Nutrition

January 3, 2010

Acai Berry: Help or Hype?

You’ve probably heard the claims about the magical powers of acai berries. Really, how can you avoid them? A Google search of “acai berry” turns up almost 5 million entries, with purported benefits ranging from expediting weight loss, enhancing energy, increasing libido, staving off heart disease, preventing aging, fighting cancer, improving digestion, acting as sleep aid, and alleviating arthritis. Whew! About the only thing the acai hasn’t been credited with yet is curing baldness!

For those who don’t know, the acai is a small, round South American berry that resembles a purple grape when ripe. It gained prominence after a dermatologist, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, tabbed it as a “superfood” on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Ever since, the spam emails with “acai” in the subject heading haven’t stopped flooding my inbox.

Don’t get me wrong, there is little doubt that the acai berry possesses beneficial properties. It’s rich in free-radical quenching antioxidants as well as other vitamins and minerals, and is a fairly good source of fiber. However, so are numerous other darkly colored berries including blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries — all of which are significantly less expensive than acai. And yes, the acai also contains some monounsaturated fats, but the amount is relatively inconsequential — you’d have to eat large quantities just to get the equivalent found in a tablespoon of olive oil.

As for the purported health benefits of the acai berry, a Pubmed search of peer-reviewed research failed to reveal a single study supporting any of the previously mentioned claims. Not one! Bottom line: This is merely another case of unscrupulous hucksters seizing on media-generated publicity with unsubstantiated, hyped-up health-related promises for a product. It’s really no different than the practices of the snake oil salesmen back in the 1800’s — only now the scams are being perpetrated on slickly designed websites rather than from the back of a covered wagon.

To put things in perspective, there certainly is nothing wrong with consuming acai berries as part of your diet. As with most fruits, they provide a good source of nutrients which can help to improve health and well-being. But until research shows otherwise, that’s where the benefits begin and end. Be wary of sham websites selling various acai-based formulas intended to promote weight loss or rejuvenate your body. You’ll only end up disappointed with your results…and lighter in the pocketbook, as well.

Stay Fit!

Brad

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