Archive for the ‘Antioxidants’ Category

The difference between acai and goji

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Today’s fast-paced lifestyle leaves us no room to exercise or grab an apple from the fruit stand. So we turn to exotic concoctions for nutrients and detoxification, like some magic potion that can breathe life into our ailing, aging bodies. This has paved the way for acai and goji berry products to thrive on the market, sometimes even scamming health-conscious citizens.

Acai and goji possess very similar characteristics. Among their health benefits are:

•    They strengthen the heart and prevent cardiovascular diseases
•    They alleviate insomnia and increase mental alertness
•    They can reverse sexual dysfunction
•    They boost the immune system
•    They are very effective as weight loss aids
•    They clear the body of toxins
•    They contain essential amino acids, important vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals
•    They have anti-inflammatory sterols and essential fatty acids such as Omega and linoleic acids

How are they different?

Acai contains antioxidants more than any other fruit in the world. Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals in our bodies – free radicals that cause cell deterioration that leads to aging and disease. Unlike goji juice, acai antioxidants are predominantly anthocyanins. These types of antioxidants can help lower the risk of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Acai could be nature’s answer to cancer. Although still unproven, studies on the destructive effects of acai on cancer cells have been promising. Oleic acid in acai helps prevent the formation of the oncogene, a gene that turns healthy cells into cancer cells. When it comes to anti-cancer potential, no other fruit comes close to the acai berry.

While goji juice and other fruit drinks out there promise lots of vitamins and minerals, the acai berry offers the most complete spectrum of health benefits. Acai is good for the heart, brain, digestive system, bones, muscles, and even hair and skin.

Best of all, acai berries taste better than goji berries. Goji is quite bitter, while acai has a sweet berry taste with a hint of chocolate. When choosing between acai and goji berry products, trust your palate.

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Acai Anthocyanins: A Cure for Many Ills

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

The numerous health benefits of acai berries have cast this little-known fruit into the spotlight. And the most promising of them all could be powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins.

Have you ever wondered why France has a low incidence of cardiovascular disease with all that fat in French cuisine? The answer could be in the volumes of red wine they consume. Red wine contains anthocyanins – believed to negate the effects of a fatty diet and smoking. What you’re getting from the Brazilian acai fruit is 30 percent more anthocyanins than red wine, without the alcohol associated with it.

The Value of Anthocyanins

Chronic inflammation – anthocyanins can prevent inflammation by neutralizing the enzymes that damage connective tissue. The anti-inflammatory capabilities of anthocyanins can help lower the risk of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Neurological disorders – oxidative damage in brain cells can lead to brain damage and brain trauma. Anthocyanins in the acai berry known as Cyanidin-3-glucoside can help in reversing age-related neurological deficits.

Cardiovascular disease – one of the terrific benefits of acai is its ability to lower cholesterol levels. Anthocyanins prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Elevated LDL levels can clog arteries and lead to atherosclerosis. Anthocyanins also prevent ischemia which increases capillary wall permeability, restricts blood flow, and often causes permanent capillary damage.

Blindness – retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes. When the body attempts to repair leaking capillaries, retinopathy occurs, which may lead to blindness. Anthocyanins prevent capillaries from leaking and control protein proliferation. Studies also show that anthocyanins can help you adapt better to light and dark as well as reduce eye fatigue.

Cancer – a recent experiment showed that anthocyanins from dark-colored fruits like the acai berry effectively halted colon cancer cell growth, killing approximately 20 percent of the malignant cells without damaging non-cancerous cells.

Anthocyanins are 6 to 8 times more potent than vitamin C. And the acai berry contains the most highly concentrated forms of anthocyanins among all other fruits and vegetables. Our ancestors knew then of the many benefits of acai – it’s time we make these berries a large part of our diets too.

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Acai Berry Fruit Best at Reducing Inflammation

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Inflammation is probably the foremost contributing factor to premature aging and chronic diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, allergies and cancer. Reducing inflammation can significantly improve quality of life as we age.

What is inflammation?
Most of us associate inflammation with swelling caused by injury. While inflammation from insect bites and ankle sprains are highly visible to the eye, swelling that occurs inside our bodies usually go unnoticed. Chronic inflammation can be caused by stress, smoking, high-fat diet, and environmental pollution.

Fortunately, Mother Nature has given us powerful anti-inflammatory remedies that effectively provide natural inflammation relief.

