Acai Berry Basics

Acai Berry Mistake

2009-05-25T23:46:00.000-07:00

Well the truth has finally come out about the acai berry: it is truly a scam. And I am not just saying that in order to get you to purchase something. I am not an affiliate. I started this blog thinking that acai berry juice and acai fruit were to be hailed as the second coming, giving us all a leg up in our journey for a more healthy lifestyle, but after reading all the negative press about how the acai berry sellers used the lure of the health benefits to entice health seekers to sign up for what amounts to a slick scam, I became disheartened. Here is what I found out.

The main point that I want to stress is that acai berries and acai drinks can be beneficial to your health but that you must purchase your supplies from a reputable dealer. Most acai berry monthly plans are a hoax and should be avoided, in my humble opinion. If you do visit a monthly plan type website, then please, please, please be sure to read the fine print. I have found, and so has the Better Business Bureau, that many companies are wrapping their con job around the benefits of the acai berry. Here is how they do it and how you may have been duped.

You see their site; they are touting the berry as an extraordinary source of antioxidants and other nutrients. Okay, I am on board with that. Next, they encourage you to order. No problem from me there either, that is the way of business. But, and here is the major objection that I have, if you order from them (even a single bottle), you are automatically enrolled in the monthly plan. The plan is automatic to re-enroll you at the beginning of each cycle. You cannot opt out of this with your order because they never give you the chance. The details of the plan are buried deep within the small print and legal jargon of the service agreement, which by the way, is not posted on their site, but only linked to.

Unless you click the link and open the terms of service page, will most likely be hoodwinked into a plan that you are not asking for and one that you are not even aware of. They then, quite handily, use your same credit card (the one you ordering the single bottle with) to bill you outlandish sums. The only way that you can cancel is.... can you guess?.. you must call them and submit your cancellation in writing. Oh, how easy they make it to order and oh, how difficult to cancel. Typical of most companies if you ask me. Never liked that little feature about acai berry sellers or their contemporaries. The law had ought to be changed to say that the order or engagement process should be identical to the termination process. In other words, if you can order with a very visible and well lit advertised button, then you should be able to cancel in a like manner. Something tells me that that will never happen. The new business practices have been set: get the stupid customer to order and then make it ultra difficult to cancel.

Of course, lost in all these scams is the fact that the acai berry and acai juice can actually do you some good if you take it. First though, it has to be real. Second, it has to be fresh. Third, it has to be real fresh, as in only 24 hours old; otherwise, it will not work. Do you research. You may have to visit several acai berry sites before you find an honest supplier but it is worth it so that you don't get conned. Do not enroll in monthly billing cycle plans unless you try the product first. Do not "sign up" for anything. Purchase your acai products from a single source and make sure that they can be vouched for.

Acai Berry Drink

2009-03-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

Acai Berry Drink -- What are the Health Benefits?

I wonder if you have you heard all about this acai berry drink? Would you like to know more about these health benefits of acai berry drink and berry juice? Acai berries have been highly touted by natural medicine authorities who claim that the acai drink is one of those elite superfoods that has anti-aging and also weight loss benefits. But do scientific studies support these claims of acai benefits?

What exactly is this acai berry drink?
The natural acai berry is a one inch-long reddish- purplish fruit. It comes from the acai palm tree found chiefly in Central and South America. It is a relative of the blueberry, cranberry, and other dark purple fruits.

Research on the acai berry has focused on its possible antioxidant activity. Theoretically, that activity may help prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress such as heart disease and cancer. Here is some of the preliminary findings concerning the benefits of acai drinks and other products produced by the acai berry palm tree.

Are the acai berry and acai drink healthy for us overall?

Acai drink and acai berry contain several nutrients called anthocyanins and flavonoids.

The actual word anthocyanin comes from two Greek words meaning blue and plant. Anthocyanins are responsible for the red, purple, and blue hues in many fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Some foods that are richest in anthocyanins -- such as blueberries, red grapes, red wine, and acai berry and acai drink -- are very strongly colored, ranging from deep purple to black.

