What is Acai Berry Diet?
The Acai Berry Diet uses the acai berry—one of the “Super Foods”—for weight loss. It is often used to supplement other diets, particularly colon cleansing diets.
Acai (pronounced ah-SAH’-ee) is the fruit of a palm tree that grows in the rainforests of Brazil and Colombia. Related to the blueberry and huckleberry, the small round fruit is considered the most nutritious of all the fruits of the Amazon rainforest. The acai berry is rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, potassium, copper, manganese, fiber, protein, and omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. Acai is very rich in two powerful antioxidants: anthocyanins and flavonoids. Acai fruit is extremely high on the ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity), which measures the total antioxidant power of food and food supplements. According to research reported on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website, freeze-dried acai has the highest antioxidant activity of any food reported to date.
While there is no scientific evidence to support acai as a weight-loss supplement, the fruit is known to have many health benefits that go hand-in-hand with weight loss. Reported health benefits of the acai berry, in addition to weight loss, include, among others:
- Increased energy
- Higher metabolic rate
- Improved digestion
- Better vision
- Slower age-related decline
- Blood sugar control
- Reduced risk of heart disease
- Cancer prevention and treatment
- Healthier skin
- Cholesterol management
- Strengthened immune system
Advocates of the Acai Berry Diet connect these health benefits with weight loss in the following ways:
- Because the fruit is full of nutrients, you do not have food cravings and do not eat as much.
- The fiber keeps you feeling full so you do not eat between meals.
- Acai increases stamina and builds muscle so you can exercise more.
- The antioxidants improve overall health, and it is easier and safer to lose weight when you are healthy.
- The fiber in the berry helps cleanse the body of toxins, resulting in a flatter stomach and less fat in the digestive system.
- The amino acids, essential fatty acids, and phytosterols of acai berries improve metabolism and digestion and reduce appetite.
- The fiber in the acai berry helps stabilize blood sugar, so you do not get the food cravings that come with spikes in blood sugar levels.
Scientists have shown that a diet rich in antioxidants supports good health. And research shows fruits can play an important role in weight loss diets. It remains to be proven, however, whether acai berry is more beneficial to weight loss than any other food that is rich in antioxidants.
What Kind of Acai to Buy
Organically grown and freeze dried acai is sold without the addition of preservatives or other chemicals, and is the best form of the fruit for the Acai Berry Diet. You can buy supplements as capsules, juice, or powders. Watch out for acai juice that is mixed with other juices, sugar, or preservatives.
There are many scams involving acai, with websites selling inferior products. Read the labels. Look for products that are 100% pure, fair trade organic acai berries from the Amazon rainforest. Depending on how much you use, you can expect to spend $40 to $90 a month for acai diet supplements.
The Internet has quite a few offers for free acai products that turn out to be not so free. Many companies that offer free trials of acai diet products actually charge customers for products and shipping as well as monthly charges as high as $90. The Better Business Bureau has published warnings about online ads for acai diet supplements. Read the terms of agreement closely before you purchase any acai products online.
How to Follow the Acai Berry Diet
You can follow the Acai Berry Diet without making any other changes in your diet or your lifestyle. Advocates claim that just taking the acai supplements will result in rapid and significant weight loss, but based on nutrition science that claim is unlikely.
Here is a little more guidance from Acai Berry Diet advocates:
- Eat moderate amounts of healthy, unprocessed foods.
- Increase your physical activity.
- Drink lots of water.
- Take pure acai berry products.
- For faster weight loss, drink lots of green tea.
Benefits of the Acai Berry Diet
Acai berries are high-antioxidant fruits and can be good additions to a healthy weight loss diet. They are a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
There are no known negative side effects from eating acai berries.
Concerns about the Acai Berry Diet
Weight loss claims for acai are not substantiated by scientific research. Other fruits high in antioxidants, such as blueberries, may provide the same health benefits at a much lower cost.
There are many imposters selling inferior acai berry products, as well as costly acai scams.
The Acai Berry Diet does not require any changes in lifestyle or eating habits, changes that are consistent with long-term maintenance of weight loss.
Educational information and support are not part of the Acai Berry Diet.
Because acai is unproven as a weight loss aid no reliable dosage information is available.
Is the Acai Berry Diet Right for You?
While the effectiveness of the Acai Berry Diet is unproven, there is ample evidence that the fruit itself has properties that support good health. However, long-term weight loss diet cannot rely on acai berries alone; it must combine a nutritious balanced diet with regular exercise and healthy eating habits.
Since there is no standard dosage for acai, you might want to ask your doctor how much you should take for the Acai Berry Diet. He or she may be able to recommend the right dosage based on your health status and weight loss goals.