Well what is it about acai berries that delivers sustained energy?
The biggest energy secret in acai berries is the combination of carbohydrates and dietary fibre, however they don’t provide sustained energy in every food. In all foods, carbohydrates are converted into sugar in the blood. The rate at which this occurs is measured with Glycemic Index (GI), and if the GI is high then the food is digested and absorbed quickly, delivering a fast rise in blood sugar. Examples of such foods are sweets, sugar, and processed bread.
Blood sugar levels need to be maintained at a normal level in order to keep the body healthy and working efficiently. So if blood sugar levels rise it stimulates the pancreas to deliver insulin into the blood. Insulin is the substance that tells all the cells to absorb more sugar, in turn causing blood sugar to reduce again. When foods that contain or release too much sugar are eaten, the body releases extra insulin. The extra insulin results in too much sugar being absorbed and then the sugar level dropping below the healthy level. This is what happens and what is experienced after a sugar rush. This activity does not deliver sustained energy and can leave the person feeling low on energy.
Acai berries have a glycemic load of 0.5. The glycemic load (GL) is a relatively new way to determine the impact of carbohydrate in the blood. It gives a fuller picture than GI alone, since it considers the amount of carbohydrate consumed. A GL of 10 or less is considered low, therefore helping control blood sugar levels and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Acai has a glycemic load of 0.5, meaning that it provides the sustained energy needs for todays busy lifestyle.
Acting like a sponge, the dietary fibre in acai mixes with all the digestion and food in our stomachs to bind the good food consumed, reducing the rate of digestion. Therefore a sugar rush will not be felt after eating, the sugar is released slowly and provides sustained energy! This will also aid in controlling food cravings. Which can in turn assist in stopping obesity.
Most of the energy in Acai actually comes not from sugar but from the healthy omega-6 and omega-9 fats, so acai is one food that can be eaten guilt free! It can help people feel full due to the fibre content, and at the same time provide sustained energy. It is best to mix acai with apple juice, which also has a relative low GI, to delivery sustained energy in a smoothie.
Jeremy Liddle is a experienced manager in importation and sales of acai berries in Australia. He has been running health food businesses in Australia & overseas for almost 10 years. RioLife is offering free delivery in Australia for a limited time. Click here to buy acai berries now, and click here for more nutritional information about the acai berry.
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