Any food that contains high levels of antioxidants is always a good thing, but that does not mean that the antioxidants are the very property that makes the food a good tool for dieting. That is the most common misconception surrounding acai berry and all acai berry based products. As many people already know, this small, innocuous-looking, dark purple berry has been praised by the western world as the super food to top all super foods. It seems that the acai berry has 12 times the antioxidants as compared to the blueberry. Antioxidants help preserve the cells of the body by encouraging faster cell renewal. This helps keep the skin clear and young looking. This also contributes to the overall feeling on youth and stamina. However, antioxidants do not directly help in shedding off those unwanted pounds.
So why is the acai berry (and all other products based on the fruit) being hailed as the best tool for dieting? The answer lies in its two lesser known properties. To be more precise, acai berry contains high levels of fiber and omega fatty acids.
High levels of fiber in itself can be used as a tool for dieting since it flushes out the toxins and most other unwanted materials from the body. Fiber is especially helpful in binding to the fat deposits in some food. In which case, the fats gets expelled out of the body with the fiber. This lessens the incidence of the body actually absorbing such fats.
On the other hand, omega fatty acids almost have the same toxin flushing property. These essential acids help increase blood flow by keeping the bad cholesterol and glycerine at a comfortable level. If a person has high levels of bad cholesterol and glycerine in his or her bloodstream, chances are the vessels of the carotid arteries will constrict. So much so that the constriction will make the blood move in a more sluggish manner. This will make digestion (among all bodily functions) slow down as well. If digestion is slowed down, then the process of eliminating waste from the body is likewise stalled. So high levels of omega fatty acids ensure that the body keeps bad cholesterol at bay; in turn, this speed up the digestive process considerably, making waste expelling relatively faster and easier.
Fiber is also known to be a natural appetite suppressant. Fiber rich foods tend to keep the body satiated from hunger for longer periods of time. It allows the stomach to feel like it is always “full” even when there are less calories being taken in by the person. This tends to curb most unwanted tendencies to binge or eat beyond the scope of the recommended diet.
Likewise, omega fatty acids lower down the glycerine or blood sugar level in the lymphatic system. If a person has very high levels of blood sugar, the body feels the need to eat and eat some more. The bad news to this scenario is that once a person eats, the blood sugar increases as well, making the person’s need to eat more food even more urgent. This cycle does not stop, even several hours after digestion. By helping control the levels of glycerine in the system, omega fatty acids also help curb the appetite, making the person less prone to seek calorie rich foods particularly carbohydrate-based sweets.
Tags: acai berry, antioxidants, bad cholesterol, blood flow, bloodstream, blueberry, bodily functions, carotid arteries, cells of the body, cholesterol, common misconception, constriction, fats, glycerine, omega fatty acids, stamina, toxin, unwanted materials, unwanted pounds