especially in the area of your stomach, studies have shown green tea health drinks to be really effective in helping you to shed pounds if you drink about three glasses of it per day. You must consume it on a continuous basis to see the results.

It is the existence of high cholesterol levels in ones body that causes a heart attack. You will be lesser prone to a heart attack or a stroke when one drinks the green tea as it will bring down the cholesterol levels. Most people that know a little bit about green tea also know that it can boost your energy because of the antioxidants that are present inside of it. As it keeps your body clean it also helps you to keep from getting sicknesses such as a cold or flu and even allergies that you would normally get. One can even see that the green tea has been given to people on a work out regimen so that they do not get tired very easily and can go for a little longer with their exercise.

A warm cup of green tea helps in digestion more than having the cold one. It is advisable to drink a minimum of three cups of green tea to get the best results as mentioned though one can have more if they want to.

The Goji Berry has been around for centuries and trusted by the people in and around the Himalayas, Mongolia and Tibet to prolong life and provide the body with essential antioxidants and nutrients thus making it one of the seven super foods. The other super foods that have been proven to give you a longer and healthier life include the Acai fruit, Seabuckthorn, Fucoidan, GAC fruit, Noni fruit, and Mangosteen fruit which are all found in a new revolutionary health drink, called Exfuze.

This health drink, Exfuze, that contains Goji Berry will change the way that people live and think about nutrition. We all know that vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, A, B complex, folic acid, iron and zinc are important, but many do not know that all of the best antioxidants and nutrients are found in these seven botanicals. Many of these super foods are found in remote parts of the world where certain civilizations have known about their excellent health properties and have used them for many years. The Goji Berry is one of these and contains about 19 important amino acids which play an important role in improving your health and making you live longer.

The Goji Berry is considered to be the best of all the plants in its family. It is grown only in the valley of Tibet in unpolluted soil and with no dangerous chemicals or fertilizers. The Goji Berry fruits that are used in the health drink, Exfuze are 100 percent organic and cultivated to be the healthiest, top quality berries. They are small and red in color and have the most nutrients of all the 80 types of Lycium berries in the world. They grow on vines that can reach up to 20 meters and when they are ripe, they are shaken into collection trays to be inspected under stringent standards, and then used for the super drink, health drink, Exfuze.

The Goji Berry is considered to be a miracle fruit. It is said that you should have it frost thing in the morning to be happy all day long. The taste is described as somewhere between a cherry or raspberry to a plum and can also be added to cereals or eaten as they are. It is very difficult to get hold of pure Goji Berry fruits which is why the health drink, Exfuze has taken the hard work out of finding the best and purest Goji Berries and fused them with other miracle foods to give you the healthiest tonic on the market today.

Kettlebell coaching is really a quick spreading phenomenon and it’s not only throughout the health business.

In recent years, the kettle bell has become a popular physical exercise tool within the United States amongst athletes, particularly blended martial artists too as these in enjoyment.

Everyone from your army, Drive Recon Marines, the FBI Hostage Rescue Workforce, and the Secret Service Counter Assault Team proper by way of to celeb trainers and Hollywood A-listers are actually using them.

So what is all of the fuss about?

Let’s take a take a look at the prime 7 benefits of kettlebell instruction and uncover why the best kept Russian secret in health is becoming so popular.

