So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Finally We in the West Can Enjoy the Acai Super Fruit

By Marcus C. Evans

The berries of the South American acai are small and round and grow deep in the Amazon rain forests. Natives have harvested these small fruits by hand and climbed the trees they grow on to do so. The clusters of fruit at the tree tops (a type of palm tree) do not appear that different from the purple grapes we have here.

The taste of the berries is a luscious combination of mixed berries and dark chocolate. The acai berry is only about one inch in size, but has relatively little pulp because the seed of the fruit take up almost all of the interior space. For years the Caboclo peoples who live in the Brazilian Amazon have harvested the berries as food and enjoyed various health benefits as a result.

Almost fifty percent of the diet of the natives consists of these berries enabling them to lead a healthy, active life. The acai has gained a reputation as a miniature super fruit. This is because the fruit is known to be capable of providing energy in abundance and promotes the overall strength and health in people who eat this fruit or drink its juice. Many others find that weight control is another benefit of this amazing fruit. Natives believe that a strong heart, clear mind and long lives are promoted by the super berries.

The acai juice and pulp have been used in juice blends and other drinks throughout Peru and Brazil, but have only recently become available in Western countries. People in Brazil eat the fruit fresh but they also share the mashed fruit after it is mixed with tapioca, sugar, and honey. It can even be mixed with granola and added to ice cream. Numerous reports have been carried out in South America with results confirmed by others. These reports document the superior energy that people enjoy when they eat or drink something containing acai berries.

The acai berries contain healthy fats and as a result of this they are a very perishable food item. Western countries enjoy yogurts, juices and energy drinks containing acai. It can be found in frozen fruit pulp or even as a freeze-dried powder when consumed far from where the berries are harvested.

The fruit contains anthocyanins and resveratrol and studies have shown it to have several benefits to the human body. One of these benefits is that antioxidant levels in the bloodstream increase significantly within 2 hours of drinking a product containing acai pulp or juice. This increase of antioxidants in the bloodstream heightens the body's ability to fight free radicals that attack cells.

There are also ongoing studies that suggest that this fruit is good for heart and blood circulation. Other studies are showing great promise that active ingredients in the berry may even be useful for fighting certain cancers.

Australians, and others, who live and play at a fast pace, often use this juice as a source of energy and reap other health benefits as well.

Increased energy levels and endurance is what many consumers are finding so wonderful about juice drinks that now contain acai. People who live athletic life styles like swimmers, runners, and other outdoors lovers will find this energy-producing supplement gives them all the energy they need to enjoy their healthy, active lives.

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