Brazilian Acai Berry Destroys Cancer Cells in Lab

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”

He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in Acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.

“This was only a cell-culture model and we don’t want to give anyone false hope,” Talcott said. “We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies.”

Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants’ chemical activity.

Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai’s antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds
are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on Acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.

“One reason so little is known about Acai berries is that they’re perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking,” he said. “Products made with processed Acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them.”

Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying Acai berries.
Besides Talcott, UF’s acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics
department of UF’s College of Pharmacy.

Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.

Historically, Brazilians have used Acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.

“A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically,” Talcott said. “We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.” In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from
acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.

Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.

The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.

“Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer,” said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on
chronic diseases. “Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting optimal health.”

Is Acai Berry the Best Antioxidant Dietary Supplement

Fresh, Delicious, Organically-Grown, Antioxidant Rich Acai Like You've Never Tasted Before-Delivered Right To Your Door.

When it comes to Acai, there has been a groundbreaking discovery in the acai Berry as an extremely powerful antioxidant dietary supplement. Antioxidants are essential for full body health and to prevent free radical damage. If unchecked free radical process snowballs as we age and eventually we begin to feel its effects at around age 35 or 40 - the domino effect of untreated massive cell damage. Things begin to go wrong.

Fighting Free Radical Damage with an Antioxidant Rich Acai Juice Supplement as the unchecked flow of free radicals damage cells we begin to see degeneration, aging and disease. Free radicals can invade a cell wall, damage the DNA, and begin the process that can start cancer. The free
radicals can invade the cell and cause the cell to slow down or stop working altogether. Depending on where this happens, it can disrupt many of the body's natural systems - from neuronal firing to hormonal balance. The Acai berry as an antioxidant dietary supplement serves to combat this free radical damage.

Acai was first introduced by Dr. Nicholas Perricone in his new book the Perricone Promise. In the book he calls the acai berry the most perfect food on the planet. Dr. Perricone rates the Acai Berry #1 on his list of recommendations for the top ten ingredients to look and feel younger, enjoy revitalized health and decelerate the aging process.

Acai - Food High in Antioxidants

The acai berry is also very unique, being packed with so many nutrients. It has amino acids, which is unheard of in fruits and vegetables in North America. Acai has the protein content of an egg, the essential fatty acids of olive oil and is rich in the A and B vitamins. Acai is a 'multivitamin' food supplement! Taking the acai berry as an antioxidant dietary supplement has incredible health benefits. Even if you are healthy you will notice positive effects as you introduce a more balanced nutrition to your body, including increased energy and mental clarity.

Antioxidants have long been recognized as an essential part of our diet in order to restore our health and prevent future disease. Now we have access to the most powerful dietary supplement ever discovered the Amazon Acai Berry. This will take our health to whole new levels.

How to take Acai as an Antioxidant Dietary Supplement

What is the best way of adding the exotic acai berry to your diet? The best delivery of an antioxidant is ideally in liquid form, so look for an acai juice product. Look for a company that responsibly helps to conserve the Brazilian rainforest. Ideally the company is one that is closest to the source, harvesting and processing in Brazil. Make sure the company has the highest quality pharmacological processing in order to ensure that you are getting the purest form of Acai product, and the best results.

Written By: James Paul

Acai The Brazilian Miracle

You may have noticed a new kid on the chilled fruit juice block at your local supermarket or at your favourite smoothie bar, it's called acai, pronounced ah-sigh-ee and it comes from the Amazon region of Brazil where it is known as 'The Tree of Life'.

This fantastic tree, a member of the palm family and related to the saw palmetto, grows in the flood plains of the mighty Amazon river where it reaches over 20 meters high. The berries grow prolifically along branches that spring out of the top and look a bit like 'Sideshow Bobs'' hair and are gathered by the indigenous people who scramble up the trunk to cut the berry laden boughs and then take them to the market.

Speed is of the essence because the berries start to loose their potency as soon as they get picked so they need to be frozen as soon as possible.