1. Physical exercise in only fifty percent the time! A total Fitness Program normally includes three important elements. Core, Cardio and Resistance. With a typical work out programs, you may get your Cardio on 1 machine, your Core on another, and then do an energetic class like Boxercise for Resistance. The outcome is really a lot of time requirements invested in order to attain an all round performance degree and body form. Also, machines have a tendency to isolate muscles, shifting them in two-dimensions. This is fantastic if the intention would be to bulk up, but most people don’t wish to bulk up – they want to form up and achieve the long, lean muscular look which is so well-known with celebrities. The key behind the KETTLE BELL is always that it can turn your body in to the greatest health machine by transferring it in 3-dimensions throughout your exercise instead of in only 2-dimensions like you do on most fitness machines. By working all your muscle groups at as soon as you might be acquiring a complete body workout incorporating Cardio, Core and Resistance Training and all in 50 percent the time of a total traditional exercise.
two. General wellness advantages Modern day existence can take its toll on us all. The hectic lifestyles we invariably lead are straight linked to stress and anxiety and our our bodies can suffer incidentally of blood pressure, complications and migraines, ulcers and so on. Physical exercise, and in specific, resistance teaching acts like a release valve and will be the key to balancing a tension free lifestyle. This type of exercise is on the incredibly core of kettle bell training and helps relieve tension inside the thoughts and body. In addition to this there are already numerous studies which demonstrated that as several as 97% of ladies encounter a considerable improvement to their self esteem because the outcome of engaging in normal resistance teaching.

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three. Repair your figure no matter its present shape. Kettle bells can burn up fats especially well and give elevated muscle tone. If you are obese you’ll come across that you skinny out and if you’re thin then you will create up. Each physique varieties will achieve an amazingly nicely proportioned and toned physique. For males, Kettle bell training will produce figures along the lines in the antique statues with broad shoulders with only a hint of pectorals, back again muscular tissues standing out in daring relief, wiry arms, rugged forearms, a cut-up midsection, and strong legs.
4. They’re suitable for everyone Kettle bells may be utilized by the younger plus the old. Events at competition degree have observed entrants as young as sixteen and as outdated as fifty three competing proving that age is not a limitation. They can also be employed in each a rehabilitative and pre-habilitative ability. They are suitable for both men and women alike regardless of the form of health ranges and physique shape you might be looking to achieve.
5. A powerful tool for constructing strength Anybody who is involved with building usable strength will soon discover the Kettle bell to be a potent assistance tool in their pursuit of greater strength. In addition they offer a dramatic boost in balance and control permitting you to lift even heavier weights when returning to totally free weights. The versatile Kettlebell may also produce great speed and power inside a far safer manner than some typical coaching strategies employed by aggressive athletes.
six. The ideal fitness equipment to make use of at property The Kettle Bell delivers severe all-round fitness and there is no single other conditioning tool that will do it greater. Here’s a short checklist of equipment the Russian kettle bell replaces: barbells, dumbbells, weighted belts, thick bars, lever bars, medication balls, grip gadgets, and cardio gear. Due to the fact of their dimension as well as the exercises involved they could be employed in a relatively little area producing the kettle bell exercise available to people who do not have significantly area at house to make use of much more widespread workout gear. They are also perfect for storage when they are not in use being more compact than the average bowling ball.
7. Boosts stamina and strength-endurance like no other type of exercise Power coaching is important to any wellness and fitness regime but couple of folks understand that power training will be the only scientifically proven exercise that positively influences these things as muscle strength and mass, physique fat, bone density, basal metabolic price, blood sugar tolerance, blood pressure and aerobic capability all things which decline with age. On the other hand, Kettle bell education provides the advantages of strength coaching, but combined with these of yoga, Pilates and aerobics all with the identical time to build a physique that’s as sturdy and powerful as it is proportionate and graceful. Kettlebell instruction largely raises stamina or strength-endurance like no other type of workout and it drastically improves flexibility and speed that is why it has turn out to be so popular with blended martial artists who want this combination of abilities far more than anyone. It may also supply outcomes that are merely not attainable with typical weights.

I have been doing a normal kettlebbell workout three times per week for over a yr now and in all honesty I’ve in no way been in better form despite getting been going to the gym for over 3 a long time in whole now. If you give kettlebells a try for much more than 3 months I genuinely doubt that you will ever want to go standard weights again. Once you’ve got been infected using the energy of kettlebell education, there’s no heading again. I hope this post assists you in a roundabout way and please really feel totally free to pass this facts on in order that as a lot of individuals as achievable can advantage from your astounding possible that kettle bells offer everybody in all walks of lifestyle.

