Açaí Berry: The New Superfood?

The Açaí berry is found on a palm tree unique to the rainforest of the Amazon. It is a small berry that tastes like a mix of berries and chocolate that has the potential to become a dominant force in the area of nutrition. This small berry is packed with vital nutrients, varying from supercharged antioxidants to amino acids and fatty acids. Açaí trumps other antioxidant rich plants, being at least 10 times higher in antioxidants than other foods rich in these age-fighting compounds. It also contains a high amount of fiber and good fat lending to a healthy heart, and is seasoned with an ample amount of amino acids which are helpful for muscle contraction and regeneration. This berry is still not widely known in the United States, but has popped up in supermarkets across the US in the form of different juices and purees. It is my desire that this berry become more widely known and consumed across our culture because I believe that it could incredibly enhance the nutrient content of people's diets across the US. Within the realm of nutrition, it is vital that registered dieticians and other nutrition professionals assist in making this berry available and its health benefits known to the American population as a whole in order to better combat the nutrition related diseases that plague our population.

Nutrition and Technology

In the future of our field, the most anticipated technology of the day as applied to nutrition will be the rise of individualized nutritional advised based on one's genes. Can you imagine, nutrition advice that is no longer based solely on one's gender, height, weight, age and physical activity? Better yet, one that is tailored completely to the individual based on their DNA! Genetics is the greatest upcoming force in nutrition, and a valuable one at that. With the help of genetics, the world of nutrition and dietetics will be able to climb to unthinkable heights in the areas of preventative and disease related nutritional therapy! People who are pre-disposed genetically for different diseases will be able to use preventative nutritional therapy to combat the onset of the disease years before its possible onset! This technology would not only be beneficial for the overall wellness of society, but also for the economic state of our health care as Medicare costs would go down as a result of such preventative medicine and nutritional therapy. The difficulty of such advanced technology would be in making it available to the population as a whole. The use of such machinery is very expensive and challenges could arise in making it affordable for most Americans. The technology is wonderful, but without being made easily accessible to most, its purpose would not be realized and its function would become practically useless.

I Predict Virtual Success!

I believe that with the field of Nutrition will look very different in the future. With the advent of virtual worlds such as Second Life, many will opt to do business out of their home in this alternate reality, rather than make the long commute to work each morning. Dietitians will no longer work out of the hospital or the local gym to give personal nutrition advice, but will hold meetings online with those seeking to live more healthfully. In a world such as Second Life, centers will be built specifically for healthy living to provide easy access to trustworthy nutritional information and suggestions. Personal assessments that cater to individual needs or problems will even be made over this virtual network by registered dietitians. Support groups for people struggling with different problems relating to nutrition and health will be established to encourage people as they strive to make lifestyle changes. The field of nutrition is a vast and ever changing profession. I have no doubt that its adaptability in this realm will easily and successfully carry over in our societal shift to the virtual world.