Nature's Medicine Chest
The Anti-Aging Secrets of the Amazon Rainforest
Table of Contents
Chapter 1:
Amazon Rainforest 101
—Nature's Medicine Chest
Chapter 2:
The Fruits and Teas of the Amazon Rainforest
Chapter 3:
Açai—The Wine of the Amazon
Chapter 4:
Cupuaçu—The Taste of the Amazon
Chapter 5:
Yerba Maté—The Green Tea of South America
Chapter 6:
The Amazon Rainforest Under Attack
Chapter 7:
Selecting the Product That's Right for You...
And the Rainforest
A Sample Passage
"...Açai (Euterpe oleracea) is a palm
tree that grows throughout the
Amazon basin. The fruit of the
açai is small and dark purple or
black in color, about the size of
a grape. Indigenous Indians have a special way of preparing the
fruit for consumption. Once they remove the fruits from the
branches, they submerge the açai fruit in tepid water to soften
the fruit skin before crushing, using either their hands or crude
instruments. By crushing the fruits in wooden buckets, a thick
dark purple or black juice is produced, which is then sifted to
remove the remaining fruit pieces. This juice is traditionally
mixed with honey and consumed as a drink, or combined with
granola and banana and eaten as an energy meal."
"...While açai is rich in antioxidants in general, one group in
particular, anthocyanins, are the rising stars of nutritional
science and deserve special attention. Anthocyanins are the
purple pigments that give açai fruits, red grape skins, and
other dark berries their rich color. These phytonutrients have
successfully been used to treat and prevent a wide range of
conditions, including high cholesterol, diabetic retinopathy,
macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and varicose veins.
Anthocyanins also protect artery walls from the damage that can
lead to plaque buildup and heart disease. The latest research
shows that anthocyanins do a better job of protecting arteries
than vitamins C and E."
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