Acai berry, the fruit of the acai palm tree native to Central and South America, is a dark purple-blue berry similar in appearance to a grape or large blueberry. Claims for extraordinary health benefits of acai have increased its popularity in recent years. Scientific evidence supports some of acai's purported health benefits and refutes others.
Antihistamine
Acai berry exerts powerful anti-inflammatory benefits, according to a study published in the April 2011 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." In the tissue culture study, antioxidants in acai berry pulp suppressed activity of mast cells -- a type of immune cell that produces the pro-inflammatory molecule histamine. Additionally, acai berry resulted in decreased inflammation in a culture of leukemia cells. The researchers concluded that acai berry showed considerable potential as an anti-inflammatory agent in this preliminary study.
Antioxidant
Acai berry juice placed in the middle of a field of antioxidant-rich beverages commonly consumed in the United States, according to a study reported in the February 2008 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." Scientists used four different tests of antioxidant activity to evaluate polyphenol levels and antioxidant effectiveness of ten fruit and tea beverages. Results showed pomegranate juice to possess the most powerful antioxidant capacity, followed by red wine, concord grape juice, blueberry juice and black cherry juice. Acai berry juice showed higher antioxidant potency than cranberry juice, orange juice, iced tea and apple juice.
Anti-Inflammatory
Acai berry may be a potent natural non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, according to a study in the November 2006 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." The test tube study evaluated antioxidant activity levels in freeze-dried powdered acai berry pulp and skin and found that acai berry strongly inhibited the pro-inflammatory enzymes COX-1 and COX-2. Acai also showed the highest ability to inhibit a certain type of free radical, known as the peroxyl radical, of any food known and mild inhibitory activity against a type of free radical known as peroxynitrite. Additionally, acai contained a higher level of superoxide activity -- a test of the ability to scavenge oxygen free radicals -- of any fruit or vegetable, according to this perliminary test tube and tissue culture-based study.
Anti-Cancer
Acai berry exhibited similar anti-cancer properties to six other berry types in a study on esophageal cancer. The laboratory animal study compared the effectiveness of diets containing five percent raspberries, strawberries, noni, acai and wolfberry -- also known as goji berry -- and found, despite the fact that the berries contain different levels of antioxidant anthocyanin and ellagitannin compounds, all berries exerted about the same level of tumor inhibition, in this preliminary animal study.
References
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Inhibitory Effect of Açaí (<i>Euterpe oleracea </i>Mart.) Pulp on IgE-mediated Mast Cell Activation; T. Hatani, et al.; April 2011
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed Polyphenol Rich Beverages in the United States; N. P. Seeram, et al.; February 2008
- "Journal of Agricultural And Food Chemistry"; Antioxidant Capacity and Other Bioactivities of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe Oleraceae Mart. (Acai); A.G. Schauss, et al.; November 2006
- "Pharmaceutical Research"; Multiple Berry Types Prevent N-Nitrosomethylbenzylamine Induced Esophageal Cancer in Rats. G.D. Stoner, et al.; June 2010
- NutraIngredientsUSA.com; 'Insufficient and Unconvincing' Scientific Evidence to Promote Acai, Says Review; Nathan Gray; March 16, 2011
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