There have been some questions raised between the acai berry versus the Goji berry. There are many similarities between the two, but there are also some subtle differences that make the acai berry a prominent choice. Some similarities include:

o Being called one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits on Earth.
o High nutrient content.
o Several applications in different foods
o A history of centuries of use by the locals
o Proven research of health benefits
o Increasing popularity in markets all over the world

Goji, or sometimes known as the Chinese Wolfberry, is also climbing the charts as one of the top superfoods. It too, has only been recently discovered and also has the great benefits of antioxidants and various other medicinal purposes. It has been around, secretively, for years, just like the acai berry. It’s sudden appearance on the market is due to new scientific discoveries and extensive research. Just like the acai, the locals throughout China have used it for hundreds of years. Also like acai, it’s mostly marketed as a juice.

What makes acai better than the Goji berry in an “Oxygen radical absorbance capacity” (ORAC) face off? Antioxidant levels in both are very high. However, in the acai berry, they are slightly higher. In the same respect, the acai berry has been more thoroughly researched and examined than the Goji berry has. They’ve both been proven to increase energy and stamina and with high levels of minerals and nutrients, are exceptional in maintaining major organs and systems of the body. The Goji berry is also exceptionally rich in carotenoids. Due to the great level of antioxidants and its superior benefits in the eyes of the ORAC table, the acai is the best overall choice.

However, as a whole including it’s antioxidant strength, versatility as a food throughout the world and the markets, and nutrient richness, the upper hand has to go to the goji berry. It is more versatile as it is more fat-soluble and is therefore used for almost every application from foods, yogurts and smoothies. Another major factor is the shipping and transportation process. Acai is hard to keep as they start decaying quickly after harvest. The Goji can be dried and transported, something the acai berry is not capable of.

Though both berries have their different differences, they also have their similarities and unique benefits that make each a great option for anyone looking for a superfood that is both beneficial and tasty.

Acai berries are grown in the Amazon, in an area known as the Varzea Flooded Forest Region. It grows on palm trees that can reach incredible heights. It grows much like bananas, in bunches, rather than like cherries, which grow individually. The locals, who climb the trees and use machetes to take down the branches, which are loaded onto boats and shipped to processing centers, harvest it. There, it can be processed as one of several things. More recently, it has been used as powders and capsules for weight loss. But more popularly, it is pulverized and the juice is sold to local markets and shops around Brazil and even across the world to use in smoothies, drinks or whatever the buyer fancies.

What exactly does the acai contain that causes it to be the highest ranking fruit and steadily becoming more popular in all areas of science? The most prominent is the fact that acai contains 33 times the Anthocyanins than red wine grapes. Anthocyanins have been found to demonstrate many potential medical effects such as treating fibrocystic disease of the breast and diabetic retinopathy. It also contains the vitamins B1, B2, B3, C and E which are vital in every diet. An essential amino acid complex paired with valuable trace minerals is very important for proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

But what is it about this amazing berry that has so many people exclaiming over it? It has been named one of the newest and best superfoods due to its many benefits. However, many people aren’t exactly aware of just how MANY benefits there are, let alone what they are. The first and most noticeable is the simple fact that the acai berry, in whatever form, gives great stamina and energy. The many antioxidants lend not only this boost of power, but also numerous other benefits that acai has to offer. A few of these include: improved mental focus, detoxing the body, better sexual function, and maintenance of several of the body’s major systems like cardiovascular and digestive.

As well as the medical benefits, there are other factors that are making people turn to this new super food. Deemed one of the most revolutionary diet supplements, it has a lot to gloat about. It has a very low sugar content for a fruit, more protein than the average egg, the obvious boost of energy, and the essential fatty acids Omega 6 and 9 which research has proven to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels which is very important for every person, as it affects the cardiovascular system and fundamentally the entire body.

With the Amazon being the largest rainforest in the world and the acai being grown for the most part in this area, it is easily grown and harvested. Though it is among thousands of different fruits and plants found it the Amazon, it is one of the more prized fruits with its recent discovery of being a great antioxidant and numerous other benefits.

When the acai berry was discovered, tribes throughout the Amazon tested its properties and found out those which are most powerful in today’s society such as lowering bad cholesterol, fighting infection, controlling prostate and even promoting a healthy heart. Not only this, but they also revealed that the berry increased energy and even fought off certain diseases that were plaguing Brazilians such as Staphylococcus and Schistosomosis, a disease transmitted by snails.

Many tribes throughout and around the Amazon have used the acai berry for both medicinal and sustenance purposes. One of the more prominent tribes, the Shuar, have been using the berry for centuries and are known for their traditions of using the berry for medicine. Shuar tribes have a ‘healer’ or medicine man or woman known as ‘uwishin’s who are very knowledgeable about the forest and its secrets. They have learned the different purposes of the plants in the rainforest through experimentation and learning from each other. They’ve even discovered a plant that removes snake venom from the body.

How did a berry so secluded and very little-known become so famous? It started when sufers along the Brazilian beaches started adding it to drinks and smoothies to help boost their energy when surfing. Soon enough, it became a trend and word started to spread. Researchers and scientists heard of it’s energy-sustaining property and immediately took it in for experimentation. It was from then on that they realized the acai berry’s true potential. With many antioxidants, vitamins and soon-to-be-discovered cancer fighting characteristics, the acai berry became more sought-after by not only the populous, but also other scientists across the world.

As popularity had spread, companies had incorporated the berry into dishes in restaurants, smoothies just as the Brazilians used them, and in shakes. Companies requested to start using it in products such as bars and health snacks due to not only it’s energy-boosting property, but also the fact that it contained many vitamins and minerals. Not only this, but more recently the acai berry has been capsulated and sold as a diet supplement in drug stores and pharmacies all across the world. Its complete potential may not have been yet discovered, as the acai berry is a relatively new discovery. Rest assured that in the future it might cause some changes in the way people think and eat, ensuring a healthier society and possibly new, natural drugs to help fight off cancer and illness.