The acai berry is the fruit that comes from acai palm trees that grow in South American rainforests. Mayo Clinic experts note that while acai berries can be a source of antioxidants and fiber, claims that the acai berry can aid in weight loss, as well as lower blood cholesterol levels and increase energy, are unsupported by scientific research.
Celebrity Endorsement
The acai berry weight loss trend began rather innocuously. In early 2008, talk show host Oprah Winfrey featured Mehmet Oz, M.D. on her program ("Oprah"), who mentioned acai berries as part of a healthy diet. Winfrey purportedly stated that she'd incorporated acai berries into her diet after another show guest, dermatologist/diet guru Dr. Nicholas Perricone mentioned it as a valuable antioxidant food. The acai berry fad took off, resulting in an explosion of weight loss products featured on television, in print and especially over the Internet. According to Adotas.com, sale of acai berry weight loss supplements and sales of acai products reached almost $15 million in 2008. Internet marketers have been particularly successful, hawking their wares on social networking sites and reading more than 1.5 million potential consumers through Google's search engine. Many acai berry products feature the image of Oprah and purport that she endorses the weight loss product.
Do They Work?
According to Quackwatch.org, claims that acai berries help with weight loss are completely unfounded. In December 2008, Oz told ABC News reporter Susan Donaldson James: "Acai seems to be as good as any other (good food), not better" (neither Oz nor Perricone ever mentioned that acai berries would aid weight loss). According to Texas A & M researcher Susanne Talcott, acai berries are absorbed by the body and can result in some health benefits, but her study is only a starting point, not a basis for outrageous claims. Dr. David Katz, Yale University professor also weighed in: "You get more bang for the buck by just eating more fruits and vegetables." The same amount of antioxidant content in acai is available in other foods, such as dark chocolate, tomatoes and blueberries, Katz added. Furthermore, there's no evidence that foods high in antioxidants will provide "unique health benefits," he notes. With the acai berry mystique dispelled among consumers savvy enough to do their homework, acai berry weight loss products now have a singular association: Internet scams.
Acai Berry Weight Loss: The Scam
In March 2009, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) issued a warning to consumers warning them against "free trials" of acai berry diet pills. Thousands of naive consumers have had unauthorized charges applied to their credit cards or couldn't get the company to cancel their free trials. Attorney generals offices in Illinois, Texas and and Arizona have since filed consumer fraud suits against acai berry scammers who resorted to deceptive online sales tactics. According to Adotas.com, the Better Business Bureau mentions two companies that have a particularly loathsome history: Texas-based FX Supplements and Arizona-based Central Coast Nutraceuticals. Consumers complained they could not cancel their subscriptions and had to close their bank accounts or cancel credit cards to avoid ongoing charges.
Oprah Fights Back
Disturbed that her likeness was being used to peddle acai berry weight loss products, Oprah Winfrey and Harpo, Inc., filed a federal trademark infringement suit against 40 Internet acai berry product peddlers in August 2009. One of Winfrey's attorneys, Marc Rachman, notes that the health benefits of other foods mentioned on Winfrey's show have spawned similar scams, but acai berries "have been a particular magnet for alleged misdeeds." Rachman states that more than 2,000 acai-berry product complaints have been directed to Winfrey's website.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to weight loss, Oz told ABC News, "I'd be surprised if by itself acai could help." Both Oz and Mayo Clinic experts note that there's nothing about acai berries that's particularly bad for you. "It's as good an antioxidant as anything else," Oz stated. Acai berries cannot be eaten fresh, as they spoil before they reach the U.S. market. However, those who are curious about the fruit can purchase acai berry juice or other products, such as sorbets, at a health food or gourmet markets.
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