Anthocyanins and flavonoids are both powerful antioxidants that help defend the body against stressors. What are Stressors? Here is the Wikipedia definition

Stressor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A definition for a stressor is:

An event or context that elevates adrenaline and triggers the stress response because it throws the body out of balance and forces it to respond; for example:

* environmental stressors (elevated sound levels, over-illumination, overcrowding)
* daily stress events (e.g. traffic, lost keys)
* life changes (e.g. divorce, bereavement)
* Workplace stressors (e.g. role strain, lack of control)

A stressor can also be an event that provokes stress.

Acai Berry Drink and Cell Protection

As mentioned above, acai berries and acai berry drinks contain certain antioxidants and these can contribute to the body's cell protection system. Free radicals are harmful byproducts produced by the body. Studies have shown that eating a diet rich in antioxidants may interfere with aging and the disease process by neutralizing free radicals.

By reducing the destructive power of free radicals, antioxidants may help reduce the risk of some diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
Are there known health benefits of acai berries?

Some acai berry drink studies show that acai fruit pulp has a very high antioxidant capacity with even more antioxidant content than other fruits such as cranberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, or blueberry. Studies continue however, and the final word has not been delivered yet.

People eat acai berries and take acai berry drink to address various health conditions. But so far, acai berries have no known health benefit aside from it's unusually high concentration of certain substances that have proven to be essential toward good health. In other words, acai berries in their natural form and acai berry drink contain nutrients that have shown to be beneficial but there has not been a conclusive study linking the acai berry drink directly to these health benefits.

Can acai berries or acai berry drink help with weight loss?

Researchers are still learning more about the functional powers of acai drink and other superfoods. Although acai is touted in some weight loss products, few studies have actually conducted conclusive tests regarding the benefit of acai drinks in promoting weight loss.

However, there is still plenty of acai berry research which supports eating a diet high in antioxidants, such as acai drink products. There’s no doubt that berries and other fruits are a key part of any healthy diet promoting weight loss. Do not limit yourself to the acai drink products, there are other powerful fruit drinks that also contain high degrees of antioxidants. The jury’s still out on whether there is something special about acai’s ability to shed excess pounds.

Do acai berries and acai drinks have any side effects?

Some doctors suggest that if you have allergies to certain pollens or have a known hypersensitivity to acai berries or acai drinks or similar fruit, you may want to avoid this fruit. When consumed in moderate amounts, though, acai is most likely safe to take.

In conclusion, the acai berry and the acai berry drinks have been shown to contain some beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants. These substances have demonstrated healthy benefits for the human body but there has not yet been a conclusive study linking the benefits of the acai berry drink directly to the properties known to exist within acai berries anc acai drinks to the health benefits of the substances themselves.

Acai Berries | The Superfood ?

2009-02-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

In this post I thought that I would take a purely scientific approach in examining whether or not the acai berry provides the type of hyped up health benefits that we have heard so much about lately. But as mentioned in another post about the acai berry scams, there is some room for debate and the choice is ultimately left to you the consumer.

With regard to the claim that acai berries provide us with a valuable source of antioxidants, there have been relevant studies in this area. As noted in the article linked to above, there has been some scientific endeavors into the specific composition of the acai berry. General information about antioxidants is also available.

Many people have emailed me regarding the overall health impact of the acai berry, specifically questioning the extended benefits beyond that of the ordinary health benefits associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in general. In light of this, I have dug up some additional research that is wholly concentrated on helping the reader decide if the acai berry can provide additional advantages from a health perspective.

The claim that the acai berry can also provide an anti-aging benefit can be delved into more by reading this article. It basically ties in the antioxidant profile of the acai berry with the aging questions. To be perfectly scientific, however, there is no known substance that can reverse the aging process, which by definition is the passing of time and it's effects on our body. The alternative is to approach aging from the perspective of trying to reduce it's effects on our system by as much as possible and this is perhaps where acai berries can offer some possible help.

