The True Power of Açaí
Small, round and dark blue: The Acai berry actually looks a lot like a normal berry, however; it is rumored to be true super berry. Acai is known to make you lose weight and burn fat. Eat Smarter! will give you the scoop on what Acai can and cannot do.
“Extra-pounds and unwanted body fat simply melt off” or “your skin will look younger and tighter”: If you believe the manufacturers of acai (pronounced Assa-i), these little berries will turn everyone into a supermodel. But what can these super berries actually do?
How the Hype Around Acai Began
On her show, Oprah Winfrey introduced Acai to us as a “super food”. Due to the extremely high levels of antioxidants they are supposed to help people look and feel younger. This created a boom in the acai market. Especially on the Internet, countless acai products are being sold. You can buy acai as pills, juice or powder and everyone promises the same thing: a beautiful figure and younger skin.
Where Did Acai Come From?
Acai berries originated in Brazil and there they are a normal staple in peoples diet. The berries are around one to two centimeters long and the dark blue berries grow on a type of palm tree. Up to 90% of the berry’s mass is actually the pit. Only the skin is actually edible. After being harvested the berry is pitted, mashed and then sold.
What’s Actually Inside Acai
Acai’s fame is owed to their high levels of antioxidants. They even contain more than cranberries or oranges – but not as many as blueberries or cherries. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that would otherwise damage the cells. Thus, the aging process can be slowed and diseases can be prevented. As well as antioxidants, Acai also has many vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids.
Is Acai Really a “Super Food”?
There is no doubt acai is incredibly healthy. Whether or not it is in fact an anti-aging and weight loss wonder is questionable. Even though antioxidants powers are proven, it doesn’t mean that you can simply eat away wrinkles. Antioxidants work way better as a preventative measure.
The Ingredients in Acai are supposed to boost the metabolism, because of this extra pounds are supposed to just melt off. However, there are no scientific studies that prove acai is responsible for weight loss. Many sellers will advertise that they have carried out studies, however many of these studies are biased. The fact is the body will only burn fat when it needs more power than you supply it through foods. Unfortunately Acai cannot change this.
Oprah Winfrey and Acai: This is How it Continued
Many dubious manufactures of Acai products are now using pictures of Oprah Winfrey in order to promote their product. However, Winfrey was only recommending Acai itself in her show, not one specific product. She has since been taking legal action against these ads by suing more than 50 manufacturers and publishing a correction on her website.