Ten years ago your lucky to even find one health drink supplement out there, and one that had any good benefits to them. If you look in any store from your local health food store to 7-11 you will find endless amounts of these drinks. Within the next five years these nutritional health drink supplements will be a trillion dollar industry and everyday people like yourself can make a good living and retire early by being involved with one of these companies.

 Now some of these drinks are nothing more than a good shot of sugar that give you some energy for 3-4 hours at best, and basically replaces a cup of coffee at the time. But there are a few good companies that have some scientific discoveries and testimonials of their product that have a lot of benefits to them, and have had alot of research involved into their product.

 These health drinks are now being incorporated into your daily diet and replacing coffee, juices, and even daily vitamins. Some of the benefits include rejuvenation, improved eyesight, anti-aging, increased mental clarity, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood cleanser, helps immune system, eases pain, good for the heart and even might help slow certain cancers.

 Now my advice to you is to research the product and find testimonials of the benefits these drinks are doing, because I myself have tried these drinks and know first hand of the health benefits they are doing for me and others I am in contact with. The more testimonials you find the better, and not everyone in this world is the same. What helped cure someone of a specific benefit doesn’t mean it will help you in the same way, you might have a different benefit it will help you with.

 Also instead of being just a product user of this health drink supplement you believe in, check out to see if it’s possible to run your own home based business as a marketer and distributor of your product. There are many people today earning 5 figures a month network marketing these drinks, and if this business is going to be a trillion dollar business, why not get your piece of that pie as well.

Acai (Euterpe badiocarpa) is a highly nutritious and delicious palm berry native to the Amazonian rainforests. The health benefits associated with this berry were unknown for thousands of years. It was only in early 2000 that the Acai berry received its first recognition in the U.S. market and was immediately conferred a superfruit status. Its high antioxidant value and impressive nutritional profile quickly attracted consumer attention. In 2004, the market for Acai products was worth 5,000. As new Acai products were launched, the fame of these exotic berries began to spread resulting in blockbuster sales of .8 million in October 2005, a growth of 770 percent from the previous year! 1 The nutritive benefits from this little berry continue to make Acai one of the most sought-after superfruits.

Nutritive Profile of Freeze-Dried Acai Berries
Acai berries are touted to have the highest Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) antioxidant values of any food. The ORAC is a measurement of the antioxidant content in foods. Freeze-dried Acai can reach an ORAC value of over 1000, according to a reported published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.2

The Acai berries grow in clusters on palm trees that grow to a height of 60 feet. The berries are harvested by hand and immediately processed in order to preserve their maximum health benefits. A process called freeze-dried preservation (also called lyophilization) reduces the moisture to a level which will no longer support biological activity or chemical reactions, allowing bioactives to remain stable during transport. In order to produce a high-quality Acai supplement, Acai manufacturers should ensure they use freshly plucked berries that are freeze-dried. This method of preservation retains the highest antioxidant potency and maximum nutrient content of the Acai berry.

Research Studies on the Health Benefits of Acai
The taste of Acai berries is often described as a combination of boysenberry, cherries and a hint of chocolate. The Brazilian natives have traditionally called the Acai the “fruit of life”, and for no small reason.

Containing powerful antioxidants, Acai may help prevent cellular damage from free radicals, considered to be the root cause of a number of degenerative health conditions. The berry’s rich purple color is attributed to a high concentration of flavonoids called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are known to exhibit therapeutic benefits for the regulation of healthy glucose levels in diabetic conditions and hold potential benefits for inflammatory conditions related to the brain and nervous system. Research indicates that anthocyanins may help protect patients against the negative effects of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. 3

Acai’s exceptional nutritive profile consists of 19 amino acids, boasting a nearly perfect composition. The total amino acid content of freeze-dried Acai berries is approximately 8 percent its total weight. Acai also contains a high percentage of fatty acids called oleic acid, constituting 54 percent of its composition. This is the same type of fatty acids present in olive oil, which is known for its cardiovascular health benefits. In addition, the Acai berry contains dietary fiber, which promotes digestive and cardiovascular health. Fiber binds with the cholesterol excreted by the bile into the digestive system, and then safely excretes cholesterol out of the system before it is re-absorbed into the bloodstream. Acai also contains phytosterols, namely beta sitosterol, campesterol, and sigmasterol. Phytosterols are known to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.4

