An
açaí palm, or
aqai, is one of several species of palm tree in the genus
EuterpeEuterpe is a genus of palm tree, containing eight species that are native to Central and South America, from Belize southward to Brazil, Peru and Argentina. These palms grow mainly in swamps and floodplains....
cultivated for their fruit and superior hearts of palm. The species
Euterpe oleraceaEuterpe oleracea is a species of palm, sometimes known as the Açaí Palm.-See also:*List of plants of Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil*A%C3%A7a%C3%AD Palm...
is usually called Açaí Palm, after the European adaptation of the
TupianThe Tupi or Tupian language family comprises some 70 languages spoken in South America, of which the best known are Tupi proper and Guarani.-History, members, and classification:...
word
ïwasa'i, '[fruit that] cries or expels water'. Global demand for the fruit has expanded rapidly in recent years, and açaí is now cultivated for that purpose primarily. The closely-related species
Euterpe edulis (jucara) is now predominantly used for hearts of palm.
Eight species are native to
CentralManagua
Guatemala City
San Salvador
San Pedro Sula
Panama City
San José, Costa Rica
Santa Ana, El Salvador
León
San Miguel|-|}...
and
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
, from
BelizeBelize , is a country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, composed of many cultures and speaking many languages. Although Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language...
southward to
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
and
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
, growing mainly in
swampA swamp is a wetland featuring temporary or permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a substantial number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types...
s and
floodplain||-||-||-||-||-||-||-||}A floodplain, or flood plain, is flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a stream or river that experiences occasional or periodic flooding...
s. Açaí palms are tall, slender palms growing to 15–30 meters, with
pinnatePinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis in plant or animal structures, and comes from the Latin word pinna meaning "feather", "wing", or "fin". A similar term is pectinate, which refers to a comb-like arrangement of parts...
leaves up to 3 meters long.
Stem
Heart of palmHeart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, burglar's thigh, chonta or swamp cabbage, is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees...
, the soft inner-growing tip of some palms (
Euterpe edulis,
Bactris gasipaesBactris gasipaes is a species of palm native to the tropical forests of the South and Central America. It is a palm which can typically grow to 20 m or taller, with pinnate leaves 3 m long on a 1 m long petiole. The fruit is a drupe with an edible pulp surrounding the single seed, 4-6 cm long and...
), is often consumed in salads.
Fruit
The
fruitThe term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from...
, a small, round, black-purple
drupeIn botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
about 1-inch (25 mm) in diameter, similar in appearance and size to a
grapeA grape is the non-climacteric fruit, botanically a true berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, and grape seed oil...
but with less pulp, is produced in branched
panicleA panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches ....
s of 500 to 900 fruits. Two crops of fruit are produced each year. The fruit has a single large
seedA seed , referred to as a kernel in some plants, is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
about 0.25–0.40 inches (7–10 mm) in diameter. The exocarp of the ripe fruits is a deep purple color, or green, depending on the kind of açaí and its maturity. The mesocarp is pulpy and thin, with a consistent thickness of 1 mm or less. It surrounds the voluminous and hard endocarp, which contains a
seedA seed , referred to as a kernel in some plants, is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
with a diminutive
embryoAn embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
and abundant
endospermEndosperm is the tissue produced in the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet...
. The seed makes up about 80% of the fruit (Schauss, 2006c).
The berries are harvested as food. In a study of three traditional
CabocloA caboclo is a term used in Brazil describing a person of mixed Brazilian Amerindian and European descent...
populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm was described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up such a major component of diet (up to 42% of the total food intake by weight) and is economically valuable in the region.
The juice and pulp of açaí fruits (
Euterpe oleracea) are used in various juice blends,
smoothieA smoothie is a blended, chilled, sometimes sweetened beverage made from fresh fruit or vegetables. In addition to fruit, many smoothies include crushed ice, frozen fruit, honey or frozen yogurt, although some smoothies are 100% fruit. They have a milkshake-like consistency which is thicker than...
s, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, açaí is traditionally served in
gourdA gourd is a plant of the family Cucurbitaceae, or a name given to the hollow, dried shell of a fruit in the Cucurbitaceae family of plants of the genus Lagenaria...
s called "cuias" with
tapiocaTapioca is a starch extracted from the root of the plant species Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon , but is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, bitter-cassava, manioc, "mandioca", "aipim", "macaxeira", "manioca", "boba", "yuca" , "Sagudana" --with...
and, depending on the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet (
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline substances, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Human taste buds interpret its flavor as sweet. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple , and in many...
