Sweet Sweetness

I've been hearing a lot of buzz around the health and beauty markets about acai berries. It seems sweet acai is the It Factor in many new supplements, and almost all the companies that sell acai products mention weight loss in addition to other remarkable benefits of this little berry. Why all the talk? Like many other fruits (such as grapes and tomatoes), acai berries are very rich in antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals.

What does that mean? Well, antioxidants help cleanse your body of toxins and boost your immune system, while improving your digestive process. In 25 words or less: they help your body eliminate built-up waste. As a result, your metabolism functions more efficiently and you drop the pounds that were hanging around from the cheeseburger you ate in '06. It also means you empty what's essentially your body's trash compactor. To use an SAT-style analogy: garbage : rats and roaches :: built-up waste : poochy tummies and a dull complexion.

What makes acai so special is the amount of antioxidants it contains: the highest found in fruits, which is the antioxidant-rich food group. It's one of many reasons why fruit is a vital part of every healthy and successful diet.  Dr. Atkins should blush. This is why smart, effective diets like South Beach and Weight Watchers emphasize eating whole fruit rather than fruit juice: the fruit contains all the incredible nutrition, NOT the juice.

Acai fruit can undoubtedly help reverse health imbalances and improve your metabolism and digestion. But it's important to choose the right acai product. If you'd like to investigate the myriad acai products, I recommend beginning with USDA Organic Certified products. This certification ensures that the harvesting and processing of acai fruit is of the highest quality, and has preserved as much of the pure fruit as possible.

However, it's difficult to find acai juice on the shelves of your local supermarket. Check out Acai In Review. As its name suggests, the website reviews  acai products (both supplements and foods), while considering product cost and quality, company information and any special discounts or free trials (some of which are hidden). Acai in Review is a good resource to narrow down your options and find the best product for the best cost.

ACAI QUICK FACTS

* Has a rich, sweet cocoa-berry taste. Think "chocolate-raspberry".

* ORAC (antioxidant) value of 3871. That's 2x the value of pomegranates.

* Comes from the Amazon Rainforest. Acai products support the cultivation of the Rainforest, helping to keep at least some of the land safe from destruction.

* Can help support many aspects of health, including your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems.