Power of the Acai Berry

With the many fruits and vegetables of the world, nature has continued to provide a bountiful feast to help keep people healthy. One fruit that stands out among many is the acai berry, some calling it a super food due to its high concentration of antioxidants. Marketed for weight loss to a healthy heart there are many true and false claims about the acai berry. Discerning the truth from fiction may be difficult due to limited studies, but like all fruits there is at least some health benefits if one obtains true acai and not a scam product.

So what exactly makes the acai berry special? Well it is a small, purplish black fruit that comes from the Acai Palm in South America. This small berry is almost all seed, at least 80-90% of it an inedible pit. It is also highly perishable meaning it will not be in the grocery store unless one lives in Brazil or near the Rain Forest. Yet acai berry has still found its way around the world through freeze dried pulp, supplements and drinks.

Acai berry is super high in antioxidants but that means nothing if one does not understand the basics of antioxidants. Antioxidants can slow and prevent damage caused by free radicals resulting from oxidation, a normal body process that breaks down the oxygen people breathe. The created free radicals have an unbalanced electron count and steal electrons from the body's cells resulting in cell damage and health issues as people age. The free radicals then replicate. Common diseases believed linked to excessive free radicals are heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants, of which there are several types, help halt the free radicals by preventing them from replicating and causing cellular damage.

The acai berry is a very nutritious fruit. Besides having one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any fruit, it also contains omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids, fiber, calcium, protein, vitamin C and other important vitamins.

Consequently claims of acai berry benefits include:

• Fighting the aging process
  
• Increased energy
• Improved cholesterol
  
• Increased resistance to disease like the flu
  
• Improved weight loss
• Reduction of Cancer risk
• Stronger heart and increased blood circulation

The above acai berry benefits have been unconfirmed by scientific study. Trials and ongoing study continue with University of Florida trial showing preliminary success in fighting cancer. However no substantial scientific evidence has been offered. What the acai berry contains has been verified, and it is known that omega fatty acids help with cholesterol and antioxidants help keep the body healthy.

The conclusion to be drawn is that the acai berry truly is a boon to the body and a wonder fruit with many nutritional resources. That said it is still being researched scientifically and evidence is only anecdotal at best. There is no reason not to include an acai berry juice or supplement in one's diet to gain some health benefits, but as a miracle cure it has probably been a little over hyped.

For acai side effects, they are practically nil due to the acai berry being a natural fruit. Unless one is allergic to blueberries and similar fruits, there should be not complications from consuming it.

Acai berries will not be found in grocery stores due to their perishable nature. Instead one will find freeze dried acai, acai berry juice and acai supplments in tablet or powder for. When choosing to buy acai products, here are some guidelines to follow:

Acai Juice

• Use no sugar
• Use no preservatives
• Be USDA Organic Certified or Kosher Certified
• Remain unfiltered
  
• Have high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) level
• Should be thick; nutrients are in skin and pulp
  

Acai Berry Supplements

• Freeze Dried Acai preserves more nutrients than spray dried or other heated treatment processes.
• Should use pulp and skin; no seed.
• Have a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC)
• Be as pure acai as possible; little use of fillers or other substances
• Be free trade, organic or certified
• Processed in Brazil or other location near where harvested
  

With anything that gains a following or an endorsement of a celebrity, scams will quickly follow and acai berry scams are no different. Endorsed by Oprah, people have spammed the internet with advertisements touting the many benefits of the acai fruit, often making outrageous claims or saying Oprah endorses their product. Oprah has since said she endorses no set acai product.

To better protect oneself when shopping for acai drinks or supplements online and ordering from a website there are a few simple tips to ensure product quality.

• See if the company selling is registered with the Better Business Bureau and has a positive rating
• Do internet searches to see if customers have complained about a website. Common scams include free trial offers that make canceling credit charges difficult.
  
• See where the product is manufactured. Acai is highly perishable in fruit form and should be processed in Brazil or an Amazon related area.
• Buy acai berry products that are USDA Organic Certified or Kosher Certified.

Free Trial Scams

• Offer to send you an acai based product for free with you only paying shipping and handling
• You provide credit card information for the shipping and handling
• Free trial product or extra products will be sent
• Credit card charges may appear If you do not cancel within a set time stated in their terms
• Contacting the company to cancel is very difficult and often results in needing to cancel credit card
• Any site that offers a pop up when you try to leave saying stay and buy is probably not reputable. The site should stand on its own merits and not force you to stay on it.
  

Many free trials are legitimate but require doing research before signing or offering credit card details online. Use common sense and don't believe too good to be true offers. There are many acai scams out there under many different names.

One final tip is that names can look alike but products can differ. For instance Acai Power is a popular name with websites marketing Acai Power, Acai Power Caps, Acai Power Blast, Acai Power Max, etc. With so many with the same name, it's important to make sure one does not confuse themselves.

Note: I do not know if the above listed products are scams or offer free trials. They are only an example of what one can find with a quick search.

This hub is for informational and educational purposes only. Before using any supplements or purchasing acai products, verify with your doctor there will be no complications due to personal health conditions, diets or current medication. This article endorses no acai products and only shows a limited selection for your information. Individual experiences will vary.