,
rapaduraRapadura is the Portuguese name for a form of sugarcane juice, used as a sweetener or as a candy, common in Latin American countries such as Brazil and Venezuela and the Caribbean. See also panela. It is dried sugarcane juice, in the form of a brick, and is largely produced on site at sugarcane...
, and
honeyHoney is a sweet food made by some insects using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
are known to be used in the mix). Açaí has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as
açaí na tigelaAçaí na tigela is a typical Brazilian dish made of frozen and mashed açaí palm fruit from the Amazonian region. Its preparation in southern Brazil is different than how it is prepared in the Amazonian region...
("açaí in the bowl"), mostly mixed with
granolaGranola is a breakfast food and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey, and sometimes rice, that is usually baked until crispy. During the baking process the mixture is stirred to maintain a loose, breakfast cereal-type consistency...
. Açaí is also widely consumed in Brazil as an
ice creamIce cream or ice-cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners. In some cases, artificial flavourings and colorings are used in...
flavor or juice. The juice has also been used in a flavored liqueur.
As a dietary supplement
Recently, the açaí berry has been marketed as a
dietary supplementA dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet...
. Companies sell açaí berry products in the form of
tabletA tablet is a mixture of active substances and excipients, usually in powder form, pressed or compacted into a solid. The excipients include binders, glidants and lubricants to ensure efficient tabletting; disintegrants to ensure that the tablet breaks up in the digestive tract; sweeteners or...
s,
juiceJuice is a liquid naturally contained in fruit or vegetable tissue. Juice is prepared by mechanically squeezing or macerating fresh fruits or vegetables without the application of heat or solvents. For example, orange juice is the liquid extract of the fruit of the orange tree. Juice may be...
,
smoothieA smoothie is a blended, chilled, sometimes sweetened beverage made from fresh fruit or vegetables. In addition to fruit, many smoothies include crushed ice, frozen fruit, honey or frozen yogurt, although some smoothies are 100% fruit. They have a milkshake-like consistency which is thicker than...
s, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.
Marketers of these products, such as Monarch Health Sciences, parent company of
MonaVieMonaVie is a nutritional beverage company distributing beverage products made from blended fruit juice concentrates with freeze-dried açaí powder and purée through a multi-level marketing business model. Marketing claims suggest the products provide antioxidants and health benefits...
, make unverified claims that açaí provides increased
energyIn physics, energy is a scalar physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that is subject to a conservation law...
levels, improved
sexualHuman sexuality is how people experience the erotic and express themselves as sexual beings. Frequently driven by the desire for sexual pleasure, human sexuality has biological, physical and emotional aspects...
performance, improved
digestionDigestion is the mechanical and chemical breaking down of food into smaller components, to a form that can be absorbed, for instance, by a blood stream. Digestion is a form of catabolism.that means break down of macro food molecules to smaller one....
, detoxification, high
fiberFiber, also spelled fibre, is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread. They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together. Human uses for fibers are diverse...
content, improved
skinThe skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of mesodermal tissue, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Skin of a different nature exists in amphibians, reptiles, birds...
appearance, improved
heartThe heart is a muscular organ found in all vertebrates that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
health, improved sleep, and reduction of
cholesterolCholesterol is a lipidic, waxy steroid found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes, where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity...
levels.
QuackwatchQuackwatch Inc. is an American non-profit organization founded by Stephen Barrett that states its mission is to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."...
noted that "açai juice has only middling levels of antioxidants—less than that of Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry juices, but more than cranberry, orange, and apple juices." Furthermore, the extent to which antioxidants by themselves promote health is a matter of some debate. No credible evidence suggests antioxidants promote weight loss. According to the Washington, D.C. based
Center for Science in the Public InterestCenter for Science in the Public Interest is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group.-History and funding:...
(CSPI) thousands of consumers have had trouble stopping recurrent charges on their credit cards when they cancel their free trials. Even web sites purporting to warn about açai-related scams are themselves perpetrating scams. Apparently false claims include reversal of diabetes and other chronic illnesses, as well as expanding
size of the penisHuman penis size refers to the length and width of human male genitalia. Interest in largerpenis sizes has led to an industry devoted to penis enlargement....
and increasing men's sexual virility and sexual attractiveness to women.