Acai Berry Scams | What to Look For

2009-02-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

It is quite unfortunate but not entirely surprising that, given the explosive popularity of the acai berry in recent years, there are now many scam artists taking advantage of people using the acai berry as the bait. They are conning people by saying that they can sign up for a free trial offer but then find out that since you took the freebies you are now committed to accept a boatload of other crap that you don't need. And yes, the other crap is conveniently charged to the credit card that you used to sign up with. Full price too. People, listen to me... if a company says it needs to 'verify your age' and therefore needs a working credit card, that is internet speak for 'you are about to get scammed'. Use some common sense. If you are interested in trying Acai berry products then please do some reading on them and make sure that you pay for them .. anything free will most likely cost you more than if you just pay the money to start with.

The most surprising thing is that some of the biggest (or at least the most prevalent on the internet) companies are the ones guilty of this. While I personally believe that the acai berry has much to offer, I do not endorse any company that uses it to lure people into the bait and switch scam. As an aside, these companies are not the only ones doing this; there are thousands of them out there luring customers in with words like "free" and "money-back guarantee" and etc. Anytime a celebrity endorses or even alludes to a product by name, then the sharks start attacking. So far, acai berry products have not been officially endorsed by celebrities. Just because a talk show may discuss a certain topic does not mean that they therefore endorse it or that they are associated with it.

I hope you notice that I do not advertise the weight loss crap on my site. I do put google ads on that may contain those but I cannot control what Google chooses to feed this site; it is completely automated. Please do not get your acai products through a 'free trial' scam.

Acai Berry Study

2009-02-09T19:09:00.000-08:00

The Acai Berry Study has long been awaited and not this little Brazilian palm tree berry and popular health food now may have its purported benefits better understood.

In the first actual research involving people, the acai (ah-sigh-EE) berry has proven its ability to be absorbed by the human body when consumed as either juice or pulp. That finding, by a team of Texas AgriLife Research scientists, was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Showing the berry's absorption in humans is important because it is known to contain numerous antioxidants. The berry is now marketed in the U.S. as a health food.

The acai berry study involved 12 healthy volunteers who consumed a single serving of acai juice or pulp. Researchers believe the results point to the need for continued research on the berry which is commonly used in juices, beverages, smoothies, frozen treats and dietary supplements.

"Acai is naturally low in sugar, and the flavor is described as a mixture of red wine and chocolate," said lead investigator Dr. Susanne Talcott, "so what more would you want from a fruit?"

Talcott, who also is assistant professor with the Texas A&M University's nutrition and food science department, said that previous studies have shown the ability of the human body to absorb target antioxidants (from other produce), but "no one had really tested to see if acai antioxidants are absorbed in humans."

Ever since this acai berry study, sales of acai products have increased dramatically in the U.S. as it has been touted as a metabolism booster, weight reducer and athletic enhancer. Advertisements use buzzwords such as health, wellness, energy, taste and organic.

About the only buzzword not used with acai is "local." The berries are harvested in the Brazilian rainforest from acai palms that may reach heights in excess of 60 feet - one of the same palms used to harvest edible hearts of palm.

The fruit is about the size of a large blueberry yet only the outermost layers of the fruit, the pulp surrounding a large internal seed, are edible, Talcott noted.

Talcott and her co-researcher and husband Dr. Steve Talcott began studying the palm- berry in 2001. His first scientific report on acai, apparently the first such study in English, was published in 2004.

Initially, their studies on the berry examined antioxidant and nutritional components in pulp and juice. Later studies showed the berry's activity against cancer cells, Talcott noted.

With that background, the researchers then decided to find out whether those elements were actually being absorbed into the human body or being eliminated unused as waste.

"Like vitamin C, the body can only absorb so much at a time," Steve Talcott explained.

He said the researchers now "need to determine potential disease-fighting health benefits, so we can make intelligent recommendations on how much acai should be consumed.

For the clinical trial, people were given acai pulp and acai juice containing half the concentration of anthocyanins as the pulp and each compared to the control foods: applesauce and a non-antioxidant beverage.

Blood and urine samples at 12 and 24 hours after consumption showed significant increases in antioxidant activity in the blood after both the acai pulp and applesauce consumption, she said. Both acai pulp and acai juice showed significant absorption of antioxidant anthocyanins into the blood and antioxidant effects. The research couple said future studies hopefully will help determine whether the consumption of acai will result in any disease-preventing health benefit and the proper serving sizes for a beneficial dose for people.

