What is acai berry? Acai berry is a small purple palm fruit which grows from the Acai palm tree in South America. The berry has been promoted as a supplement in the form of juice and whole fruit.
Benefit claims:
Claims of weight loss, diabetes mellitus, penis enlargement and other illnesses promoted in the media and elsewhere are false claims.
Available clinical trials:
There are no clinical trials in humans showing benefit of the acai berry after extensive research literature search at time of publication.
Acai berry and general health:
Acai berry may contribute to general health when included as part of fruit intake in the diet.
Acai berry and fruit intake:
Eat at least 2 cups of fruits and 1.5 cups of vegetables per day. According to Marcason et al, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, based on a 2000 calories/day diet states that individuals should eat at least 2 cups of fruits and 1.5 cups of vegetables per day in order to obtain the recommended amounts of antioxidants from the diet. For now, use of acai berry antioxidants for specific disease treatment should be avoided since its benefits have yet to be proven. (1)
Ranking antioxidants in acai berry compared to other fruits:
According to Seeram et al, the antioxidant potency of acai berry juice was compared to other commonly available fruits by using 4 separate testing methods. Polyphenol concentration, antioxidant strength, and oxidation of LDL was ranked in the following order: pomegranate juice ranked best followed by red wine, then Concord grape juice, blueberry juice, black cherry juice, açaí juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, iced tea beverages, and apple juice. The study was done in vitro which doesn\’t prove clinical useful benefits in patients, but the results were consistent with other fruit juices which do possess proven benefits. (2)
Assessment and Plan: Acai berry
Acai berry may contribute to general health, but there are no clinical trials in humans showing benefit of the acai berry for obesity or benefit toward any specific disease states.
References:
1.Marcason W. What is the açaí berry and are there health benefits? J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Nov;109(11):1968. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19857637
2.Seeram NP, Aviram M, Zhang Y, Henning SM, Feng L, Dreher M, Heber D. J Comparison of antioxidant potency of commonly consumed polyphenol-rich beverages in the United States. Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 27;56(4):1415-22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18220345