The first time I ever tried acai (pron: ah-sah-yee) in 1997, the fruit was served to me as a thick drink by an Ipixuna Indian woman, when I was living on the Amazon river for a month.  Acai, Euterpe oleracea, was as deep purple as any food I had ever seen.  In fact, a spill stained a favorite t-shirt of mine forever.  I loved the rich flavor of acai, and the energy it imparted, and consumed as much as I could during the course of my time on the river. When I left Brazil that time, I lamented that I’d probably never be able to obtain acai back home.  Times have changed, and this delicious fruit is now widely available, from Whole Foods to up-market grocery stores.

A so-called “super-berry” that grows on palms trees in the Amazon, acai is a staple food throughout Amazonia, and that status owes directly to its marvelous flavor.  Acai explodes with flavor, and gets better with every mouthful. Rich in the potent purple pigments called anthocyanins, acai has a higher antioxidant activity rating than bilberries or blueberries, and is rich in beneficial dietary fibers.  A glass of blended acai fruit, with just a slight touch of energizing guarana and certified organic sugar, imparts so much energy, you’ll want to dance and yodel while climbing a mountain at the same time.  No wonder endurance cyclists and ball players have taken to this fruit. Surfers, skateboarders, X-gamers and outdoor enthusiasts speak of acai with reverence.

The berry craze is on full throttle now, and purveyors of each berry, from blueberries to blackberries, black currants and elderberries, have positioned their berry as the ultimate.  All of these berries are rich in the purple antioxidant pigments called anthocyanins, and all impart both antioxidant protection to cells, and anti-inflammatory activity as well.  As far as I am concerned, they are all extraordinary foods, and are valuable in any person’s diet. I just happen to favor acai most of all, because I love the flavor and the fact that the acai trade is helping to reduce deforestation in some parts of the Amazon. .

Forest Preservation – Fast-forward years later, once more in the Brazilian rainforest, this time in the company of Ryan Black, founder of Sambazon Acai.  We are watching several hard-working Brazilians climb tall acai palms rapidly, cut branches laden with ripe purple acai berries, and strip the berries into baskets, readying them for processing. “Our wildharvesting system was developed in conjunction with the Forest Sustainability Council,” Ryan explains. “We’ve taught people how to wildharvestacai, and protect the forest at the same time.” Through ecologically sound agro-forestry management practices, Sambazon has established a top-notch conservation program that protects the Amazon rainforest and minimizes habitat loss.  On top of that, they’ve implemented a fair wage system that provides higher than average wages to over ten thousand familiesin Brazil’s Amapa state. Sambazon has won praise and support from World Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy and Greenpeace. As far as Ryan is concerned, it’s all just a reasonable and fair way to operate a business. “Might as well do it right if you’re going to do it,” he comments.

Harvested from August through December in the hot, humid Amazon rainforest, acai is a high labor fruit. I watch the remarkable climbing skills of the harvesters, and realize with some sadness that I could never climb trees like that, let alone do it every day.

Traditional acai -We are invited into a large wooden house with open windows and about a dozen children crowding around us, to watch a woman prepare acai the traditional way. In this house, the preparation is all performed by hand.  The woman hand grinds the berries through fiber mats, until the juice and fine pulp drip into a container underneath. After laboring on our behalf for more than half an hour, she serves us acai. Several of us spoon the rich berry preparation into our mouths, and laugh at our good fortune until tears form in our eyes. “Now this is how to eat acai,” Ryan declares. Truth is, unless you make a pilgrimage to the Brazilian Amazon, your best acai bet will be freezer packs or smoothies found in natural food stores.

Acai diets – Just a quick word about the acai diets that everybody has been spammed over.  Useless.  Acai is not a diet miracle. It is a wonderful, amazing-tasting, highly beneficial fruit that gives you energy and makes you feel good. But don’t be bilked by companies that want you to believe it’s the key to slimming. It isn’t.

There’s really no need to try to make something more than it is. In the case of acai, this is a superior, nutrient-rich fruit with tremendous antioxidant value. It offers great flavor, and makes you feel good. The harvesting of acai provides a living to a lot of people, and helps to preserve some of the Amazon rainforest. In my mind, that’s more than enough.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide.  His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com

Everyone knows they should eat fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds and whole grains for good health. But do you know which are among the healthiest?  Below are among my favorite Super Foods and some suggestions for incorporating them into your diet! These foods aren’t only delicious, but eating them can add years to your life!

