Acai Berry: Healthy Superfood to Lose Weight?

On Mar 27, 2020 951 0

The Acai berry is really hyped as superfood. We reveal whether the enthusiasm is justified and what the berries can do.

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Acai berry: Origin

The Acai berry originates from the South American Amazon and grows there on palm trees (cabbage palms), which can grow up to 25 meters high. In appearance, the fruits, which are declared as superfood, resemble blueberries, although they are somewhat larger.
The Acai consists almost exclusively of the core. Therefore it is usually offered in the trade as cored powder or fruit juice. The fruits have become famous mainly because of their high content of anthocyanins (antioxidants).
In the shops you can buy products with Acai berries in juices, powders, capsules, shakes, sweets or even tablets. There are also many cosmetic products with acai as an ingredient in the beauty sector.

Acai berries also owe their hype to talk show host Ophrah Winfrey. In her show, she once presented the fruits and praised them as particularly beneficial to health. In the USA a real boom on the superfood Acai followed.
Due to the high amount of antioxidants, the Acai berry has proven to have some positive properties. As antioxidants fight free radicals in the body, the skin can regenerate better and wrinkles can be prevented.
However, the antioxidants as the most important ingredients do not only provide a kind of anti-aging effect, they also strengthen the immune system in combination with the vitamins and plant substances. The blood circulation is also stimulated and by fighting the free radicals you can reduce the risk of cancer, as the radicals are a fundamental trigger of this disease.

But even though acai berries certainly have positive effects on health, there are two points to consider: Firstly, the name Superfood is above all a marketing term, which is particularly popular for exotic fruits, as these are still unknown and are intended to boost sales.
Regional products such as tomatoes or blueberries are also bursting with vitamins and antioxidants. In addition, the content of the ingredients decreases with each processing step of a food product. Fresh and unprocessed food from the region is therefore always to be preferred.
In addition, scientific studies must always be evaluated with limitations. Experiments on animals cannot be transferred one-to-one to humans. Moreover, the effect of a food cannot be considered in isolation from the overall diet and lifestyle. If you eat a sugary yoghurt with jam and chocolate sprinkles and eat acai berries with it, you will certainly not improve your health because of it.

Since Acai berries stimulate the metabolism, they are often referred to as a good helper in losing weight. The fruits are also said to reduce hunger. However, it must also be noted: There are no studies that prove a positive effect of the Acai berry as a food for losing weight. It is better not to expect a dietary miracle weapon from the fruit.
When losing weight, always follow the basic rule: consume more calories than you burn! So no food can make you lose weight. However, a balanced diet with lots of fruit (vitamins) can provide a good basis for your desired weight. And the Acai berry as superfood can be a part of it. But you can just as well rely on regional fruits and vegetables.

If you really want to eat the berries as fruit, you have to be quick. They are only edible for about 36 hours after harvest.
That is why acai is primarily available in Germany as juice or powder. Pay attention to the ingredients to make sure that there are still enough antioxidants and vitamins.
You can use the powder ideally for muesli, smoothies or porridge. You can drink the juice straight or mix it with other fruit juices or milk.
You can get products with Acai in organic supermarkets and health food stores, but of course also on the Internet in various online shops.