What is a superfood?

What’s a superfood?

There’s no scientific definition of a superfood, and the term itself is somewhat controversial.

In fact, some nutritionists and dietitians believe that the word shouldn’t be used at all. They argue that labelling some foods as ‘super’ will make other foods appear less appealing or worthwhile. Since variety is the key to a nutritious, balanced diet, they’re concerned that some people might favour ‘superfoods’ and exclude other foods from their diets altogether, leading to an excess of some nutrients and a shortfall of others. The term has even been banned on food packaging in some countries.

Nevertheless, ‘superfoods’ is a word that’s used quite commonly by the general public, and it doesn’t look like going out of fashion any time soon.

People everywhere are becoming more and more aware of the fact that some foods are inherently detrimental to their health - especially those that are heavily processed, packed with artificial flavours or colours, laden with saturated fats, deep-fried or largely comprised of refined carbohydrates. 

With such foods becoming recognised as the villains of the food chain, it stands to reason that others are gaining a reputation as nutritional superheroes! 

If one of the criteria for being a superfood is delivering a huge nutritional hit in a small serve, acai berries are king of the crop. They’re one of the world’s richest sources of a group of antioxidants called anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, which are also found (in much smaller quantities) in blueberries and red wine.

Those precious antioxidants mean that the acai berry will help keep your cells in tip-top shape and protect them from free radical damage. You can read more about the importance of antioxidants for skin health here, but beneath the surface they’re also vital for the health of your heart, blood vessels and reproductive system.

To qualify as a superfood though, it’s not enough to be a potent source of one particular group of nutrients. Other nutritional benefits should be present as well – such as being low in calories, providing valuable fibre, vitamins and minerals, and being a good source of healthy fats. The Acai Berry tick all these boxes – and if your brand of choice is RioLife Freeze Dried Acai powder, they’re 100% certified organic too!

It’s virtually impossible to access fresh acai berries in Australia because they spoil too quickly to get here from the Amazon in good shape. But that doesn’t matter, since freeze-drying the berries concentrates their nutritional goodness. In fact, each 5 gram serve of freeze-dried acai berry powder contains the equivalent of 345 dehydrated acai berries, and supplies the same levels of antioxidants as around 120 blueberries.

Healthy fats for a stunning skin - Acai Berry Can help

The low down on the Acai Berry and Healthy fats to help your skin.

Have you ever noticed what stunning skin Mediterranean women have? If you weren’t lucky enough to be born with those genes yourself, their glowing complexions have probably left you green with envy more than once in your life.

While genetic factors undoubtedly play a part, it’s quite possible that the Mediterranean diet has something to do with it too.

Renowned for being one of the most nutritious ways of eating on earth, people who eat a traditional Mediterranean diet have been shown to enjoy a degree of protection against health problems (including heart disease) and have a greater likelihood than the rest of us of living a long life. 

It’s also possible that the Mediterranean diet contributes to the beautiful complexions of many people from this region. 

The diet contains plentiful amounts of healthy fats from olive oil, specifically omega-9 fats, which are also found in large quantities in the Brazilian superfood acai berry. These fats – along with an abundance of antioxidants – acai berries have benefits for the skin as well as the rest of the body.

Despite what you may believe, not all fats are bad for your skin.  Some fats certainly are - you’ll definitely want to avoid deep-fried food, saturated fats (found in animal products) and processed fats (especially trans fats, a particularly harmful type of fat found in some commercially processed foods) if you want to show your best face to the world.

On the other hand, your skin cells (along with all the other cells in your body) need some fats in order to function effectively.  Every one of your cell membranes is comprised of a mixture of fats and proteins, and the make-up of those membranes is determined in part by the fats in your diet.  

Consuming plenty of omega-9 fats and other healthy oils helps keep your cell membranes fluid and enables them to retain water and nutrients and remain hydrated. But eat lots of saturated fats or trans fats, and the cell membranes may become more rigid and more prone to dehydration. 