"Our concern has been that it is sold as a super food - and it definitely has some good attributes - but it is not a solution to all diseases," she said. "There are a great number of foods on the market, and this could just be part of a well-balanced diet."

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Acai Berry Benefits

2009-02-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

You may have wondered what are the Acai Berry benefits ?

The Acai berry has been proclaimed as a one-of-a-kind superfood which we as humans can indulge in. It has succeeding in proving that that it can provide us with health benefits beyond that of any other single fruit. One particular tribe located in South America has a history of people who eat little else than Acai berries and are much healthier than most other people. Researchers, doctors, and lately celebrities (like Oprah) have endorsed the Acai berry and others have labeled it as our single most important food source substance.

People who routinely consume Acai berries will all agree. The benefits of Acai berries and it's products are gaining popularity as the story spreads, mostly by word of mouth. When I first began researching the Acai Berry Benefits, I noticed that most of the information was not sale-sy or over the top, but rather sincere results from ordinary people --not marketers. And as more research is done, more and more of the acai berry benefits are being found. I have prepared a short list of the ones we know of so far:

Helps Improve circulation

Helps thwart artherosclerosis

Could improve visual acuity (in testing still).

Is loaded with antioxidants.

Acai berries also have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Can strengthen our immune system.

Can improve skin complexion and texture (this is the one most people are familiar with).

Possesses anti-mutagenic properties which helps the cardiovascular system.

Contains high levels of the essential fatty acids & omegas, which are proven to lower LDL & maintain HDL cholesterol levels.

The incredible concentrations of antioxidants in these berries help combat free radicals and therefore stop premature aging

Acai Berries contain flavonoids which are called anthocyanins.

They have a remarkably high ORAC value, which makes them beneficial.

They are also an exceptional source of dietary fiber

Acai berries are particularly rich in organic vegetable protein, which disallows generation of cholesterol during digestion.

They are more easily processed and transported to human muscles than animal proteins present in milk or meat.

They have outstanding amounts of protein and unsaturatedlipids

Acai berries are extremely rich in carbohydrates, providing necessary energy to your body which is useful when working out and playing sports. This reason makes acai berry supplements some of the most served ones in gyms, beaches and sport clubs all over Brazil

The proanthocyanidine content in acai berries are 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine per volume. [The French are famous for having a high fat diet but an overall low incidence of cardio vascular disease compared to the western world. This is allegedly due to their consumption of red wine]

Thanks to their synergy of monounsaturated healthy fats and presence of phytosterols and dietary fiber, acai berries promote a healthier cardio vascular system and digestive tract

They are a brilliant source of fiber, having approximately two grams of dietary fiber in one açaí energy mix. Fiber is known to promote a healthy digestive system

Studies may have indicated that soluble fibers help lower blood cholesterol, while even the insoluble fibers may help reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers

The acai berry has essential amino acid complexes, along with trace minerals which are vital for appropriate muscle contraction and regeneration

Acai berries provide a nutritional profile complete with vitamins, essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) and several minerals

Acai berries have a fatty acid ratio which is similar to that of olive oil. Research explains that this is a contributing factor to the low occurrence of heart disease in Mediterranean people

Acai berries contain plant sterols, including beta sitosterol. Sterols are being used to treat associated benign prostate dyperplasia.

Plant sterols have also been known to control cholesterol
Acai berries contain ten times the antioxidants of grapes and twice those of blueberries.

The acai berry is said to have more nutritional value than any other fruit on the planet.

Where to buy Acai Berry Products

2009-02-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

Where to buy Acai Berry

Acai berry usually is distributed in the form of a juice or powder. It can be purchased from a variety of places but the easiest for me is through the internet. When I first wondered where to buy acai berries, I assumed that the local health store would be the best place to start but I quickly discovered that the markup that they charge is unbelievable.

So I spent several hours combing through the internet in search of an easy one stop shop that would provide that good answer to where to buy acai berry products. I will not try to promote a particular brand but I will say this: be careful picking out your acai berry products.

