Energizing acai: one of Brazil's sweetest exports, acai berry (pronouced ah-SAHee) has more disease-fighting antioxidants than grapes.(SUPPLEMENTS: CHECK OUT)(Cover story)

If you are an Oprah devotee, you may have already heard of acai (ah-SAHee), the berry from Brazilian rainforests that tastes like a sumptuous chocolate and berry concoction. But don't let the decadent flavor fool you; underneath hide nature's answers to good health--antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

Full of Antioxidant Flavonoids

When it comes to disease-fighting anthocyanins (antioxidant flavonoids that give red foods their color), acai provides almost 10 times the amount found in old favorites like red grapes and red wines. But what's more amazing is that German researchers have determined that anthocyanins only make up approximately 10 percent of acai's antioxidant properties. Their study, published in the February 2005 issue of the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, noted that the antioxidant capacities of purple acai are excellent at fighting free radicals. While the specific compounds responsible for this ability have not yet been identified, acai is known to have other healthful properties.

Good for Digestion and the Heart

Your digestive system can benefit from the fruit's fiber, while your cardiovascular system can reap the benefits of acai's monounsaturated fats--specifically, oleic acid.

Also found in olive oil, oleic acid helps strengthen the heart by aiding omega-3 ...