Making your skin look dreary and lifeless is only one possible consequence. More importantly, a diet containing disproportionate amounts of these ‘bad’ fats could interfere with communication between one cell and another, their sensitivity to hormones and other chemical messengers within the body, and may even pre-dispose you to certain health problems.

For beautiful skin, make sure your diet contains plenty healthy fats, including:

• RioLife Freeze Dried Acai berries: This delicious 100% certified organic superfood contains a whopping 1.6 grams of omega-9 fats per 5 gram serve, along with large quantities of antioxidants
• Extra virgin olive oil: another potent source of both omega-9 fats and antioxidants
• Oily fish (like tuna, salmon and sardines), which are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats
• Avocadoes, nuts and seeds

But steer clear of unhealthy fats, including:

• Bacon, processed meats (such as salami) and other fatty meat 
• Full fat dairy foods (including cheese, cream and ice cream)
• Margarine (butter is a better option, in limited quantities
• Junk foods (such as potato chips)
• Processed baked goods (such as sausage rolls and pastries)
• Deep-fried foods (including fried fish, spring rolls and doughnuts)

Reference: 

• Murray M, et al. The encyclopedia of healing foods. New York: Atria Books, 2005. www.riolife.com.au

Acai Antioxidants against skin aging

Your skin is the barrier between your body and the outside world, and every day it is exposed to pollution, sunlight, cigarette smoke and other factors that impact its health and appearance. All of these, as well as many of the body’s normal physiological processes, can culminate in the production of free radicals.

Free radicals are molecules that have become unstable because they’ve lost an electron. Whilst their creation is a natural (and healthy) part of our bodily functioning, they accumulate in greater quantities as we get older. Unfortunately, the body’s ability to handle them declines at the same time. This accumulating imbalance is believed to contribute to many of the effects of ageing, including those observed in the skin, such as fine lines and wrinkles .

Sunlight and ultraviolet radiation are some of the most potent generators of free radical damage in the skin. Observing their effects is as simple as comparing the difference in texture of the skin on your outer forearm (which is often exposed to the sun) with the skin on your torso, which (unless you’re prone to sunbaking) is less likely to be sun damaged. 

Depending on your age and the climate where you live, you’ll notice that the skin on your outer arm is likely to be thicker and coarser, and perhaps even more freckled or pigmented, dehydrated or prematurely aged. 

These changes to the skin texture occur in part because free radical damage interferes with the integrity of elastin and collagen, depleting their ability to remain supple and elastic. With their ongoing decline in integrity, the skin loses its firmness and becomes wrinkled, and ageing becomes apparent. 

To minimise the ageing effects of free radical damage on your skin (and elsewhere in your body), protect yourself from sunburn and UV-radiation, and don’t smoke or use recreational drugs. Avoid alcohol binges too.

Antioxidants are compounds that donate an electron of their own to restabilise free radicals, and are the body’s way of minimising free radical damage. 

Antioxidants occur in many forms. The body produces some, but many are consumed in the diet. When using natural organic skincare products you’re even applying antioxidants to your skin from the outside! 

For glowing, healthy skin, your diet should contain abundant quantities of antioxidant-rich fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Some foods are renowned for their exceptionally high content of antioxidant nutrients and of these, our favourite is the acai berry from Brazil.

The antioxidants in the acai berry are a variety called anthocyanins and proanthocyanins. They have a deep purple colour and are also found in red wine, blueberries and similarly coloured foods, and they are believed to be responsible for these foods’ anti-ageing health benefits. 

The levels of anthocyanins and proanthocyanins in açaí berries are much greater than those in wine and berries. For example while a glass of red wine may contain 24-35 mg of anthocyanins per 100 millilitres, the same quantity of acai berry contains 320 mg .  Scientists are still evaluating all the health benefits of the acai berry, but with an antioxidant content as powerful as that, there’s little doubt they’re invaluable when it comes to helping your body mop up free radicals!