Acai extracts show positive effects on behavior and neuronal functions in aging according to an ongoing research study funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the results of which will be released in the last quarter of 2011.5 A positive result from this two-year study will benefit the burgeoning number of baby boomers seeking age-related health supplements boosting Acai’s market potential even further.

In a recent research study published in Athelerosclerosis (2011) scientists at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences studied Acai’s inflammatory properties and concluded that the berry may provide protection against athelerosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). In trying to understand the mechanism, researchers suggested that Acai supplementation may reduce the breakdown of lipids (lipid peroxidation). This may happen because of increasing levels and activity of two antioxidant enzyme genes—glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GSR) which are important to vascular health. Another possibility is that the components in Acai help to regulate inflammatory mediators thus inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory compounds (cytokines). 6

Lead researcher Dr. Xianli Wu commented, “We provide direct experimental evidence showing that a diet containing an Açaí juice at the dose of 5 percent developed significantly less atherosclerotic lesions.” This is the first reported study that clearly associates Acai with reduced lipid peroxidation, indicating that the Acai may have a protective influence against atherosclerosis.

Phenomenal Growth Prospects for Acai Products
Between 2007 and 2009, SPINS, a market research and information provider based in Schaumburg, IL, reported a 900 percent growth of Acai products in the naturalmrket and a 1400 percent growth in the food, drug and mass merchandiser (FDM) channels. In March 2009, the sale of Acai products slightly decreased due to marketing scandals related to the Acai berry. Since then, sales have remained steady and Acai continues to remain one of the top superfood categories, according to the annual “Market Overview” of Functional Ingredients, a health business news magazine.7

The media has often attributed Acai’s impressive market growth to sheer marketing hype. But facts and research speak for themselves. Compared to grape seeds, Acai is one-tenth of the price and boasts a higher ORAC value. Consumers looking for high nutrition and a generous helping of antioxidants at an affordable price will find Acai berries a premium choice for their money. With best-selling authors and medical experts such as Dr. Oz and Dr. Perricone praising the berry’s unique health-promoting properties and its powerful nutritive properties, pleasant flavor and affordability, it’s no wonder why sales of Acai cereals, baked goods and nutritional supplements have steadily increased over time. Popular delivery systems for Acai supplements may include capsules, tablets and powdered drink mixes. As studies continue to show stronger evidence of Acai’s nutritive benefits, this little berry’s exotic qualities for supporting critical aspects of health, are attracting new customers!

Nutricap Labs, a premier Acai berry manufacturer, offers a wide range of supplement manufacturing solutions for entrepreneurs and established supplement companies. GMP-manufacturing facility and a wide range of customizable manufacturing solutions offer supplement companies an efficient, convenient and quick way to manufacture superior-quality Acai supplements.

Reference

Natural Topics and Trends, SPINS, (pins.com/news/trends.php)
AIBMR Life Sciences, a US nutraceutical products consulting company, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, doi: 10.1021/jf0609779, 10.1021/jf060976g.
Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach, J Biomed Biotechnol. 2004 December 1; 2004(5): 306–313. (cbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082894/)
Phytochemical and nutrient composition of the freeze-dried amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai), J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Nov 1;54(22):8598-603. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17061839)
The Effects of Acai Berry Extracts and its Components on Behavior and Neuronal Function in Aging, USDA, (ars.usda.gov/research/projects/projects.htm?accn_no=416507)
Acai juice attenuates atherosclerosis in ApoE deficient mice through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, Atherosclerosis, published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.02.035
Functional Ingredients: Fuel Consumer Self Care Trend, SPINS, (spins.com/news/11.23.09_FI_Overview.php)