.
As of March 2009, there are no
scientifically controlledWhen an experiment is being conducted to investigate the effect of a single variable of interest on a particular system, a scientific control is used to minimize unintended influences on that system. Such unintended influences include researcher bias, environmental changes, and biological variation...
studies backing up any of these claims. According to
ABC NewsABC News is a division of American television network ABC, owned by The Walt Disney Company. Its current president is David Westin.-Current programs:* America This Morning* Good Morning America* Good Morning America Weekend Edition...
correspondent Susan Donaldson, these products have not been evaluated (in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) by the FDA, and their efficacy is questionable. In late 2008, lawyers for
The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is a United States syndicated talk show, hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey, and is the highest-rated talk show in American television history...
began investigating alleged statements from supplement manufacturers who suggested that frequent
Oprah guest Dr.
Mehmet OzMehmet Cengiz Oz is an American cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and talk show host. He has made frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as appearances on Larry King, CNN, and other networks....
had recommended their product or açai in general for weight loss.
Other uses
Apart from the use of its berries as food or a flavoring in tequila, the açaí palm has other commercial uses. Leaves may be made into hats, mats, baskets, brooms and roof thatch for homes, and trunk wood, resistant to pests, for building construction. Tree trunks may be processed to yield
mineralsDietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen present in common organic molecules...
.
Comprising 80% of the fruit mass, açaí seeds may be ground for livestock food or as a component of organic soil for plants. Planted seeds are used for new palm tree stock, which, under the right growing conditions, requires months to form seedlings. The seeds are a source of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids
Nutritional content
A powdered preparation of freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin (Opti-açaí, K2A, Inc.) was reported to contain (per 100 g of extract) 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrates, 8.1 g
proteinProteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and folded into a globular form. The amino acids in a polymer chain are joined together by the peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid residues...
, and 32.5 g total
fatFats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at normal room temperature, depending on their structure and composition...
. The carbohydrate portion included 44.2 g of
fiberFiber, also spelled fibre, is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread. They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together. Human uses for fibers are diverse...
. The powder was also shown to contain (per 100 g): negligible
vitamin CVitamin C or L-ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for humans, in which it functions as a vitamin. Ascorbate is required for a range of essential metabolic reactions in all animals and plants...
, 260 mg
calciumCalcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft grey alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
, 4.4 mg
ironIron is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a group 8 and period 4 element and is therefore classified as a transition metal. Iron and iron alloys are by far the most common metals and the most common ferromagnetic materials in everyday use...
, and 1002 U
vitamin AVitamin A is linked to a family of similarly shaped molecules, the retinoids, which complete the remainder of the vitamin sequence. Its important part is the retinyl group, which can be found in several forms. In foods of animal origin, the major form of vitamin A is an ester, primarily retinyl...
, as well as
aspartic acidAspartic acid is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCHCH2CO2H. The carboxylate anion of aspartic acid is known as aspartate...
and
glutamic acidGlutamic acid is one of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids, and its codons are GAA and GAG. It is a non-essential amino acid...
; the
amino acidAmino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and one of the twenty R-groups. These molecules are particularly important in biochemistry, where this term refers to alpha-amino acids with the general formula H
2NCHRCOOH, where R is an organic substituent...
content was 7.59% of total dry weight.
The fat content of açaí consists of
oleic acidOleic acid is a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable sources. It has the formula CH37CH=CH7COOH)...
(56.2% of total fats),
palmitic acidPalmitic acid,CH
314COOH or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants. As its name indicates, it is a major component of the oil from palm trees . The word palmitic is from the French "palmitique", the...
(24.1%), and
linoleic acidLinoleic acid is an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid. In physiological literature, it is called 18:2. Chemically, linoleic acid is a carboxylic acid with an 18-carbon chain and two cis double bonds; the first double bond is located at the sixth carbon from the omega...
(12.5%). Açaí also contains
beta-sitosterolβ-Sitosterol is one of several phytosterols with chemical structures similar to that of cholesterol. It is white in colour and waxy in nature.-Sources:...
