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Sunday, January 3, 2010

The Acai Berry: Super Fruit or Super Hype?

By Joan Jameson

A few decades ago, the Acai berry was little more than obscure fruit consumed in the rain forests of Brazil. But today, it is one of the most sought after and expensive fruits on the market. How did Acai achieve celebrity status seemingly overnight?

The Acai berry was presented to the American public by way of the television. Oprah Winfrey had experts on her show in 2007 that were there to report that the berry was not only useful for losing weight but that it also aided in hindering the aging process.

What is true about the Acai Berry Today

A simple Google search on Acai berries will yield hundreds and thousands of results and introduce you to countless products, all of which claim that Acai is a super, miracle food. Some people even posit that the little berry can cure cancer.

The berry itself is dark purple in color and looks a lot like a red grape, only a bit smaller. Native Brazilian tribes have been consuming the berries for hundreds of years since the Acai berry originates from their region of the world. Nearly 50 percent of the diet of the native Brazilian tribes is comprised of the Acai berry since the berry is so abundant in that part of the world. These tribes also harvest the berry to sell them to local fruit companies.

Coming to America

The Acai berry was the highlight of an Oprah show causing a stampede of desire for the berry. All around the country food stores were getting overwhelmed by the demands for this berry. The reputation for the berry hit the roof in a very short time span forcing the market to establishing many different products from the Acai. Currently, the most popular product is Acai berry juice, which can be found in most supermarkets and health food stores. Many people are surfing the internet to find Acai berry products and have had great success.

Fact and fiction need to be separated regarding the Acai berry. We will attempt to distinguish these in the next few paragraphs. We will start with the Acai berry consumers and their most prevalent claims.

The Claims

One of the most common claims of sellers and consumers alike is that Acai can actually rev up your metabolism and cause your body to burn more calories. Since America is known to put a good deal of emphasis on diets and calorie burning techniques, the Acai berry and its related products are being snapped up wherever these products can be found.

Furthermore, it is being said that this fruit can help with sleep disorders and can also increase sexual desire therefore working as an aphrodisiac. Like Ginkgo Balboa, people are suggesting that the berry can improve mental clarity.

This is what we know

There is no question that Acai is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the face of the earth. This is important because antioxidants help the body fight off free radicals that can cause damage to the DNA and can also clog arteries. It has not been substantiated that large amounts of antioxidants are able to alter, cease or diminish the aging process regardless of what many eager users report.

What we do know is that antioxidants increase the good cholesterol, LDL, while decreasing the bad cholesterol, HDL. Researchers have detected in lab tests that the Acai berry has ten times more antioxidants than grapes and two times the antioxidants of blueberries.

The fruit is also said to be the perfect blend of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and amino acids. The instant success of the berry is largely in part to the intense interest in the berry by athletes and health-conscious individuals. Isn't it obvious why professional South American soccer players would snack on the Acai berries before any and all big games.

The question now is, how do they taste? There are numerous consumers that acknowledge that the Acai reminds them of a strangely different and yet fascinating array of berries and chocolate. It is possible that that is the reason why the fruit is used in so many applications such as flavoring cocktails, making smoothies and as a topping for ice cream in Brazil.

The Hype Mechanism

With an effective product it is common that consumers tend to get carried away. The Acai berry is by far one of healthiest fruits in the world and it offers people who use the berry a wide variety of fantastic health advantages. There is simply no evidence available that the berry is able to cure cancer or alter the effects of aging. It is simply all just wishful thinking. - 17273

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