Brazilian Açai Fruit
Topping the list of anti-inflammatory supplements is Brazil’s acai berry fruit and its exceptional antioxidant content. Studies have shown that the Brazilian acai fruit contains specific polyphenols that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, obesity, and viral diseases by protecting cells from oxidative damage.

Broccoli, Grapes, Green Tea
Quercetin is a natural antioxidant found in red grapes, broccoli and green tea. Lab tests show that quercetin can severely alter intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), an important inflammation factor.

Fish Oil
Researchers from the UK discovered that taking 3.5 grams of fish oil daily for six weeks activated anti-inflammatory and lipid modulating mechanisms that can delay the early onset of coronary heart disease. Fish oil not only improves cardiovascular health, it fights inflammation and provides arthritic relief.

Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids that help decrease C-reactive protein, a common inflammation marker. Lignans that are also present in flaxseeds can protect postmenopausal women from breast cancer.

While supplements like the acai berry fruit can help suppress inflammation in your body, the most effective cure is always prevention. Sticking to a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a stress-free lifestyle will prevent inflammation from occurring in the first place.

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What’s Inside the Brazilian Acai Fruit

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

The Oprah Winfrey Show caused a massive furor around the Brazilian acai fruit. Ever since Dr. Nicholas Perricone talked about the acai berry on Oprah, this 2-centimeter purple fruit has sparked interest in every health-conscious American. What exactly is inside this berry that’s being hailed as the number one superfood on the planet?

Staggering antioxidant and anthocyanin levels
The antioxidant content of the Brazilian acai fruit is 10 times than that of grapes and twice that of blueberries. Anthocyanins in acai are up to 30 times more than that of red wine. The ORAC score for 100 grams of freeze dried acai is over 50,000 – a number that no other fruit or vegetable can even come close to.

A complete range of vitamins and minerals
The acai berry is a rich source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E. Potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc are also present in the acai fruit.

Healthy unsaturated fat
Almost 50% of the Brazilian acai fruit is fat – and 74% of that is Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acid that’s good for your heart.

Strong fiber profile
For every 100 grams of freeze dried acai, your body receives around 14 grams of fiber.

Excellent source of amino acids and plant sterols

Acai contains 19 different amino acids, supplying your body with more than 8 grams of protein for every 100 grams of acai. Three plant sterols that maintain a healthy heart and digestive system can be found in the acai berry: beta-sitosterol, campesterol and sigmasterol.

The Brazilian acai fruit is 90% seed and 10% pulp. Only the pulp and skin are edible, but some unscrupulous manufacturers are adding crushed seeds to their acai products. Stay away from any acai drink, capsule or powder that has seeds in it.

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What the ORAC score means

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

Antioxidants help eliminate oxygen free radicals from the human body. This ability is measured through a test tube analysis called ORAC, or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. The ORAC score is used to indicate the amount of antioxidants in one food source.

What are free radicals?
Free radicals are also called oxygen radicals. These are chemicals that form inside our bodies from natural processes such as digestion or physical activity. External forces such as pollution, solar radiation and rotten food also cause free radicals.

What do free radicals do?
Imagine rust forming on metal. As rust eats away the surface, the metal erodes and eventually becomes unusable. This is how free radicals attack our body – they weaken our cells, organs, tissue and other important parts, leading to diseases such as cancer, heart ailments, osteoarthritis and dementia.

The ORAC scale
Dr. Guohua Cao, a chemist-physician, is credited with the creation of the ORAC index. The ORAC test identifies and measures important antioxidants in a food source.

Foods with a high ORAC score can raise the antioxidant levels in the blood by up to 25 percent. Doctors recommend that we consume fruits and vegetables with a total ORAC score of 1,750 per day.

Because some plants contain more antioxidants than others, it is possible to achieve 1,300 ORAC units from seven kinds of vegetables or 6,000 ORAC points from just one type of fruit. Eight to ten servings of brightly colored fruits and dark green vegetables can give you an ORAC score of 5,000.

Acai tops the ORAC list
Blueberries, raspberries, grapes, broccoli, garlic, oregano and tomatoes rate high on the ORAC scale. But no single food source comes close to the ORAC score of the acai berry from Brazil.

A study done by researchers from the US Department of Agriculture, the University of Arkansas, Brunswick Laboratories, the National University of Singapore and the University of California confirmed that freeze-dried acai fruit pulp has the highest ORAC antioxidant values of any food.

