Acai Research
Recent Acai research:
* In Vitro and in Vivo Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Capacities of an Antioxidant-Rich Fruit and Berry Juice Blend. Results of a Pilot and Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study * Antioxidant Capacity and Other Bioactivities of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry (Acai) * Endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect of Euterpe oleracea Mart (Acai) * Phytochemical and Nutrient Composition of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry (Acai) * Randomised, Placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of B-sisterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. * Total oxidant scavenging capacities of Euterpe oleracea mart. (Acai) fruits.
Acai Berry – Studies and Research
The acai (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee) berry has been making headlines. Endorsed by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, promoted as a powerful health supplement in MonaVie, and now available as a dietary supplement, millions of people are jumping on the bandwagon to get healthy by ingesting the pulp from this tiny berry.
Near Miraculous Claims
The acai berry is being praised as a near-miracle supplement touted to have an endless list of health benefits—like curing insomnia, making weight loss quick and easy, restoring your immune system and safeguarding against illness, reducing your risk of cancer, aiding in digestion, slowing the aging process, detoxifying the body, enhancing sexual performance, and more. It is marketed in the U.S. in various forms: instant drink powders, diet products, juices, smoothies, and dietary supplements—most of which are made from the acai berry’s pulp. Some products may also include seed extracts. But what does the acai research show and why are we just now hearing about this super food?
Hidden Treasure From Brazil
As the name would imply, the acai berry is a fruit. It grows on large palm trees in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil where it has grown for hundreds of years and been used locally for medicinal purposes. This berry, however, must be harvested and dried within 24 hours to avoid spoiling, so until recent advances in freeze-drying were made available in this region, there was no way to harvest and transport the berry to other parts of the world. Hence, the “new buzz” about the acai berry in recent years. Although it has long been known in Brazil, the rest of the world has only just begun to appreciate this little-known fruit and its health and antioxidant qualities.
Physical Properties And Nutritional Components
But is this tiny fruit the amazing little miracle it is heralded to be? Acai research studies show the acai berry does possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, is rich in amino acids, and contains phytochemicals including anthocyanins (ACNs), proanthocyanidins (PACs), and other flavonoids, fiber, and other beneficial nutritional components. But it is somewhat difficult to substantiate the actual physical properties and nutritional components without quantifying what part of the acai berry is being analyzed in each study. Some studies focus on extracts from the seeds while others focus on the fruit pulp alone or a combination of pulp and skin.One study used a powdered preparation called Opti-acai that contains both fruit pulp and skin. A report based on this acai study, entitled the “Phytochemical and Nutrient Composition of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai)” published by the American Chemical Society in 2006 identified 19 different amino acids in the acai berry. (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf060976g) In the course of this study, researchers analyzed 100 g of extract. The sample was determined to be 8.1 percent protein, 32.5 percent fats, and 52.2 percent carbohydrates (which included 44.2 percent fiber). Iron, vitamin A, calcium, apartic acid, glutamic acid, and a trace amount of vitamin C were also present. A complete breakdown of the properties of the fat content, oil compartments—and the polyhpenols contained therein, anthocyanins, and favonoid-type compounds is available online at Wikipedia if you want all the details. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A7a%C3%AD_Palm) In an acai research report titled the “Antioxidant Capacity and Other Bioactivities of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai)” published by the American Chemical Society in 2006, researchers also confirmed the presence of antioxidant properties in the acai berry. (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0609779)
The Benefits of Antioxidants
Antioxidants help your body’s cells fight off free radicals that could cause disease so a diet rich in antioxidants can help strengthen your body’s systems to prevent disease. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) measures antioxidant levels in foods using a system called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity score (ORAC) and for many years has promoted the blueberry as an antioxidant rich food. While reports on the exact antioxidant level in the acai berry seem to vary, it clearly surpasses the antioxidant level in blueberries—possibly by as much as five times—and it is shown to be a good source of antioxidants. (http://www.acaiberrystudies.com/acai-berry-and-cancer.html)(http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=19616&zoneid=28) (http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/09637480500082082) In a pilot, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to determine the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of an antioxidant rich fruit and berry juice blend, the report published by the American Chemical Society in 2008, confirmed findings that the acai berry does “protect cells from oxidative damage” and has “anti-inflammatory properties.” (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf8016157 Another study published by the American Chemical Society in 2008—“Pharmacokinetics of Anthocyanins and Antioxidant Effects After the Consumption of Anthocyanin-rich Acai Juice and Pulp (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) in human healthy volunteers"—showed blood plasma antioxidant levels increased within two hours after drinking an acai juice blend. (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf8007037) However, a comparative analysis indicates that commercially available fruit juice blends containing acai do not necessarily have higher antioxidant properties than other polyphenol-rich beverages. The “Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed Polyphenol-Rich Beverages in the United States” published by the American Chemical Society in 2008 (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf073035s) revealed pomegranate juice, red wine, Concorde grape juice, and blueberry juice all exceeded the acai blends in antioxidant capacities. Similar studies have suggested acerola, mango, strawberry, and grape juice exceed the antioxidant potency of acai blends, as well. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A7a%C3%AD_Palm) (http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-84782006000400037&lng=en&nrm=iso) In a study titled the "Total Oxidant Scavenging Capacities of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (Açaí) Fruits,” a comparison of acai varieties did reveal the dark purple acai berry most commonly used commercially to be the highest of the acai varieties in antioxidants with excellent results against peroxyl radicals. (http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/09637480500082082) Still another acai reaearch study conducted at the University of Florida and published by the American Chemical Society in 2006—“"Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Polyphenolics in Their Glycoside and Aglycone Forms Induce Apoptosis of HL-60 Leukemia Cells" (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf052132n) —showed evidence that acai killed cancer (leukemia) cells in an applied, controlled environment (not with human subjects).
More Acai Claims Need More Acai Research
Many of the claims attributed to acai and its products bear fruit (if you’ll pardon the pun) based on what science teaches us about nutrition and the human body. For instance, the fact that acai contains a healthy amount of fiber does contribute to better digestion and even to feeling full faster so you are less likely to overeat which could lead to weight loss. And fatty acids, such as those found in acai, can help increase the metabolism resulting in increased energy and possibly weight loss and will also help your body absorb other essential vitamins which is good for your immune system and can help your body fight sickness more effectively.There is absolutely no question that acai is a healthy food and a great addition to your diet. However, as of this writing, there don’t appear to be any controlled research studies that suggest acai can prevent aging, cure cancer, or result in significant weight loss without any other effort (or some of the other farfetched claims you might read about) as some products might try to suggest. Clearly, additional scientific acai research and studies are needed to either substantiate or dispute specific claims attributed to the acai berry’s power as a super food. Nonetheless, as part of a healthy, balanced diet—in moderation and with other fruits and vegetables, incorporating acai into your routine seems like a great addition to a healthy lifestyle—as long as you’re not expecting any miracles as a result.
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