(78–91% of total sterols). The oil compartments in açaí fruit contain
polyphenolPolyphenols are a group of chemical substances found in plants, characterized by the presence of more than one phenol unit or building block per molecule...
s such as pro
cyanidinCyanidin is a natural organic compound. It is a particular type of anthocyanidin . It is a pigment found in many redberries including but not limited to grapes, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, elderberry, hawthorn, loganberry, acai berry and raspberry...
oligmers and
vanillic acidVanillic acid is a benzoic acid derivative used as a flavoring agent. It is an oxidized form of vanillin. It is also an intermediate in the production of vanillin from ferulic acid.-Occurrence in nature:...
, syringic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid,
protocatechuic acidProtocatechuic acid , , is a polyphenol antioxidant. It has mixed effects on normal and cancer cells in in vitro and in vivo studies. PCA has been reported to induce apoptosis of human leukemia cells, as well as malignant HSG1 cells taken from human oral cavities, but PCA was found to have mixed...
, and
ferulic acidFerulic acid is an organic compound that is an abundant phenolic phytochemical found in plant cell walls. It is a derivative of trans-cinnamic acid...
, which were shown to degrade substantially during storage or exposure to heat.
Antioxidants of açaí raw materials
A comparative analysis reported that açaí has intermediate
antioxidantAn antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells...
potency among 11 varieties of frozen juice pulps, scoring lower than acerola, mango, strawberry, and grapes.
A powdered preparation of freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin was shown to contain anthocyanins (3.19 mg/g); however, anthocyanins accounted for only about 10% of the overall antioxidant capacity. The powdered preparation was also reported to contain twelve
flavonoidFlavonoids , also collectively known as Vitamin P and citrin, are a class of plant secondary metabolites. According to the IUPAC nomenclature, they can be classified into:...
-like compounds, including homoorientin,
orientinOrientin is a flavone, a chemical flavonoid-like compound found in the passion flower, the Açaí palm and Anadenanthera peregrina. Orientin is also reported in millets and in the Phyllostachys nigra bamboo leaves.-Isoorientin:...
,
taxifolinTaxifolin is a flavanonol, a type of flavonoid. It can be found in the açaí palm, in the Siberian larch in Russia and in the silymarin extract from the milk thistle seeds.-Metabolism:...
, deoxyhexose, isovitexin, scoparin, as well as proanthocyanidins (12.89 mg/g), and low levels of
resveratrolResveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed...
(1.1 μg/g). A study on another different freeze-dried acai product (Opti-Acai) reported that the formulation contained much lower levels of anthocyanins, proanthocyanadins, and other polyphenol compounds as compared with blueberries and other antioxidant-rich fruits.
In a study of different açaí varieties for their antioxidant capacity, a white
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
displayed no antioxidant activity against different oxygen radicals, whereas the purple variety most often used commercially had antioxidant activity against peroxyl radicals and to a lesser extent
peroxynitritePeroxynitrite is the anion with the formula ONOO−. It is an unstable "valence isomer" of nitrate, NO3−, which has the same formula but a different structure. Although peroxynitrous acid is highly reactive, its conjugate base peroxynitrite is stable in basic...
but little activity against
hydroxyl radicalThe hydroxyl radical, OH·, is the neutral form of the hydroxide ion . Hydroxyl radicals are highly reactive and consequently short-lived; however, they form an important part of radical chemistry...
s.
Freeze-dried açaí powder was found to have
antioxidantAn antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells...
activity against
superoxideSuperoxide is an anion with the chemical formula O
2−. It is important as the product of the one-electron reduction of dioxygen O
2, which occurs widely in nature...
(1614 units/g) and peroxyl radicals (1027 μmol TE/g) and mild activity for peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals. The powder was reported to inhibit
hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide is a very pale blue liquid, slightly more viscous than water, that appears colorless in dilute solution. It is a weak acid, has strong oxidizing properties, and is a powerful bleaching agent. It is used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, oxidizer, and in rocketry as a propellant...
-induced oxidation in neutrophils, and to have a slight stimulatory effect on
nitric oxideNitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide is a chemical compound with chemical formula NO. This gas is an important signaling molecule in the body of mammals, including humans, and is an extremely important intermediate in the chemical industry...
production by
lipopolysaccharideLipopolysaccharides , also known as lipoglycans, are large molecules consisting of a lipid and a polysaccharide joined by a covalent bond; they are found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, act as endotoxins and elicit strong immune responses in animals.-Functions:LPS is a major...
