Exotic Fruits From Exotic Place

Nestled deep in the floodplains of the Amazon rainforest, where the land is rich in nutrients and oxygen is plentiful, is the “supermodel of fruit—the Brazilian Acai (AH-sci-EE). While the small pulpy fruit wasn’t introduced to the western world until the 1990’s, the Acai fruit has been used for over 2,000 years. Historically, it has been used in Brazilian herbal medicine, in a variety of forms to treat any number of ailments. For instance, the oil from the fruit has been used to treat diarrhea; an infusion of the root was used to treat jaundice and to build the blood; an infusion of the grated fruit rind was used as a topical wash for skin ulcers; and the fruit seeds were crushed and prepared in an infusion for fevers.

It’s the Acai fruit’s nutritional profile that has gotten national attention, including Oprah, NBC and Sports Illustrated. High in fiber, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, C and E), minerals (calcium, potassium and phosphorous), essential fatty acids, phytosterols and anthocyanins (33 times the anthocyanins content of grapes) the Acai berry has been called nature’s most nutritious fruit.

Originating from the vines of one of the world’s most remote, mountainous regions in Tibet and Mongolia is the Himalayan Goji (pronounced GO-jee) berry. Unspoiled from the pollution of modern man, and nourished by the most nutritious of soils, the Goji berry can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (around 800 AD). The Goji berry has also been used in Tibet for at least 1,700 years to provide numerous types of health support including lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, cleansing the blood.

Today, this tiny berry has worldwide popularity –especially as consumers are made aware of its unparalleled nutritional profile—19 amino acids (the building blocks of protein) including all eight that are essential for life; 21 trace minerals (including geranium—rarely found in foods); 500 times more vitamin C (by weight) than oranges, a better source of beta carotene than carrots.