Acai berry, a fruit native to Brazil, is getting attention from some who call it a superfood. Not much scientific evidence supports these claims about the expensive and exotic fruit. Manufacturers have blended acai berry into juices, chocolates and ice creams, but it is really not much healthier than the humble grape. Grapes don't have as many antioxidants -- but questions about the ideal amount of antioxidants remain unanswered. If you are thinking about supplementing with acai berry products, check with your doctor first.
Benefits
Many health benefits are attributed to acai berries. Their high antioxidant content is the most common one mentioned. These nutrients rove through your body and deactivate toxins that can cause cancer or lead to signs of aging. Researchers at Texas A&M University found that the wealth of antioxidants in acai berries are readily absorbed by the human body. In addition, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a frequent guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," states that acai has 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes, and up to 30 times more anthocyanins, another type of antioxidant, than red wine.
Products
Many products contain acai berries, especially juices. You can get acai berry pulp from Sambazon in their Original or Pure Acai varieties. Among the many juices are Acai Max by California Academy of Health; Acai Plus Juice; Adina Super Acai Juice; Arthur's Acai Juice Plus; Bom Dia Acai Juices; Bossa Nova Acai Juice with Passionfruit; Genesis Today Acai100; Mona Vie Active; One Amazon Acai Drink; Tropicana Pure Acai Juice; and Zola Acai. Acai berry candy includes Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Acai and Xocai Chocolate with Acai. Haagen-Daas makes an ice cream called Brazilian Acai Berry Sorbet, and Sambazon makes Acai Sorbet.
Uses
Acai berry is touted for helping improve many health conditions, but few studies exist to show its actual effectiveness. A study published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" in 2006 showed that it could kill leukemia cells in a test tube, but researchers were quick to point out that this does not easily translate to humans, according to the University of Florida. Other claims for the berries are as a weight loss aid, skin rejuvenator and digestive supplement, but no studies are available to prove any of these claims.
Considerations
Acai has been called a superfood, but many other foods have the same properties and cost far less. For instance, grapes, guavas and mangoes have killed leukemia cells in test tubes, according to Columbia University. The information stating that acai berries are higher in antioxidants than other fruits fails to mention the relative serving size that informs those numbers. For instance, 1 cup of acai berries can have more antioxidants than a 1/4 cup of grapes. Considering the expense, it might make more sense to incorporate healthy fruits, such as grapes, into your diet to get a similar result.
References
- Texas A&M University; Research Shows Brazilian Acai Berry Antioxidants Absorbed by Human Body; Kathleen Phillips; October 2008
- Oprah.com; Dr. Perricone's No. 1 Superfood: Acai; July 2005
- AcaiBerryProducts: My Sitemap
- University of Florida; Brazilian Berry Destroys Cancer Cells in Lab, UF Study Shows; Tom Nordlie; January 2006
- Columbia University; Acai: The $15 Million Berry; Richard Solash; February 2009
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