As we become more knowledgeable about what we should and should not put into our bodies, we are choosing more natural ingredients. Natural substances are generally preferred over chemical ones and are also perceived as healthy.  This increasing demand for natural ingredients and improving health is also attracting attention to the ”super-foods”. The so called super-fruits, such as grapes and pomegranates deliver an effective range of beneficial compounds, including vitamins, fatty acids, minerals and antioxidants.  Berries are now grouped in this category called “super-foods,” as they are naturally rich sources of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber.  The novel super-food; acai berry fruit from Central and South America has had tremendous attention ever since it was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show.

As a food source the acai berry fruit has great nutritional value while it also has valuable medicinal properties; mainly as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. A study reported in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found the acai berry fruit to be a potential cyclooxygenase COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor, accounting for its anti-inflammatory properties much like the pharmaceutical COX-2 inhibitors Vioxx, Celebrex, Bextra and NSAIDS Naprosyn and Advil. Chronic inflammation is a major factor in debilitating diseases and persistent inflammation is frequently linked with cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, aging and autoimmune diseases such as asthma, lupus, arthritis.

Collective research has shown that the antioxidant activity of the acai berry fruit may help prevent diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It’s powerful antioxidants, known as anthocyanins, help the body defend itself against stressful life situations. Acai berries are also rich in omega 6 and 9 fatty acids, which help increase your metabolic rate and can help lower your cholesterol levels.

The acai berry fruit has been reported to be a great weight loss aid. Very limited research has been done on the weight loss properties of the acai berry fruit, therefore, these claims come mainly from testimonials and are not research based. Side effects have been reported from taking acai berry supplements, in particular, it can sometimes make you visit the bathroom more often than usual, and some people have reported abdominal discomfort, in particular bloating and cramping.

Acai Palm is a member of Euterpe genus (Euterpe oleracea) growing in swamps and floodplains of South and Central America. The acai berry fruit is a small grape-sized berry of which only 10% is fruit, the other 90% is made up of the seed or pit. The fruits grow in panicles (almost 700 – 900 fruits). Acai berries are harvested  by the thousands and put through a process that separates the pulp from the seed to produce a thick, edible puree which is then frozen.

Due to the fact that acai berry fruit has a high fat content, it rapidly deteriorates (within 24 hours) after collecting. Therefore it is not possible to buy fresh acai berry fruit outside the area where it is harvested. In order to keep the valuable nutrients of acai, it is necessary to freeze it after harvesting. If improperly processed the acai berry nutrients will be lost and the consumer will end up with an inferior product. So, as a consumer interested in buying an acai berry fruit supplement make sure you buy from a trustworthy company or brand.

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Have you noticed lately when you browse a health magazine that there is some new exotic food being featured as the “New Super Food”?   We are constantly being inundated with new information and claims.  From all kinds of exotic berries to green teas, how do we know what foods have some good medicinal qualities?

I want to feature a fruit that I’ve recently been introduced too called Mangosteen. Mangosteen fruit has been used since the beginning of mankind in the eastern world and has only recently been discovered in the western world.  Introduction of Mangosteen fruit to the western world brought with it the title “Queen of Fruits”.

Mangosteen fruit, also known as Xango, originated in Southern Asia.  This location is where Mangosteen fruit is usually grown. It grows on Asian tropical evergreen trees where the climate is relatively warm, does not resist very cold temperatures and grows at a very slow pace. When these trees are about ten years old they begin to produce small purplish fruits which bear no relation to the Mango. In Asia, Mangosteen fruit is regarded as the “Queen of Fruits” due to its delicate taste and aroma.

The “Claim to Fame” for Mangosteen fruit comes from its plentiful source of xanthones.   These are phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties.  Many people don’t realize that most of the xanthones are found in the rind and outer shell, not in the fruit itself.  Slick marketing has promoted this exotic fruit for sale in the form of juices at outrages prices. On the internet I found Mangosteen juice for sale at $35.00 for a 750ml bottle. In a health food store I found 1 liter of Mangosteen juice for sale at $50.00. Are these prices justified?

Wikipedia advises that when Mangosteen was analyzed for nutrient content, antioxidant strength and potential impact for lowering risk against human diseases it was discovered that the overall nutrient content was absent of important content. 

I am very wary of any food items coming from China.  There was a recall on children’s toys because of lead contamination, milk products have been contaminated with melamine which is a known toxin that has poisoned thousands of children while chickens, being fed melamine, and their eggs are likewise contaminated.

A recent issue in The National Geographic magazine talks about the Yellow River in China being so polluted that the water is unusable. Thousands of villagers are dying of cancer and other terminal illnesses because they use the water from the Yellow River.  Equipped with this knowledge I must then pose some questions: 

- If Mangosteen fruit comes from China what are the soil conditions like where it is being grown? 

- What waterways are feeding these fruits and how badly are they polluted? 

- What toxins are we putting into our bodies when we buy these exotic products?

We tend to forget our own super-foods grown right here in our own backyards. Think of  blueberries, black cherries, concord grapes, blackberries and cranberries. All of these have been proven to have excellent antioxidant properties while they lower the risk against certain human diseases. We can get these delicious foods certified organic which means we know that no pesticides have been used,

While you can purchase our own homegrown foods, for your family, at a fraction of the price of Mangosteen juice you can also rest easier with the assurance of quality coming from our own certified organic farming.  My money and my families health stays with our own superfoods!

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