There seems to be a lot of hype around Acai berry supplements lately. I’m not certain where it started, some point to Oprah’s favorite doctor, Dr. Oz, but that has been disputed. But there are a lot of people claiming the Acai berry to be some sort of wonder fruit.
We get a wonder fruit about every 5 years. I think the last one was Pomegranate. And of course since the fruit is good for you, that means that a plethora of nutritional supplement companies are going to make pills from Acai berry. This is especially true with any fruit that can lay any claim as a weight loss supplement, which Acai berry also does. But does this really work?
The Acai Berry is a small grape-sized, purple fruit that grows on the top of the Acai Palm, which is only found in the Amazon Jungle. yet another reason we should maybe not tear the damn thing down. Like most things in the Amazon, the Acai berry was used exclusively by locals until recently discovered, presumably by a hungry lumberjack.
The Acai berry is difficult to harvest because it goes bad very quickly, and is a delicate thing to ship. There has been a small rush of domestic Acai berry growers in the United States, mostly due to the value of the berry.
The idea of any sort of medicinal use is not a new one. Brazilians have long used the oil of the Acai berry to treat diarrhea, which of course can be a very serious ailment in the middle of the rain forest. But the fact that the Acai berry contains more Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity than other super-fruits like pomegranate, blueberries and strawberries is what makes this so popular.
There is little to no doubt that the Acai berry is one one of the most potent sources of antioxidants, even trumping Ginkgo Biloba. But some of the benefit claims seem a bit outrageous. Yes, Acai berry will likely provide you a little more energy, which could lead to increase activity to burn more calories, and even lead to having more sex. But it’s often marketed as a weight loss drug. The fact is, Acai berry is a fruit, and companies are making vitamins from it. I would think for it to be a true energy supplement, it would need to be mixed with other sorts of supplements.
