The Acai Craze: Myth or Reality?

Weight loss. Magic weigh loss. Lose weight fast. Lose weight effortlessly. All of us have heard these commercial messages but we rarely believe in them. Acai is just another product that is part of the weight loss craze. Spam messages, commercials, articles, health magazines and TV reports name acai berries the new ‘it’ thing in the world of weight loss.
Do acai berries really have the power to magically help you in losing those extra pounds?
Origins
Acai palms produce small berries. The plant is typically grown in Brazil and its fruit is short-lived. When studies, acai berries have proven to contain substances that make the hair, nails and skin healthier.
The berries also contain large amounts of antioxidants. These study results confirm the fact that acai berries could be a part of a healthy diet. Furthermore, the berries contain important micro-minerals that affect the human vision and circulatory system.
Furthermore, acai is believed to be a powerful detoxing product. It consumption should also theoretically lead to rapid and painless weight loss.
The acai craze
Ryan Black brought acai from Brazil to the US. The craze started back in 1999 when Black discovered Brazilians eating the berries. These were really tasty, so Black decided to take them back to the US and start his own business.
Sambazon was the company that Black and his brother started to produce and distribute acai products throughout the US.
Today, you can find various acai products – instant drinks, juices, tablets, food supplements. Acai is advertised as an all-mighty agent that helps concentration, brings in energy thus improving sex life. It also promotes weight loss and fights insomnia and cardiovascular problems.
Fact or fiction?
No study has 100 percent confirmed all these claims. Yes, acai berries are healthy but no – scientists haven’t proven them to be the new weigh loss miracle.
Scientists have confirmed that the substances discovered in acai berries could also be found in blueberries. Blueberries could probably contain even larger amounts of antioxidants.
Acai and weight loss
According to nutritionists, the berries could produce weight loss effects only if combined with regular exercise.
Acai alone lacks the power to turn you into one of those magazine cover models.
Furthermore, the fruit is most beneficial when consumed fresh. As already mentioned, the berry has a relatively short lifespan. All of the products that are imported in the US and other countries have undergone serious processing. The technology used to make acai products destroys most of the useful minerals and amino acids in the fresh berries.