To reap the free radical-fighting benefits of açaí berries for your skin, add some RioLife Organic Freeze Dried Acai powder to your morning smoothie or juice, stir it into your yoghurt or sprinkle it over your breakfast cereal.

RioLife Makes Top 3 Finalist for My Business Award

After 4 years of hard work distributing the wonderful Acai Berry and growing distribution through health food stores and Pharmacies across the country, things are starting to ramp up. RioLife has made it into the top 3 finalists for the My Business Awards in  the "fastest growing small business" category. Entrants in this category must show sustainable growth over the past 2 financial years and managing its expansion strategically.

Acai - Healthy for you and the planet!

At RioLife, we’re as passionate about the environment and communities our acai berries come from as we are about the berries themselves. (And since we famously can’t get through a single day without a delicious and energising RioLife acai bowl for breakfast, you know that means we’re pretty passionate!)

Unlike most other industries in the Amazon basin, the harvesting of acai berries doesn’t involve the destruction of the precious trees that make this region so unique, harbour a plethora of wildlife and act as the lungs of the earth, continuously converting carbon dioxide back into life-giving oxygen for all of us.

In fact, the harvesting of açaí is one of only a handful of sustainable commercial initiatives identified by Greenpeace as having the capacity to make a meaningful difference to the deforestation of the region.

The main commercial activities in the Amazon are logging and farming, both of which involve the clearing of trees in an alarming, unsustainable, and often illegal manner. 

In contrast, the harvesting of acai berries does not involve deforestation. 

It’s a win-win-win situation. The jungle is protected from land clearing, the locals earn an income, and here in Australia we get to enjoy antioxidant-rich acai berries safe in the knowledge that we’re contributing to the health and sustainability of the Amazon.

Key to the environmental success of the acai industry has been the realisation among local communities of how valuable and financially viable it is for them to keep the acai palms alive so the berries can be harvested over and over again.

Education obviously plays a major role here, both in terms of local awareness of the economic value of acai berries and the issues associated with deforestation, and also in providing employment opportunities outside of the mainstream farming and logging industries.

So, having a fair trade-based business relationship with the workers who gather and process our 100% wild harvested and certified organic acai berries is not enough for us. We also believe it’s important to help educate their kids.

Since RioLife opened its doors in 2005, we’ve been donating a percentage of all retail sales to help build and fund schools in this part of the Amazon.

With your support, we’re thrilled that RioLife and the registered charity ACAIMU are now providing schooling and medical and dental care for nearly 100 children, many of whom would otherwise be unable to go to school due to the remoteness of their homes. 

The children are transported to the school by boat, fed a meal, and given lessons in reading, writing, maths, environmental studies, home economics and crafts and social living in the community. 

We’re committed to creating a healthy, sustainable future for these children and the region they live in, and with every purchase of RioLife Freeze-Dried Acai berry Powder, you’re contributing to that goal.

As they say in Brazil, obrigado.  Thanks!

Winter detox with Acai berries

Winter detox with Acai berries

Many people believe that scoffing on stodgy carbohydrate-rich foods helps keep them warm when it’s cold outside, but don’t realise that the combination of extra carbs and a tendency to do less exercise in winter weather may add up to an extra kilo or two.

Those who pay attention to their health now will reap the rewards when swimsuit season comes around again, so this is a great time to encourage your health-conscious customers to undergo a mild detox.

The human body encounters toxic compounds every day. They’re in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and many of the foods we eat. The liver does a great job of metabolising all these toxins, and by going on a gentle detox for a week or two, we give it a chance to catch up with some of the backlog.[1]

Detoxing doesn’t need to be stressful or unpleasant. It can be as simple as cutting back on caffeine, sugar, animal fats, refined flour and cigarettes, and pumping up your intake of nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables, whole grains and legumes – making as many of them organic as possible.

The body’s detoxification processes generate a lot of free radicals (which in some cases may be more harmful than the toxins themselves)[2], so antioxidants are an important dietary consideration when detoxing. Similarly, it’s important to consume plenty of fibre and water, both of which enable toxins to be excreted from the body.