It had been a popular drink in the Amazon district for hundreds of years but came to light when a cafe in Rio de Janeiro started selling it. Across the street was a Jujitsu school, run by Carlos Gracie, who tried some and insisted on his pupils drinking it to boost their performance. The pupils were very fit looking people and they said that it was because they drank acai. The surfers picked up on this and its reputation grew and grew until it went international.

The berries are not the only good thing on this tree, the Brazilians also use the stems of the leaves which are harvested as palm hearts and the bark and roots are used in medicine for a wide variety of ailments from anemia to muscle pains and worms.

This little purple berry is packed with anti oxidants such as phytochemicals, polyphenols and anthocyanins, fatty acids omega 6 and 9, calcium, proteins and fibre which are all great for a healthy life. It is the anthocyanins that are, perhaps, creating the most interest because of large amounts present in the fruit. These are the chemicals that are found in the dark purple colour in plants and came to prominence as the healthy ingredient in red wine that helps to protect
the heart and there are so many anthocyanins in acai berries, they haven't all been researched yet.

Early research has shown it has been able to destroy large numbers of leukaemia cells in the laboratory but a lot more investigation is needed before any conclusions can be drawn over its full medicinal properties.

As with most of the purple berries they are useful in the fight against a wide range of ailments such as cancer, heart disease, cholesterol, macular degeneration, Alzheimers' disease, infections of the urinary tract and have anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. Unlike other berries, these are just packed with an abundance of health giving ingredients which really does allow them to use the name super food.

Something this good usually turns out to taste like old socks, but acai juice is really nice, a berry flavour with an after taste tinged with chocolate although when sold it is mixed with other fruit juice. To ensure you are getting a good quantity of this wonder berry, check the list of ingredients and buy the one with acai listed as the highest constituent. It will probably be more expensive but well worth the extra cost.

Another way of buying acai berries is to get it as a frozen paste which you can use in making your own smoothies or as a topping for your breakfast cereal or even ice cream.
Many foods have been hyped as the greatest but the acai really does appear to have earned the name super food.

Ian Richards is the webmaster of the http://www.yourpower2be.com stable of websites

Acai Berry Health Secret or Natural Cure Scam

The Acai berry is a well-kept secret of the Amazon. A secret to the Western world, the acai berry has been grown in the Amazon for years. People in the Western world are just now beginning to realize just how much this berry maximizes health through its amazing antioxidant powers.

For those who haven’t seen it, the acai berry, dark and purple in color, is enriched in a large number of healthy substances, including those with antioxidant power. This berry grows without cultivation atop palm trees which dominate the rain forests in the Amazon, especially in Brazil. The local people harvest the berries and use it to make a type of fruit pulp. This fruit pulp is
flash-frozen in order to lock in its nutritional abilities.

The benefits of the acai berry

Researchers have found that the acai berries are filled with a specific type of antioxidant nutrient known as anthocyanins. In case you haven’t studied it, these are the same substances that provide the red color to red wine. Like red wine, acai berries share the same healthy effects. Acai Berries also are rich in fiber and protein along with the essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-9.

These are the primary reasons why so many health aficionados are starting to take a long look at the acai berry and why it’s become so popular. Because it has the combination of fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber and protein, it is felt to be one of the perfect health foods by several experts.

If you are interested in the acai berry, there are places to buy them. The juice is also available. Many health food stores and retailers who specialize in whole foods have the berry available. Even some supermarkets will likely begin to sell the acai berry, especially as it gains in popularity. Some organic food stores are beginning to carry them.

If you like to surf the Internet, there are several internet sites that sell products created from the acai berry. Some of the best products include frozen juice made from the whole berry. The acai berry

juice is probably one of the best and healthiest products made from this product. The juice retains many of the antioxidant and other substances found in the berry itself.

The details

At the organic food store or on the web, you need to find out who the best suppliers are and figure out how the acai berry is picked from the bush and stored at each supplier. All of these
things can make a big difference in the nutrition you’ll find in the berry or in the juice. Only the wild berry should be used as opposed to any cultivated variety. Remember also that the berry must be flash-frozen and that it must not remain on store shelves for a long time. Packaging definitely affects health benefits.

