When it comes to berries, you can never run out of good varieties of berries to eat. Their unique taste always gives a tingling feeling to the taste buds and also the fact that eating them is healthy due to their high nutritional value.
We are however not going to focus on all the exotic berries in existence, and if you have are a lover of such, you may have come across super foods like acai and goji berry.
Acai Berries
Acai berry comes from acai palm which originates from Brazil.
They are dark-purple fruits in the size of grapes that can be used to make juice, or dried and crushed into powder that can be added on to salad dressings, yoghurt or smoothies.
Sometimes they are not easily accessible in some areas and since some people would want to get a substitute for this fruit and at the same time enjoy the nutritional content that is in acai. They could get other foods similar to this such as frozen blueberries, raw cacao, soy milk and oats.
Also if you want to get health benefits, you can substitute this with an equally good supplement such as resveratrol which is a natural antioxidant.
Both acai and goji berries have gained more popularity in the recent past and if you have never heard about this two, read more so as to understand what exactly they are and why people love them.
Similarities between Goji and Acai Berries
Goji berries which are also known as Chinese Wolfberries or lyceum fruit originally come from China and Tibet (Himalayan Region to be specific). This small fruit in orange red that is usually cooked, eaten raw or dried can also be used in making herbal teas, wine, juices and medicines.
This shows the richness of the fruit that creates a possibility of making vaccines supplements out of goji.
If you are wondering how Goji and Acai berries are similar to each other, one of the similarities is that they are both natural sources of antioxidants that are based on plants known as flavonoids. The level of antioxidants in both berries is much lower than those in green tea supplements and pomegranate.
Also it is noted that when the supplement form of both berries got tested, the activity of antioxidants preceding digestion was highly unstable.
Moreover, both of these can be used to make smoothies and salad dressing since they both have excellent nutritional value such as vitamin A,B1,B2, Potassium and calcium. They can also both be served in powder form and one can easily find these in a food store that has been properly stocked.
Differences between Acai and Goji Berry
The most observable feature that can help you differentiate the two berries is their colour and shape. They also come from different geographical areas. Acai berries are natives to Central and South America whilst Goji berries are from Asia, particularly China.
Goji berries have specific antioxidants including phenols, flavonoids and carotenoids. Carotenoids which are also referred to as beta-carotene aids in eye protection from macular degeneration.
The flavonoids help in improving blood circulation, regeneration of other antioxidants and helps in strengthening blood capillaries.
Phenols in goji assist in prevention of damage of cells from harmful free radicals. They also have outstanding nutrients like vitamin A, C, E, and B2, calcium, iron, zinc and potassium.
Nevertheless, expectant women are discouraged from consuming goji berry as it contains chemicals which may alter the blood sugar level and cause high blood pressure.
As for acai it’s known to be a good source of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. It also has antioxidants such as anthocyanin’s that have anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Although acai also have flavonoids, these antioxidant works together with anthocyanin to assist the body in defense against environmental factors that cause stress and disrupt the process of aging and development of diseases.
Other nutritional contents in acai that make it vary from goji berry is that they have Vitamin B3, magnesium, copper and dietary fiber.
Acai has also been known to be one of the key ingredients in making exfoliating gel masks that help in revitalizing dull skin. Since acai has high level of antioxidants and vitamins, it would be great to use it as an acai mask which can help to reduce a fatigued look by reviving the skin and also improving immunity.
Conclusion
There are many benefits that these two berries so make sure to try Acai or Goji or any of its natural substitutes out. With all the nutritional value in it you will be sure to get the best out of it and also due to its savory flavor, you will enjoy every bit of it as you take your salad, yoghurt or your favorite smoothie.
