Acai berries come from the Euterpe oleracea tree species, which grows in Amazon rainforest region of northern Brazil. The berry-like fruits have been used as a food source and in folk medicine as an herbal remedy. You might take acai berry products to promote weight loss, but be sure to consult your doctor beforehand to discuss the possible dangers and benefits.
Identification
Acai fruits are dark-purple to black-colored berries that are widely-consumed as food in South America. In addition to the Amazon rainforest region of Brazil, acai trees also grow in Panama, Ecuador, French Guyana and Trinidad. The nutrient-rich fruits are used to make juice, popsicles, ice creams and other dessert items. The acai seeds are crushed and roasted to make a medicinal tea as well. Today, acai berry products are often marketed for promoting weight loss and providing various other health benefits.
Function
Acai berries are perhaps best known for their rich content of antioxidants, but they also contain fiber and healthy fats. Acai berries contain flavonoids like proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, fatty acids like linoleic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid, and epicatechin and protocatechruic acid. In addition to potentially supporting weight loss, acai berry juice and other products are thought to have anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, cholesterol-lowering and cardio-protective effects. Acai berries also contain amino acids, fiber, protein, phytosterols, vitamin E and enzymes, as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, manganese, copper, phosphorous and boron.
Benefits
Although acai berries are often marketed for enhancing weight loss, no scientific evidence supports this use. Acai berry remedies are also promoted to help in treating arthritis, high cholesterol and erectile dysfunction, as well as promoting overall health, providing detoxification benefits and reducing the risk of cancer. Acai could have some benefits in preventing or treating heart disease, strokes and autoimmune disorders, as well as relieving allergies. Other possible uses include treating anemia, diabetes, dysmenorrhea and leukemia, and the acai tree's roots are sometimes used in traditional medicine to help treat hepatitis, malaria, scrofula and jaundice. The crushed, roasted seeds are made into a tea to help reduce fevers as well. No widely-accepted, conclusive medical research supports any of these uses for acai berries, seeds or roots, however.
Considerations
Despite the many purported health benefits of acai -- including weight loss -- few clinical trials in humans have been conducted to prove these effects. But because acai berries are widely-consumed foods, they're generally considered safe and a rich source of nutrients. The only concern associated with acai berry products is that their high antioxidant content could theoretically interfere with chemotherapy drugs, but keep in mind that no comprehensive safety studies have been performed on acai. Therefore, taking high-concentration acai supplements could pose dangers that are not yet known.
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