The good news is that terrific manufacturers of acai berries exist, including those that both pick and package the berry for maximum freshness using the original methods of harvesting invented by the Amazonian farmers. The local farmers have had the most experience with the acai berry and they know the proper methods of picking the berry, freezing it and putting it in packages. These farmers have done a great deal to promote the acai berry and are willing to share this information with the rest of us.

You can benefit from taking acai, but if you really want to achieve radiant health you should try the master cleanse. People who've used the master cleanse have been able to wipe out sickness that's plagued them for years, lose weight, and send their energy levels surging. There has been a free book written to help you with the master cleanse diet. To find out more about the Master Cleanse Diet visit http://www.colonzone.org/Master-Cleansing-Diet.php

Financial Results

We have all heard of wheat grass, pomegranate juice. We have some bad news for those of you who believe that the wheat grass or pomegranate juice is the best to buy. The new kid on the block is the purple little fruit that was found on a palm. This fruit has users claim that it is the most nutritious and versatile foods in the world.

Acai which is pronounced Ah-Sah-Yee has grown so quickly and taken off in the market place in such a way that it went from zero to a $2 million dollar business in just a couple of years. Infact it has now turned into a $4 billion dollar a year industry just in brazil alone. This berry has attracted celebrity fans such as Gisele Bundchen, Andre Agassi and Sting. It has been described by Health Scientists from around the world as “Nature’s perfect food.”

This has been served in juice bars as a slush puppy which usually is mixed in with bananas and guarana extract. This berry tastes unique but tropical. It is like blueberries mixed with chocolate. The taste is just sensational.

The Acai berry has been used by many different groups of people including surfers, jujitsu champions, party goers and even conservative people. In financial terms if you look at the fact that over 200,000 litres of Acai berry juices are consumed each day just in Belem alone which is the colonial port at the mouth of the Amazon. Then if you look at it from as a dollar value per 750ml you would quickly work out that it is $8,000 a day consumed by a small port. In turn just out of this one area alone that’s a $240,000 dollar a year industry. While this does not seem like much just in the first two years that it was released in the US it jumped to a $2.5 million dollar a year business just for one company alone.

Now some three or four years later there has been over US $4 billion dollars of juice has been produced. Finally it has reached the shores of Australia and the market is taking to it like you would not believe. It is new, it is proving itself and already people who sell the juice are now using this amazing berry as their primary source of income.

Poll Results

While performing research on the Acai berry alot of testimonials was found from distributors about how the Acai berry helped them as well as their customers. It was interesting to find that almost 40% of people taking the Acai berry based products had received some benefits with
their joints alone. The Acai berry was taking those benefits one step further again.

A common problem facing our aging population is arthritic degeneration and pain. This is an alarming thing in itself. The addition of a couple of ingredients found in a variety of Acai products is also found in joint fluids. These ingredients alone help alleviate pain, swelling and stiffness in arthritic joints.

The effect of these substances is not completely understood but studies have found that they both show anti-inflammatory effects, improvement of the quality of synovial fluids and in some studies protection of joints against further degeneration by improving the quality of the joint
cartilage.

A person who submitted a testimonial experienced bad joint pain and inflammation. After taking the a product based on the Acai berry they had a 13% decrease in join inflammation, 16% decrease in joint pain, improved joint movement, better sleeping patterns, more energy an increased libido and a greater sense of well being.

Good reasons to start consuming Acai berry juices

While it is great to talk about such a great fruit there is no point taking it without a good reason. We have compiled a list of benefits that you may recieve once you have started taking Acai berry juices.

Good reasons to start consuming Acai berry juices include:

1. Increased protection against disease - The phenols contained within the Acai berry help protect the body from disease.


2. Provides high level of nutrients - The Acai berry juice has its myriad of antioxidants and other minerals needed to provide nutrients and free radical scavengers.


3. Helps increase immune system - The chemical compounds that are found in the Acai berry products have many different benefits some include the fact that some compounds are anti-mutagenic, this in turn helps fight against cellular degeneration. The Acai berry can also help prevent attacks against your DNA.


4. Strengthens the body - The Acai berry is said to strengthen the body in many ways and even in sexual responses. In the past it has been called “The Viagra of the Amazon.”


