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Have you heard about the amazing acai berry? It is showing up in supplements, smoothie mixes and juices and being touted as a “superfood” said to help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging and even promote weight loss. Is it worth the hype (and price)? Are acai berries better than plain old blueberries?

They both contain a group of phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Plants contain various phytochemicals that help the plant fight disease, fungal infections and free radical damage. They help at the cellular level. So, we benefit from these protective factors when we consume the plants. The phytochemicals such as anthocyanins improve our overall health.

Phytochemicals also lend to the plants natural characteristics: texture, aroma and color. Though many plants contain a variety of phytochemicals, whichever one they contain the most of lends to the overall characteristics. In the case of purple plants, they contain high amounts of these anthocyanins.

These anthocyanins contribute to better health because they have characteristics that counteract some of the major causes of disease, aging and weight gain. Their antioxidant abilities are astounding. Antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Our lifestyles and diets contribute a huge amount of free radicals to our bodies and can lead to cancer, heart disease and aging. So, fighting them is essential to good health.

You will also find anti-inflammatory benefits in anthocyanins. Systemic inflammation contributes to many diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain and premature aging. Our Western diets high in animal protein and refined carbohydrates can cause systemic inflammation.

So, what do we make of this information. Both acai berries and blueberries contain anthocyanins, so why are blueberries so underrated compared to acai berries?

The answer can be found with a score called “Oxygen Radical Absorption Capabilities” or ORAC. This is a measure of the acai berry’s ability to prevent free radical damage. In other words, ORAC determines how beneficial the food is in regard to counteracting the ill effects of free radicals. Whereas blueberries have a 2400 score, acai berries have an astounding 5500.

Unfortunately, acai berries are not readily available in the produce department whereas blueberries are. If you want acai berries, you will have to travel to the Amazon OR purchase them in supplement or powder form. The juices often contain high amounts of sugar, so it is better to go with a supplement.

Ultimately, it is best to take in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to benefit from a variety of beneficial phytochemicals. They work synergistically in the body to promote overall good health. An acai berry supplement may also be a great idea to add to a healthy diet, especially during the winter months when fresh produce is not as plentiful.

Learn which acai berry brand you can trust? Go there now and find out our favorite acai berry brand.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 6:30 am and is filed under Slimming Articles.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.