Compared to blackberries (53), pomegranates (105), and blueberries (92), acai has an amazing ORAC score of 1,027 per gram. Some samples of freeze-dried acai turned out ORAC results of up to 50,000.

While these figures are impressive, they do not apply to all acai. Frozen, spray-dried and air-dried acai have lower ORAC values because many of the polyphenolics, enzymes and nutrients of the acai fruit are lost in the process.

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Why Antioxidant Supplements and Pills Do Not Work

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

With all the antioxidant supplements and pills available to you today, how do you know if they’re going to work?
 
Some companies that produce antioxidant supplements and pills want you to believe that using their product over more natural ways of consuming antioxidants is a far better method to stop the oxidization of your cells. It’s a personal call that you have to make when deciding if that is true or not, but if you read the labels on the bottles of these supplements, they will say that their claims were not substantiated by the FDA, and that their product was not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease. So how do you know if the supplements and pills are going to work?

In general, antioxidants are meant to slow down the oxidizing processes that cause damage to cells. Although it is a normal function of the body, it may also be damaging and increase risks of certain illnesses. So, taking antioxidants would be a smart thing to do, but it’s how you go about it that will make all the difference.

Foods rich in antioxidants like acai berries, pomegranates, and carrots have been determined, in many studies, to lower the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. Everyone knows that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables are good for you, but not everyone likes them and opts for the supplements and pills. The biggest deterrent of getting your antioxidants in pill or supplement form is that the quality and quantity of the vitamins and nutrients found in natural foods are far greater than any pill. Some studies have shown that people who prefer the supplements over naturally acquiring them had a higher risk of heart disease and strokes.

It’s best to keep in mind that these supplements are not drugs, and by no means can offer any guarantees. Through the many studies performed on them, it has been proven time and again that these antioxidant supplements contribute no health benefit to your body. Don’t be one of the people who look for the easy way out. Rewards often come with hard work and a good diet.

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The 5 Best Antioxidant Foods

Monday, January 12th, 2009

In order to live a healthier lifestyle, one must eat a diet rich in high antioxidants.

Everywhere you go today, you hear that eating a diet rich in high-antioxidant foods is the best path to take in order to embrace a healthier lifestyle. By eating several portions of fruits and vegetables a day, your body will work at its peak, conditional level. Many people want to know which foods are the highest in antioxidants, and we’ve supplied you with a few suggestions of the five best antioxidant foods.

Berries are the king of antioxidants. Acai, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are all very high in antioxidants with acai berries being at the top. The richer in color the berry appears, the higher the level of antioxidants. Acai berries, as well as the others, contain Vitamins A, B, C, and E that help improve a person’s immune system.

Grapes are another good source of antioxidants. It is suggested to consume them fresh or in juice rather than in wine for obvious reasons. Look to eat a grape that is redder in color than white for they have higher nutritional levels than lighter shades of grapes.

Broccoli is among the highest-rated vegetable when it comes to nutrients and antioxidants. It is a cruciferous vegetable that has high levels of Vitamin C and calcium, even more so than oranges and milk. Many people are surprised to learn that broccoli contains many disease-fighting chemicals that have been known to lower the risk of many types of cancer. It’s best to eat broccoli raw or steamed to take full advantage of its nutritious properties.

Garlic is an odorous, multi-faceted antioxidant that people have been using to flavor their meals for years. Garlic contains selenium, iodine, calcium, zinc, Vitamins A, B, and C, and many more beneficial minerals and nutrients. It has been used throughout the centuries as an antibiotic, a catalyst for decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol, and even a preventative measure to cancer.  

Tomatoes have been labeled as the most ingenious anti-cancer food due to the lycopene that they contain. Lycopene has been known to be a more powerful disease fighter than beta carotene or Vitamin E. Tomatoes can be consumed in any form to reap the benefits of their nutritious value.

By incorporating these high-antioxidant foods into your diet, your health will soar to maximum capacity. Remember to eat fresh foods as often as possible and you will feel the benefits of making decisions that can improve your health.

 

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How Adding Antioxidants to Your Diet Can Improve Your Health

Friday, January 9th, 2009

There are many diet recommendations thrown at us daily, and it’s hard to figure out what to believe. However, one thing is proven: adding antioxidants to your diet can improve your health.