RioLife freeze-dried acai berries make an awesome addition to any detox, because they’re rich in both antioxidants and fibre. And since they’re 100% certified organic, they won’t add any nasties back into the diet.

Here are a few ideas for getting the best from your detox with RioLife acai:

·      Start your day with a fresh juice made with organic apples and a heaped teaspoon of RioLife freeze dried acai

·      Breakfast on organic rolled oats for fibre and a small handful of almonds for protein. Stir through 1-2 teaspoonsful of RioLife acai powder for extra antioxidants

·      Skip the sugary afternoon snack you usually reach for, and instead feast on a tub of plain yoghurt. Add fresh passionfruit or strawberries if you like, but don’t buy flavoured yoghurt, as it will tend to contain either sugar or artificial sweeteners. Again, top-up your antioxidant and fibre levels by stirring some acai powder through.

Note: Prior to detoxing, professional advice is recommended for children, teens, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone suffering health problems, taking prescribed medicines, or with a history of toxin exposure.

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[1] Liska DJ.  The detoxification enzyme systems. Altern Med Rev 1998;3(3):187-198.

[2] Liska DJ.  The detoxification enzyme systems. Altern Med Rev 1998;3(3):187-198.

Acai may help lower cholesterol

Research suggests that adding acai berries to your diet may help lower cholesterol levels, ultimately helping to reduce your risk of heart and blood vessel disease.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are responsible for a significant percentage of deaths and disability every year, but in many cases adopting a healthier diet and lifestyle could help reduce your risk of experiencing these serious health problems.

Your cholesterol level is one of several key measures your doctor uses to assess your risk of cardiovascular disease, and alarmingly, statistics from the National Heart Foundation of Australia suggest that more than one in two Australian adults have high cholesterol. Could eating acai berries help?

In a recent scientific study conducted in Brazil, rats were fed either a standard diet or a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet for six weeks, and some also ate large quantities of acai berries. The results showed that eating acai berries reduced the cholesterol-raising effects of the high-fat diet, and also improved the animals’ antioxidant status.

Although it’s too early to know for sure whether acai would have similar effects on cholesterol in humans, there are several reasons to suspect that they would.

For starters, acai berries are rich in fibre, which binds to cholesterol and enables it to be excreted from the body. A generous 15-gram serve of freeze-dried açaí powder (equivalent to about three tablespoons) provides 4.2 grams of fibre, so simply adding acai to your breakfast cereal could significantly boost your daily fibre intake. In fact, depending on the type of cereal you choose, adding acai could literally double the fibre content of your breakfast!

Acai berries are also packed full of antioxidants, especially the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins that are also found in red wine, blueberries and other dark red and purple fruit and vegetables. But açaí berries contain far more significant quantities of these precious antioxidants than almost any other food. For example, that 15-gram serve of freeze-dried açaí that you added to your breakfast contains approximately the same amount of antioxidants as 360 blueberries.

As you probably know, antioxidants help to offset the effects of free radical damage in the human body. That’s important for cholesterol management, because cholesterol molecules are particularly susceptible to free radicals, which appear to magnify their ability to damage blood vessels and consequently increase the risk of heart and blood vessel disease.

One of the most important aspects of managing your cholesterol is to minimise the amount of red meat, full-cream dairy foods and other saturated fat and cholesterol-containing foods in your diet. At the same time, it’s recommended that you increase your consumption of heart-healthy oils, such as the monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil and avocados. The Acai berry can help here too, adding more than 5 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids to your daily intake for every 15 grams of the freeze-dried berries you consume.

Taken together, all these nutritional attributes of acaiberries suggest that that their traditional reputation as a heart-protecting food in their native Brazil is well founded. Time will tell whether adding them to your diet every day does turn out to help manage your cholesterol levels, but since they’re so delicious there’s absolutely no reason to delay adding acai berries to the menu today!

Jayne Tancred – Freelance Journalist, Naturopath Herbalist Nutritionist,