Acai berry is a type of berry that has been used by people in the interior of the Amazon forest for thousands of years and is still alive today. Acai berry itself is quite rarely heard in people’s ears because it is not a native berry and is also outdated by other types of berries, such as strawberries, blackberries, and the health benefits of grapefruit.
But, do you know how pronounce the word ‘acai’ correctly? This acai berry is pronounced as ‘asay berry.’ This fruit comes from a type of palm tree that grows in Central and South America. The acai berry is purplish-blue and about the size of a large blueberry.
The indigenous people of the Amazon tribe have been using acai berry as a health product for many years. This fruit contains far more antioxidants than other types of berries.
The acai berry is a fruit that is hard to come by. Apart from just being found in the rainforests of Brazil, the palm trees that produce acai fruit are also very high, so local people are at increased risk of picking fruit. In addition, the export process must also be very fast because a time-consuming journey by sea can make the fruit perish quickly.
Acai berries can be consumed raw, juiced, or made into pill extracts. Sometimes, this fruit can also be used as a coloring agent in ice cream or jelly. Natural acai fruit tastes similar to blackberries but with a slightly bitter taste similar to the health benefits of dark chocolate.
Because the seeds are pretty large, acai fruit is usually consumed in juice or used as a daily supplement. What’s good about it is that it can be used as a natural supplement for pregnancy. Don’t believe it? Let’s take a look at its nutrients.
What’s Inside Acai Berry
Since hundreds of years ago, acai berry fruit is believed by native Amazonian forests as a traditional “medicine” to treat health, even treat various diseases, from mild to serious ones. This is inseparable from many vital substances in it, such as
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium, and
- Phosphorus
So what are the benefits for pregnant women? Let’s find out!
Health Benefits of Acai Berry for Pregnancy
- Protects Against Diabetes and Heart Disease
With changes in hormones, pregnant women are prone to serious health problems, including diabetes. If not treated well, both the mom and the baby are at a desperate risk. To prevent this problem from happening, acai berry can be a huge help.
As previously mentioned, acai berry has a much higher antioxidant content than other types of berries, even the health benefits of Aronia berry. Antioxidants are substances that can protect your body’s cells from damage by oxidative processes.
When the body’s cells are oxidized, the outer layer of the cell is damaged. This damage will produce free radicals. These free radicals will then take electrons from healthy cells.
So, with antioxidants, the cell oxidation process can be prevented to protect your body from various diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and different other aging processes.
- BestS Source for Fiber and Antioxidants
The acai berry wouldn’t be a superfood without its purplish-blue skin. Acai fruit peels are high in fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants. If you buy an acai berry supplement, make sure that it is rich in acai berry peels.
- Prevent Hypertension and High Cholesterol
Acai berry also contains fatty acids needed by the body, such as omega-3, omega-6, and monounsaturated oleic acid. Omega-3 and omega-6 are known as fats that are good for the body and are recommended for consumption by experts.
Meanwhile, oleic acid is a fat commonly found in skincare products. All the fatty acids in acai are known to prevent various medical conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol. So, it can be an excellent alternative to health benefits of Nigerian Ogbono, which is much harder to find.
- Healthy for People who are Overweight
When first introduced, acai fruit was claimed to help you lose weight. However, at this time, there is still little evidence that can prove whether acai fruit can help someone’s diet program.
However, a study shows that acai berry supplements can help lower cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and lower the risk of diabetes in overweight people.
- Caring for Skin Health
Vitamin C content in acai berry produces acai berry benefits for the skin, namely caring for the skin to stay healthy and look young. Vitamin C is an antioxidant agent, which antioxidants function to protect skin cells from damage caused by free radicals.
So, if you want to avoid various skin problems such as premature aging, which is marked by the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, black spots, or other skin problems such as acne, be diligent about consuming this acai berry.
- Prevents Cancer
The antioxidants in acai berries make this fruit worthy of your consumption to minimize the risk of developing deadly cancer. Cancer is a disease that starts from the destruction of cells in the body due to free radical attack.
So do not be surprised if the acai berry is claimed to help prevent cancer because the antioxidants contain a function to ward off these free radical attacks, which similar to the benefits of Tempeh for cancer treatment.
- Overcoming Digestive Problems
Have you been familiar with constipation, diarrhea, etc.? This issue could be a sign that the body is deficient in fiber. One way to overcome the digestive issues as intended is to eat acai berry. The benefits of this one acai berry cannot be separated from the fiber content in it. Consuming acai berry helps meet your daily fiber needs so that the risk of developing indigestion can be minimized.