AÇAI, THE BLACK GOLD OF THE AMAZON

Nutrition and agribusiness

SOURCE: www.maganews.com.br

Açaí, the black gold of the Amazon

A fruit which is native to the Amazon region, açaí is good for our health and also for the economy in many cities in the North of Brazil

Açaí is packed [1] with vitamins and minerals and can be eaten fresh, drunk as juice, or eaten as ice-cream, desserts, and preserves [2]. Besides preventing diseases, this fruit is also considered to be a great source of energy. It is very popular among people who go to gyms [3]. Among people who work out [4], it is common to eat it in a bowl [5], mixed with banana,strawberries [6], and granola. Pará State is the largest producer in Brazil, where there are over 250,000 people in 54 cities involved in the açaí production chain [7]. In the interior of Pará, the city of Igarapé-Miri is considered to be the largest producer of açaí in the world. In Belém, the capital of Pará, there are hundreds of points-of-sale selling [8] açaí. In the States in the Amazon region, it is common for people to consume açaí at lunch and dinner time. They mix the fruit with fish, manioc flour [9], and other foods. 

A very healthy food

A recent study carried out by the Federal University of Pará concluded that açaí helps prevent cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes [10]. The fruit also has other benefits for our health: it helps the intestines work efficiently and it delays the aging process in cells. In addition to all these benefits, other studies done recently have shown that the fruit is also good for our sight and stimulates our memory.

---

Matéria publicada na edição de outubro / novembro da Revista Maganews.

Áudio – Aasita Muralikrishna

Foto – Ag. Vanderlei Alvarenga

Vocabulary

1 to be packed with – aqui = é rica em

2 preserve – aqui = geléia

3 gym – academia de ginástica

4 to work out – aqui = malhar / fazer exercícios

5 bowl – tigela

6 strawberry – morango

7 production chain – cadeia produtiva

8 to sell – vender

9 manioc flour – farinha de mandioca

10 stroke – aqui = derrame