The Little Berry that could save the Rain Forest.
It has been said that the Amazon Jungle is the lungs of the earth. Here, millions of trees breathe in green house gasses like carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen. The Açai palm is one of the more important trees in this jungle. It grows in the floodplains and swamps along the great river. It is so important to the region that it is protected by law, but it has an oftenfatal attribute. Its leaves produce the "hearts of palm" that are a "millionaire’s salad" across the globe. Sadly, when the leaves are harvested for their tender hearts, the tree dies.
The Wall Street Journal, in a 2002 article, estimated that up to 10,000 trees a week were being illegally destroyed by palmiteiros or palm poachers. However, the Açai palm also has another edible crop, its berries. Each palm tree produces two crops of fruit a year, and what a special fruit it is!
Known to the natives since before Columbus as a diet mainstay, the world is discovering that the Açai berry has an almost unbelievable nutritional value. Studies have shown that it is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It contains high levels of fiber and monounsaturated essential fatty acids as well. Rich in vitamins and minerals, Açai is quickly being recognized across the globe as a "super fruit." As demand for Açai juice grows, so does its value and it is becoming more profitable to keep the trees alive for their berries than destroying them for their "hearts of palm." Açai juice is available from Harvest Bay®. Try it, you will be doing your body a big favor and saving the rain forest at the same time.