"Take Off 10 years in 28 Days"

The Perricone Promise. By Nicholas Perricone, M.D.

Superfood Number 1: Açaí Nature's Energy Fruit

It may seem odd to start this list of superfoods with one you've likely never even heard of. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon Palm tree. Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, Açaí tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect energy fruit. Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Although Açaí may not be available in your local supermarket, you can find it, often in juice form, in several health food and gourmet stores, such as Whole Foods and Wild Oats. A new product featuring the unsweetened pulp is now also available, and I highly recommend that you chose this form of Açaí.

Açaí pulp contains:

• A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with ten times more antioxidants than red grapes and ten to thirty times the anthocyanins of red wine.

• A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber, and phytosterols, to help promote cardiovascular system and digestive health.

• An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals vital to muscles.

The fatty acid content in Açaí resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is important for a number of reasons. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane; together they help make cell membranes more supple. When the cell membrane is kept supple, all hormone, neurotransmitter, and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is particularly important because high insulin levels create an inflammatory state, and, as you know, inflammation causes aging.

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