Acai refers to the acai berry that comes from the acai palm trees in the Brazilian rainforest. The indigenous people have been harvesting these super berries for centuries and they have been a staple food ever sense.
The reason acai berries are so good for you is not only are they high in antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, but they also contain phytonutrients, which are nutrients created by plants that can kill cancer cells and repair DNA that has been damaged by toxins; amino acids, which are essential to life; vitamins, and trace minerals.
An explanation on what the antioxidants and free radicals do is important to understanding just how beneficial these acai berries are. Antioxidants are chemicals that are found in plants and eggs. They stop certain reactions happening in the body. One of these reactions is the one done by free radicals.
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules in the body that are essentially not bad, but in high quantities they can cause side effects like cancer or symptoms of ageing. When a free radical reacts with DNA it can cause mutations which can cause cancer cells to start to grow.
This is why antioxidants are so important. They prevent these chemicals from reacting and thus stave of cancer cells and, supposedly, ageing.
The acai berries have been cited as having positive effects on weight loss, energy, sleep, ageing, inflammation, and even may fight against heart disease. Specifically, the weight loss from acai berries has scientific evidence behind it. The acai berry has the properties to suppress appetites, help increase your metabolism, and tone your muscles.
There are no known side effects to taking or eating the acai berries as a supplement, so it’s a perfectly safe to take. However, consulting your doctor or nutritionist is still a good idea so that you can plan what is best for your body.