"acai" news and stories

Perhaps you've noticed that the acai berry is suddenly everywhere -- as a juice, lurking in your tea, and hawked alongside your Facebook profile as weight-loss supplement. Who had even heard of this fruit ten years ago? And what is it, anyway?

Turns out the acai berry is a product of the acai palm tree, native to Central and South America and a close relative of the blueberry, cranberry, and other dark reddish/purplish fruits. As with those fruits, the acai berry is rich in anthocyanins and flavonoids -- both strong antioxidants that help your body fight against free radical damage, which is essentially what occurs on a cellular level when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. The theory goes that free radical damage can contribute to everything from minor complaints, like wrinkles, all the way up to major ones, like heart disease and cancer. And in the case of acai berries in particular, there's been a lot of hype around weight loss, resulting in numerous acai supplementation products hitting the market.

• Oprah may have made the acai berry a Superfood, but now the craze is robbing poor Brazilians of a native product critical to their health.
• Like every other city, Pittsburgh is coming alive with farmers markets. Here's a list of them.
  
• The Ball jar is celebrating its 125th anniversary, so get canning!
• Hugo Chavez has seized temporary control of one of Cargill Inc.'s pasta processing plants in Venezuela for breaking regulations.
• Rachel Carson Homestead is celebrating its dedication to local foods with a Sustainable Feast.
• Need more rhubarb in your life? Read on to learn more about rhubarb history and the plant's role in treats like this crisp with strawberry, a spring tonic and in a pie or tart with apple.

There's an interesting post over at our sister blog Gadling. It's from author Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week. I think the book is interesting if a bit unrealistic, but this list is intriguing.

He picks his eight favorite beverages from around the world, and you won't see any Yoo-Hoo or Clamato on the list. Ordinarily we wouldn't be able to try any of these drinks without traveling to Japan or Brazil, but thanks to the internet we can order them online (the post has links to all of the companies).

Tanzanian Peaberry Coffee sounds like the ultimate pick-me-up. Acai is a mixture of berry and caffeine that looks like purple frozen yogurt. Pocari Sweat is...well, does it matter? With a name like that it's something you just have to try.

A lot has been said over the past few years about "superfoods" -- certain foods that reportedly contribute greatly toward your overall health. Now, Dr. Perricone, an M.D. probably best known for his guest appearances on such television shows as 'Oprah,' the 'Today Show' and 'Larry King Live,' has weighed in with his top 10 choices. I found it interesting because even though there are some standards there, his list does include a few items that I haven't necessarily seen referred to as "superfoods" before.

Though each food has different possible benefits, it is believed that consuming these may help to regulate metabolism and burn body fat, lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, protect against heart disease and act as an aid to your digestive health. As always though, check that with your own doctor first. Perricone actually calls Wild Alaskan Salmon the "King of Superfoods" (which I suppose makes this a top 11 list instead), followed by the following 10:

• Açai Berry -- A high energy berry from the Amazon
• The Allium Family -- Garlic, onions, shallots, leeks and chives
• Barley
• Green foods including blue green algae, barley grass and wheat grass
• Buckwheat seed -- More protein than rice or wheat
• Beans and lentils -- High in fiber
• Hot peppers -- Anti-inflammatory analgesic
• Nuts and seeds
• Sprouts
• Yogurt or kefir

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Over the past few years, "Superfoods" such as select berries and other fruits, have been making headlines due to the high level of nutrients, antioxidants, and assorted other health benefits they reportedly deliver. Though it was difficult to source them from anywhere but health food stores or possibly your local smoothie / juice bar, they are readily becoming more available in mainstream North American products.

Anheuser-Busch has just added Goji, a small, red berry found in a remote area of Tibet, to their existing '180 Energy Drink' line. The berry is believed to increase energy and stimulate rejuvenation, and apparently contains one of the highest antioxidant levels of any fruit recorded. According to AB, "180 Red with Goji" contains carbonated water; sucrose; Goji berry juice; acerola juice; guarana for natural caffeine; vitamins B-6, B-12 and C; and lychee natural flavor.

Late last year, the company also released "180 Blue" which is made from the super-berry Açai, found in the Amazonian jungles of Brazil.

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