If you have been keeping up with news that is health related, then you might have heard of the acai berry that has been taking the health market by storm. The acai berry has many celebrities talking about it such as Oprah, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, Summer Redstone and even Rachel Ray. Of course, these celebrities are just reporting the news and it does not mean that they endorse any acai products.

Although it is not hard to hear that the acai berry is healthy, most people have not tried it for themselves and do not know if they are really healthy. There have been many claims that the acai berry can cure diseases and illnesses. There are studies that say that the acai berry has the highest ORAC value. You are likely to find so many claims and some are proven while some are not.

Although people have heard of the acai, some of them think that it is some kind of fruit or even vegetable. Some think that is not neither fruit nor vegetable. In fact, the acai that most people refer to is the acai berry, although some may refer to acai pulp or acai juice. An acai berry is a little berry that is the size of a grape.

Even if they know that the acai is a berry, they might now know that the acai berries grow on tall trees that are in the palm family. The acai palm trees are large and tall with the acai berries hanging down in branches that look like ribbons. There can be about 20kg of acai berries harvested from each acai palm tree each year.

One of the most exciting fact about the acai berry is that it is very high in antioxidants. When compared to other fruits, acai has many more antioxidants, in both types and amounts! In 2005, a study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition stated that the acai antioxidants are great against peroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite but not against hydroxyl radicals.

If you are worried about cancer, in 2006, the University of Florida published a research finding that says that the acai berry extract may lead to scientists finding a cure to cancer. The research caught a lot of attention in the media and it was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. There need to be more research on the effect of acai berry on cancer cells.

Soon the world will know more about the acai berry. However, from what we already know, adding acai berry extract, juice or powder of some sort to your diet will help you stay healthy. It is accepted even in Scientific circles now that acai contains many things that your body needs to fight diseases and illnesses. Why wouldn’t you want to eat some acai every day?