Few people know that acai berry produce lasts only about 24 hours before it becomes ineffectual and therefore, you need to be sure to purchase your acai berry products from a reputable company that you know can ship it to you in a timely manner. Of course, this applies only to fresh acai berry products and related items, not the powders and substitutes, which by their very definition require extractions and preservatives. Many who have done the scientific research regarding the health benefits of the acai berry will attest to the fact that most acai berry products out there lack the potent kick that accompanies the fresher form. Many companies, out of pure greed, fail to inform the consumer of this fact. Also, I have noticed that many other acai berry websites fall in to the same category. Make sure that the product you purchase has the promise of being fresh and that it can be shipped to you very quickly.

Amazon Acai Berry

2009-02-08T19:00:00.000-08:00

Amazon Acai Berry

You could not ask for a more vibrant and abundant growing environment than the one offered by the Amazon, with its unbelievably fertile aluvial soil that seems to just spring life forth. Tropical sunshine and steady rains make it the most richly fertile place in the world. This is why some of the most health charged food grows here. None more amazing than the tiny little Amazon acai berry (ah-sigh-ee) which delivers a vitally healthy juice and a pulp used for food flavoring. Those who live in this basin forested region have known for many thousands of years the health benefits of the Amazon Acai Berry.

The actual Amazon acai berries hang in bunches like bananas or grapes, but they sprout from the top of the palm trees similar to coconuts. In order to harvest a ripened Amazon Acai Berry, a worker must physically climb to the top of the tree and cut the clusters of berries from it. The Amazon Acai Berry fruit can be gathered only twice per year. The Amazon Acai berry will only stay fresh for about 24 hours if not frozen or freeze dried or processed so make sure your acai berry product is fresh.

Acai Berry Products

2009-02-08T18:40:00.001-08:00

Acai berry products can be found in a variety of locations but primarily people prefer to order them online in order to avoid the sizable markup at the local health foods store. The products themselves can be essentially divided into two main categories:

Natural Acai Berry Products
Processed Acai Berry Products

Both of these versions of acai berry products have gained quite a bit of momentum with consumers lately due to the fact that many people are just beginning to learn of the weight loss and anti-aging and other health benefits of the acai berry. Either choice, Natural Acai Berry or Processed Acai Berry, offers all of these health and wellness benefits. And with a large array of acai berry products of both kinds, there is bound to be something for everyone.

Although the health benefits have not been fully evaluated by the FDA, many people and private researchers (and Oprah) stand by their claims that the acai berry products offer health benefits including those for insomnia, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

No distinct research has been done to determine if there is an actual impact difference between the natural acai berry product and the processed acai berry product. It seems that either option can offer you a truly viable option toward healthy living.

Acai Berry | Health Benefits

2009-02-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

Health benefits of the acai berry cannot be overstated. There have been studies that have shown that this small vibrant fruit called acai berry offers not only numerous high energy health benefits including essentials such as antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids, but also many other benefits including a powerful tool for weight loss.

Other health benefits of the acai berry : many studies have also shown the acai berry to possess such an incredible amount of antioxidants that the acai basic structure is a primary factor in anti-aging. A single acai berry contains approximately ten times more antioxidants than than a red grape and up to thirty times as many anthocyanins. Add to this the fact that the health benefits of the acai berry also include the perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, instrumental to muscular movement and contraction. Another acai berry health benefit is that it a very rich source for fiber and heart healthy fats

Acai Berry | Basics

2009-02-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

What is Acai berry?

The acai berry (ah-sigh-ee) is a dark purple colored fruit that is harvested from palms that grow in tropical swampy parts of Central and South America. Many people claim that acai berry tastes like a cross between a grape and chocolate.

There have been studies that have shown that this small vibrant fruit called acai berry offers not only numerous high energy health benefits including essentials such as antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids, but also many other benefits including a powerful tool for weight loss. Add to this that many studies have also shown the acai berry to possess such an incredible amount of antioxidants that the acai basic structure is a primary factor in anti-aging. A single acai berry contains approximately ten times more antioxidants than than a red grape and up to thirty times as many anthocyanins. Consider that these antioxidants are very powerful from a health standpoint and can impact our overall wellness and quality of life should the studies about the acai berry prove true.

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2009-01-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

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