It is understandable how some may become confused with the many diet recommendations that are thrown at them daily. Some suggest lowering your intake of carbohydrates, and some say eat only protein, but what we know and believe is that the best way to improve your health through diet is to include more antioxidants.

Antioxidants are substances that protect or repair your body from free radicals that insist on aging you early and allowing certain ailments to affect you more. You can be exposed to free radicals if you smoke or are around others that smoke, if you’re exposed to pollution or smog, and even if you’ve been exposed to radiation through x-rays. By including more antioxidants in your diet, you allow your body that extra boost it needs when fighting off these free radicals, thus making you feel and look healthier.

Vitamins A, C and E, beta-carotene, and lycopene and are a few, of many, antioxidants that will aid your body in the fight against free radicals. You can find these antioxidants in foods like acai berries, blueberries, broccoli, tomatoes, and carrots. Many of these foods are very rich in antioxidants, with acai berries the number one superfood to date. Acai berries are found in the tree tops of the Amazon forests, and are best consumed in a liquid form. The concentration of the berry extract is much higher than if you ingested it in pill or powder form. They are not to be eaten picked fresh from a tree. They need to be processed before consuming and can cause health issues if eaten before processing.

A well-balanced diet is the best way to fill your body with all the natural antioxidants it needs. Consuming more fruits and vegetables is key to achieving this, and preparing them is just as essential. Raw or fresh fruits and veggies provide the highest levels of nutrients, and they don’t have to be distasteful to be good for you. Educating yourself is the best way to remain healthy, and eating better will have you feeling better.

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Highest ORAC Value Food

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

By eating high-ORAC foods, the aging process will slow in both brain and body.
 
ORAC, or oxygen radical absorbance capacity, is a way to measure antioxidant levels in certain foods. It was developed by a doctor who studied the aging effect and found that by eating plenty of high ORAC foods, the aging process appeared to slow in both the brain and body. After looking at studies done on the average person’s diet, most people eat considerably less ORAC units than the daily recommendation. This inevitably will lead to chronic illnesses and disease.

The food highest on the ORAC list is the acai berry. This amazing berry is packed full of nutrients, minerals, and essential antioxidants. Consuming the antioxidant supplement in liquid form provides you with the highest concentration of the acai and is the freshest and easiest way for the body to absorb it.

Other food products that are high on the ORAC scale are ground cinnamon, red kidney beans, pecans, blueberries, and tomatoes. These fruits, vegetables, and legumes are just a very brief list of the numerous foods that are high in antioxidants. However, the higher they’re listed on the ORAC scale, the higher level of antioxidant capacity they contain. It is also suggested that you get your daily recommendation of antioxidants from natural foods over supplements. Acai juice is a good food source since it is 100% pure in nature and very high in antioxidants.

Anyone that increases their intake of fruits and vegetables that are high in the ORAC scale will find themselves in better health and feeling great. Adding a product like acai berry juice can only intensify your body’s optimal free-radical fighting process. You will find this great acai juice a tasty little surprise that gives you a kick with the extra energy it stimulates in your body. So live a healthier lifestyle by creating a diet rich in high ORAC foods and using acai berry juice and you’ll be feeling younger before you know it.
 

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Don’t Believe the Hype About Vitamins and Antioxidants

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Every once in a while, you’ll find a sudden buzz in the air surrounding a new substance or product that is supposed to promise you the world. When it comes to the quick fix, and especially when dealing with health issues, people tend to jump before they educate themselves and often end up spending enormous amounts of money on a product with pretty packaging, yet laden with false claims.

However, the question that still lingers in everyone’s minds is, are vitamins and antioxidants really a good solution to achieving optimal health?

Many studies have been done to try and solve the queries of the masses, and the results were not as near pleasant as some of the supplement ads tend to want you to believe. Many of the vitamin and antioxidant manufacturers suggest that a person can reduce their risk of heart disease. The truth is that there is no medical evidence, nor literature, to support these hopeful claims. There were a few cases in the study where there was a marked reduction in cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses, but these were from participants who ate a diet rich in foods that were high on the ORAC scale. In other words, antioxidants can be effective, but you’ll get better results from eating them fresh instead of in a capsule form.

To keep your body in tip-top shape, stick to a diet rich in foods that are high on the ORAC scale, such as the acai berry. Take multivitamins, exercise and stay active.

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