Antioxdants in Acai Berry and their benefits
Acai berry, a black-purple colored grape sized fruit has been noted to have a multitude of benefits. Several studies have reported its benefits as an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory and an anti-cancer agent. Among these, the antioxidant property of acai berry is highly proven in both animal and human studies. Antioxidants present in acai berry provide a wide array of benefits when consumed in a regular manner.
Antioxidants present in acai berry
A large number of studies have been proving the presence of different types of antioxidant molecules in acai berry. Although noted in different concentrations, a variety of acai berries contain different compounds that bestow the antioxidant effect to the berry. Three groups of compounds have been widely reported to be present according to the studies being conducted on acai berry. These include: polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins. These three groups of compounds have been noted to have a wide array of benefits due to their antioxidant properties.¹
Benefits of the antioxidants
Several types of benefits have been reported with the use of acai berry. Some of these have been discussed in brief.
Decreases superoxide and peroxyl levels
Superoxide and peroxyl molecules are some of the common types of oxygen molecules that are involved in the destruction of harmful pathogens and toxins present in the body. These molecules can however become hyperactive in certain instance leading to the destruction of normal cells and tissues in our body. Regular consumption of acai berry supplements was noted to reduce the number of superoxide and peroxyl molecules in the body. The antioxidants present in acai berry demonstrated high scavenging action against superoxide and peroxyl molecules.²
Faster action and better concentration
The antioxidants present in acai berry were noted to increase the blood-plasma concentration of antioxidants within an hour of its administration. Generally, it requires certain period of time before the antioxidants present in supplements being administered become available in the blood. This was however reduced with respect to acai supplementation. Additionally studies also demonstrated that the concentration of antioxidants in the blood of the individuals taking acai berry supplements or juice increased two to three-fold in comparison with others.², ³
Alleviates oxidative stress
Animal studies have demonstrated that the administration of acai berry in animals fed on high fat diet improves lifespan by alleviating the oxidative stress created by the high fat diet. This action of acai berry was noted to occur at gene level wherein acai induced an increase in certain genes that were responsible for alleviating stress levels.4
Antiaging effects
Antioxidants in general have been reported to prevent the effects of aging in general. One of the methods by which the anti-aging effect is brought about is through negating the effects of the oxygen radicals. Animal studies conducted to note the benefits of acai reported that acai increases the life span of animals with high levels of oxidative stress. Administration of acai was noted to initiate stress response pathways in animals suffering from oxidative stress.
Further research is being conducted to identify the additional benefits of acai berry. The anticancer benefit of acai has been suggested to be partly due to the antioxidant effect. The results obtained in the studies in future will increase the popularity of acai berry.
References:
- Neida S, Elba S. Characterization of the acai or manaca (Euterpe oleracea Mart.): a fruit of the Amazon. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2007 Mar; 57(1):94-8.
- Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B, et al. Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai). J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Nov 1; 54(22):8604-10.
- Jensen GS, Wu X, Patterson KM, Barnes J, et al. In vitro and in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of an antioxidant-rich fruit and berry juice blend. Results of a pilot and randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Sep 24;56(18):8326-33. Epub 2008 Aug 22.
- Sun X, Seeberger J, Alberico T, Wang C, Wheeler CT, Schauss AG, Zou S. Açai palm fruit (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp improves survival of flies on a high fat diet. Exp Gerontol. 2010 Mar; 45(3):243-51. Epub 2010 Jan 18.