Açaí, a super food because it's a super antioxidant!

Rich in antioxidants, it has become a staple of healthy, balanced diets. But what makes acai so unique? How do its nutritional properties surpass those of other superfoods such as bilberry or pomegranate?

In this article, we explore why acai is a superfood in its own right, by taking a closer look at its nutritional composition and health benefits.

Acai: a concentrate of antioxidants

On closer inspection, the bay of açaí looks like a big blueberry. However, with the exception of its purple colour, which is characteristic of foods high in antioxidants, açaí has nothing to envy its fellow berry.

"By analysing its nutritional composition, all our points of reference change, so much so that this fruit is like no other ! "(Solveig DARRIGO-DARTINET, Dietician-Nutritionist Specialized in micro-nutrition)

What justifies the name "superfood" for the açaí berry is itsexceptional antioxidantcontent .

Acai's powerful antioxidants

With high levels of polyphenols (3.29g/100g), manganese (5.5g/100g) and vitamin E (4.5g/100g), açaí berries boast very high antioxidant potential.

Its ORAC* index of 11,000 μmol TE/100g exceeds that of other berries (goji berry, pomegranate, blueberry...).
This is mainly due to the fact that 90% of the fruit is made up of its stone. This concentrates the nutritional contents in a pulpy and fine flesh.

What are antioxidants used for?

Antioxidants in food are like rust inhibitors for our cells. Indeed, they help fight against tissue oxidation (hence their name). This natural and permanent process produces waste products called "free radicals".

To get rid of them, antioxidants are essential. Because any excess of these wastes, due to poor diet, sun exposure, tobacco, pollution, stress ... causes adverse effects on the aging of our organs, leading to degenerative diseases.

*The ORAC or "Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity" is an index that measures the antioxidant content of a food and its ability to fight free radicals. The higher the ORAC, the more protective the food is.
The foods with the highest ORAC index are plants, spices and herbs.