Quinoa
Why it’s healthy: It has enough protein to make it equivalent to eating beef or egg whites, it has no fat, and it’s lower in carbs than most other grains. Grains?  Yup, but technically it is a seed. This is not protein from meat but rather Quinoa, an ancient grain native to the Incas and also known as a nutritional powerhouse and complete protein because it contains all the essential amino acids. It’s delicate in flavor but high in fiber and also has ample amounts of magnesium, potassium, zinc, Vitamin E, riboflavin, copper, and more iron than true grains. Quinoa also contains lysine, an amino acid that is essential for tissue growth and repair and its good source of magnesium which helps prevent migraines by constricting blood vessels. 
How to eat them: Quinoa might look small but when cooked it more than quadruples in size. You can use it as a side dish instead of rice or make a salad out of it by chopping and adding onions, scallions, celery, peppers, carrots and chickpeas.

Bulgur
Why it’s healthy: If you haven’t heard about it before it’s often used in Mediterranean cuisine as a replacement for rice or couscous and has a yummy nutty flavor. It’s high in fiber and protein, and low in fat and calories. Its insoluble fiber content, just like whole wheat can help absorb water, promoting faster elimination of waste, which prevents the formation of an environment that promotes the development of carcinogens. Therefore it adds nutrients to fill you up without filling you out.
How to eat them: Like Quinoa, It makes as a great side dish to roasted chicken, turkey, or pork and you can even use it in your stuffing.

Flaxseed
Why it’s healthy:  This tiny nutty-flavored seeds from the flax plant are a notable source of omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, which may block hormone related cancers. They pack plenty of protein and fiber, one third of which is cholesterol lowering soluble fiber.

How to eat them: Sprinkle one to two tablespoons of ground flaxseed into your yogurt, cereal, salad, soup or cake batters.

Parsley
Why it’s healthy: Regarded as little more than a garnish, parsley actually packs a powerful nutrition punch. Just ¼ cup provides more than 300% of the Daily Value for Vitamin K and contains an excellent source of vitamins A and C. Parsley is also a top source of the antioxidant flavanoid apigenin, which, in addition to protecting the prostate, may also help support breast, colon, skin, and thyroid health. Parsleys abundance of phytonutrients—beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin—can help safeguard your sight, and chewing on a sprig can help freshen your breath. 

How to eat them: You can enjoy parsley as a garnish to your salads, fish or chicken or you can even use it as a seasoning and cook your meals with it for added flavor and health benefits.

Acai
Why it’s healthy: Studies show that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Acai is the high energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree. Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, acai tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Acai is packed with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Acai has monounsaturated fats, fiber, and phyosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.

How to eat them:  The juice and pulp of acai fruits are frequently used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, açaí is traditionally served in gourds called “cuias” with tapioca and sometimes sugar. Acai has become a fad in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as açaí na tigela (“açaí in the bowl”), mostly mixed with granola – a fad where acai is considered as an energizer. Acai is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice.

Ginger
Why it’s healthy:  Studies found that ginger reduces morning sickness and ginger tea is used many times to help ease an upset stomach or runny nose. Ginger could also help relieve arthritis and migraine headache. Researchers speculate that ginger works like aspirin, blocking the production of natural substances that cause inflammation and pain.
How to eat them: Since fresh ginger is strong, make the herb into a tea to dilute it. Add 1/2 -1 tsp freshly grated gingerroot (or ¼ tsp of the powdered version) to a cup of hot water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, strain the ginger, and drink.

Pistachios
Why it’s healthy: Pistachios actually have the biggest serving size of all nuts. Approximately 49 pistachios make up the one oz serving size and have 160 calories. Like all nuts, pistachios are relatively high in monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to lower blood cholesterol, possibly reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. What’s more, pistachios are low in saturated fat. “Scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, including pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” – FDA. Pistachios also have no cholesterol making them an excellent heart-healthy snack! In addition, pistachios are an excellent source of dietary fiber. One ounce contains 3.1 grams of fiber–more than many recognized high fiber sources such as raisins, potatoes, wheat bread and celery.
Pistachios are a good source of vegetable protein and with only 5 grams of carbohydrates per ounce, pistachios are an excellent source of complex carbohydrate energy. Pistachios also contain significant amounts of important vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B-6, Copper, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. How to eat them: The serving size for pistachios is one ounce, approximately 49 pistachios. This makes for a great afternoon snack since it’s full of fiber and protein. Another tasty idea is to make Pistachio Crusted Tilapia–where you crush pistachios and coat them over the tilapia. You can use egg whites or mustard to coat the tilapia and have the pistachios stick. Yummy!

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.