5. Sense of well-being - The Acai berry contains phytoceuticals which are similar to the compound found in wine grapes. They aid in the fight against weight gain and other key areas like wellness in the mind and body, hence the sense of wellbeing. The other cause for this feeling is the high levels of antioxidants contained within the Acai berry. It is more than 10 times that of grapes and 2 times that of blueberries.


6. Restorative abilities - The Acai berry contains high levels of antioxidants and is classified as a “super” or “powerful” food due to the fact they help restore other antioxidants like Vitamins C and E as well as glutathione.


7. Helps fight back against diseases - As pathogens, antigens, carcinogens and mutagens enter the body or which have been created by the human metabolism cause havoc to cell membranes and mitochondrial DNA. The Acai berry fights these by the use of phytonutrients and eliminating stress.


8. Helps the eyes - Vision is often one thing affected as people get older. This is due to various eye related diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. This is reversed however with the aid of the Acai berry’s antioxidants and the high levels of antioxidants found in the Acai berry.


9. Contains the right fatty acids - The Acai berry contains the right quality fatty acids your body needs like (omega) iron, amino acids, dietry fibre and other vitamins including vitamin P. All of which aid the cells in transferring nutrients in to the cell and performing other important functions.


10. Helps with digestion - Enzymes and other co-factors that are seen as vital nutrients in the digestion process are all are found within the Acai berry. It can also assist with acid reflux and other ailments as a result of poor or incorrectly functioning digestive systems.


11. Youthful energy- The Acai berry is known for its ability to give a youthful like energy as it strengthens the bodies immune system and freeing up energy for other uses that are needed on a day to day basis.


12. Helps lower cholesterol - The Acai berry has some of the same properties as the likes of Olive oil by lowering the amount of LDL cholesterol. These types of fatty acids transport and aid in the absorbency of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K.


13. Loaded with Vitamins & Minerals - Vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), C (Ascorbic acid), E (Tocopherols), iron potassium and phosphorous are all vital to the cell’s wellbeing. These are all found within the Acai berry.


14. Aids the Circulatory System - Flavonoid antioxidants found in the Acai berry aid all aspects of circulatory health. They strengthen the veins, protect against stroke, heart attacks and help stop atherosclerosis.


15. Cancer fighting properties - The phytochemicals in the flavonoids (Polyphenols) are anti-mutagenic, first fighting off cancerous causing cells, strengthening the immune system along with other potential physiological effects of anthocyanins include radiation protection, chemo protection, vaso-protective and anti inflammatory agents.


16. Lowers sugar levels - The Acai berry is unique as far as fruits sugar levels go. It is one of only a few fruits that have low levels of sugar in it and at the same time helps the body’s pancreas regulate the flow of sugar.


17. Rich in Iron and Fibre - Iron and fibre are an important part of everyones dietry needs and this is one of the key features contained within the Acai berry.


18. Aids in sleeping disorders - People suffering from sleeping disorders can benefit from the consumption of the Acai berry as it helps people sleep more normally and provides the nutrients to the muscles, helping them perform better and relax better.


19. Protein and Amino Acids - The proteins in this cellular building blocks which are Amino acids and components of proteins are found within the Acai berry. This is because the Acai berry has more protein than eggs and is loaded with amino acids.


20. Cleansing and detoxifying - The compounds found in the Acai berry are legionary and for centuries in folk law medicine the Acai berry has been used as a way of cleansing and detoxifying the body.


21. All the Macro minerals you need - The necessary minerals needed for your body is found within the Acai berry. This includes Potassium, sulphur, magnesium and phosphorous. These are often the main Macro minerals needed that people cannot get enough of. Sulphur is known to improve the fight against acne, magnesium can help women with menopausal complications and potassium has been known to assist in improving heart health.


22. The lifestyle change - Once you decide to take Acai on a regular basis, be sure to talk your doctor about your new diet choices to discuss ways to maximize the benefits of Acai in your diet. Making certain improvements to your eating habits, exercising regularly, and taking certain prescribed medication as instructed can all help to make Acai one of your best dietary choices. The end result being that you can significantly change your future health. This being the case it can help you improve your lifestyle and how you live your life. Experience the difference that taking the Acai berry has made to others.