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Layne Beachley may just be the greatest female surfer of all time. She hails from Sydney, Australia, and has won the Association of Surfing Professionals' World Surfing Championship seven times. One of the secrets to her success, like that of any champion athlete, is her diet. And one of the core components of Layne Beachley's diet is the Acai fruit. Now regarded as one of the most nutritious fruits found in the Amazon Rain Forest, Acai berries contain the highest ORAC value of any edible berry in the world. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) rating is a standard method of comparing the level of antioxidants present in food products. Antioxidants are substances that protect the body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. Typically, we know some familiar names of antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, substances found in green tea, and many other kinds. Antioxidants help protect against oxidation's damage. When oxidation occurs, basically, the arteries and tissues of the body "rust." This is a process that naturally occurs whenever we eat food or with any number of processes and as such is needed for life. However, if not counteracted with antioxidant activity, it can lead to disease, aging, and even premature death. The acai berry contains an abundance of oleic (omega-9) monounsaturated essential fatty acids. These substances help to lower the so-called "bad cholesterol," LDL, while maintaining "good" cholesterol, HDL. Linoleic polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 fatty acids) provide the same benefits. This means that the acai fruit provides healthy fats of the body, which are essential for strengthening the cardiovascular system and the heart. Of course, all great athletes along with the rest of us need these fatty acids for good health. The acai berry is also high in something called phytosterols, which are sterols that come from plants. These help reduce blood plasma cholesterol and also provide a significant source of dietary fiber. The acai berry, though, doesn't just stop there. It has many other benefits, including a special class of flavonoids called anthocyanins. These are the plant colours that give many plants their blue, red and purple colouring, found in many flowers, cereal grains, vegetables and fruits. In addition, the acai berry is represented by over 600 molecular structures, with properties that rival the benefits of other more well-known fruits and vegetables, including suppressing human cancer cell growth, inhibiting mutations caused by mutagens in cooked foods, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, blood pressure control, eyesight protection, and liver damage protection. What does this mean, then? Simply, the acai berry and its juice are a super-food. If you want to follow in Layne Beachley's stellar footsteps (or simply be healthy), it's as easy as incorporating acai berries and products into your diet.
Article Source: http://www.just-article.com
About the author: Marcus C. Evans is an expert on the unbelievable health benefits of the Acai Berry. See the "AmazonPower" website for more information on this new nutritious Super-Food and what it can do for your health.
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