The Acai Berry has been in the headlines a lot lately. It is advertised as the number one superfood. Famous actors and talk show hosts lay claim to its weight loss and energy boosting effects. They promise that it is the ultimate superfruit in the world with super weight loss abilities, too. Despite this, or rather because of all this hype, many different organizations have been conducting extensive acai berry research. The acai palm tree, grown mostly within Brazil’s borders, is the tree that grows the acai berry.
Depending on whose report you read, there are a few questionable concerns relating to the actual antioxidant value of the acai berry. One research claims that it is much lower in antioxidants than red wine, blueberry juice, mangos and pomegranates, while another indicates that it is much higher in antioxidants than these fruit juices. Natrually, all the marketing materials for acai place it well above any other fruit on Earth for antioxidant potency.
Fruits are always healthier, with many more nutrients in them, when eaten fresh. However, since the acai berry grows very far away and in climates that are not present in the United States, getting it in this form is impossible for Americans. So the Brasilian producers have found ways to freeze-dry it and powder it, but the people who are manufacturing it this way are destroying some of the nutritional value by adding to it. They are trying to give it a longer shelf life by adding ingredients to preserve it. They are trying to stretch it for bigger profits by adding ingredients to bulk it up.
The United States’ FDA is at this time neither approving nor denying the acai berry’s nutritional value. They are not researching it at this time, since it doesn’t grow anywhere under their jurisdiction. That means there will be no forthcoming FDA official reports about it. They figure since it will not be a crop that is ever grown in the United States, they don’t need to worry about researching it. Brazil is the main area that grows this product, and the exportation rules are governed by their government.
Research at the University of Florida has recently shown that the effects of acai on leukemia cells has had a very positive reaction. It seems that instead of actually destroying the cells, it has caused a reaction that causes the cells to destroy themselves… Some medical researchers are claiming that their studies will show that the acai berry is going to be the new wonder cure for almost every ailment the human race suffers from… Assuming other scientists can reproduce these results.
The FDA has gully authorized the use of labeling claims that plant sterols reduce the risk of heart disease. Several of the acai berry research reports claim that acai is very high in plant sterols, and would be very effective in stopping coronary heart disease. This seems to be the one fact that has no opposition in the whole world of acai berry research.
