One of the best things that I had when my wife and I went to Hawaii were the acai bowls. They were as common over there as ice cream shops are here off the island. If you’ve had the pleasure of traveling to Hawaii you will have noticed the great culture and pace of life. It’s night and day compared to big city living around New York or Los Angeles. Some of this more relaxed, less anxious and overall chill demeaner may be in part due to this focus on acai.
What is açaí?
Acai is a berry that is native to Central and South America but has become popular is more places than just that. Super foods is a title that gets thrown around a bit loosely now-a-days but acai would absolutely be worthy of that label. Nutrients within acai are very antioxidant heavy which is able to help decrease inflammation in the body. Macronutrient wise it’s a fairly even split between carbs and unsaturated fats unlike most other fruits. Flavor wise it’s even better!
Açaí’s impact on anxiety
Life is full of stressors that can start to take a toll on your body if not careful. In addition to other stress management and counseling strategies, a proper diet can play a big role. The study referenced here was done on rats which is always needed to be interpreted with a grain of salt but some takeaways can still be had. In general rats are physiologically fairly similar to humans and a lot easier to control for study purposes.
In this study they purposefully put mice in some anxiety inducing situations to see how they respond. When compared to other mice eating a “typical” diet, those with acai were more calm and less anxious. More research naturally needs to be done but if this could help reduce some medication needs for some individuals down the road the research will be worthwhile. Something to keep an eye out for.
Inflammation and memory benefits with açaí
Situations of high stress, either physical or psychological, the added antioxidants of acai berries would be very beneficial. Increased inflammation impacts just about every aspect of the body from head to toe. Helping the body combat this with proper sleep, hydration and nutrient rich foods are critical.
As we learn more about various mental/memory illnesses, inflammation is a factor that continues to come up. While this referenced study is on rats, the principles/concepts are applicable. Unfortunately, when most people get older, the quality of their diet seems to decrease a little bit as well. Absolutely no judgement but it is something to be mindful of and makes someone wonder if a few more antioxidant rich items could help decrease some of those common memory risks.
Adding açaí into your diet
The nutrient profile of acai makes it very unique due to the fat content. While not quite to the level of avocados, it’s still noticeably higher in fat. Due to that, acai may not be the best pre-workout for everyone but could be great post-workout or the rest of the day. With a balanced macro-breakdown this can help to keep glucose levels stable and avoid spikes and crashes.
Making some smoothies with acai thrown in is a great way to add some into your diet. My personal favorite though is going back to the way it was introduced to me in Hawaii. Acai bowls are heaven in a bowl! You can add various toppings such as other fruits, nuts, peanut butter, some honey, dark chocolate or whatever your heart desires. Adding in some of those additional antioxidant rich foods can make this treat even more beneficial. I encourage you to check out your local grocery store to see if they have any (frozen section may be your best bet) and give it a try!
Study referenced: click here