-stimulated
macrophageMacrophages are white blood cells within tissues, produced by the division of monocytes. Human macrophages are about in diameter...
s
in vitroA procedure performed in vitro is performed not in a living organism but in a controlled environment, such as in a test tube or Petri dish...
.
Extracts of açaí seeds were reported to have
antioxidantAn antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells...
capacity against peroxyl radicals, similar to the antioxidant capacity of the pulp, with higher antioxidant capacity against peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals.
Antioxidant activity of açaí juice
When three commercially available juice mixes containing unspecified percentages of açaí juice were compared for in vitro antioxidant capacity against red
wineWine is an alcoholic beverage typically made of fermented grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes...
,
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
, six types of pure fruit juice, and
pomegranateThe pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to between five and eight meters tall. The pomegranate is native to Southwest Asia and has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times...
juice, the average antioxidant capacity was ranked lower than that of pomegranate juice,
Concord grapeConcord grapes are a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis labrusca which are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes....
juice,
blueberryBlueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries. Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as "blueberries" and are mainly native to North America. They are usually erect but sometimes prostrate shrubs varying in size from to tall...
juice, and red wine. The average was roughly equivalent to that of
black cherryPrunus serotina, commonly called Black Cherry, Wild Black Cherry, Rum Cherry, or Mountain Black Cherry, is a woody plant species belonging to the genus Prunus...
or
cranberryCranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the genus Vaccinium subgenus Oxycoccos, or in some treatments, in the distinct genus Oxycoccos...
juice, and was higher than that of
orangeAn orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus ×sinensis and its fruit. The orange is a hybrid of ancient cultivated origin, possibly between pomelo and tangerine...
juice,
appleThe apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits...
juice, and tea.
A study in 12 healthy
fastedFasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. A fast may be total or partial concerning that from which one fasts, and may be prolonged or intermittent as to the period of fasting...
human volunteers demonstrated that blood antioxidant capacity was increased within two hours after consumption of a commercial açaí juice beverage or
applesauceApple sauce is a loose or chunky purée made of cooked or baked apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and a variety of spices . Fruit flavorings or sweeters such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or sucralose are also commonly added. Apple sauce can be fine or chunky...
. The generation of
reactive oxygen speciesReactive oxygen species are free radicals that contain the oxygen atom. They are very small molecules that include oxygen ions and peroxides and can be either inorganic or organic. They are highly reactive due to the presence of unpaired valence shell electrons.ROS form as a natural byproduct of...
was not significantly affected by acai juice consumption.
Other research
Freeze-dried açaí powder was shown to have mild inhibitory effects on
cyclooxygenaseCyclooxygenase is an enzyme that is responsible for formation of important biological mediators called prostanoids, including prostaglandins, prostacyclin and thromboxane. Pharmacological inhibition of COX can provide relief from the symptoms of inflammation and pain...
enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, and chemically-extracted polyphenolic-rich fractions from açaí were reported to reduce the
proliferationThe word proliferation literally means the process of "giving life to" something, either an abstract or a concrete. Depending on the context used, proliferation can refer to a number of different topics, such as:*Nuclear proliferation...
of HL-60 (experimental
leukemiaLeukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood cells, usually white blood cells . Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
) cells
in vitroA procedure performed in vitro is performed not in a living organism but in a controlled environment, such as in a test tube or Petri dish...
. In vitro anti-proliferative effects were also observed with
extractAn extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or in powder form....
s from açaí
pulp-Media and entertainment:* Pulp * Pulp * Pulp , a monthly manga anthology* Pulp , by Charles Bukowski* Pulp magazine , inexpensive fiction magazines or paperbacks-Papermaking:...
oil.
Orally-administered açaí has been tested as a contrast agent for
magnetic resonance imagingMagnetic Resonance Imaging , or nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , is primarily a medical imaging technique most commonly used in radiology to visualize the internal structure and function of the body...
of the gastrointestinal system. Its anthocyanins have also been characterized for stability as a natural
food coloringFood coloring is any substance that is added to food or drink to change its color. Food coloring is used both in commercial food production and in domestic cooking...
agent.
External links
- Kew Checklist (enter 'Euterpe' in search box)
- Pictures of açaí palms trees and fruit from an article by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization working to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
.