How effective is Acai?

Dear Anon, thanks for your posting. Just to clarify your question, are you asking about effectiveness in relation to its anti-oxidant benefits or as a weigh loss promoter? You probably know that good nutrition includes a great amount of fruits and vegetables which will also support healthy weight. Acai is a type of berry grown in SouthAmerica (Brazil and Peru). Its consumption is based on the claim that it contains high levels of anti-oxidants known for helping fight free-radicals and oxidative stress in the body.

Currently, research on acai fruit has been centered on its potential antioxidant properties only and I have not heard of any study on weight loss being conducted at this time. Acai fruit has shown antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activity on those studies and this fruit may also show promise as an agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is a non-invasive procedure that produces a two-dimensional view of internal organs or structures, especially the brain and spinal cord.

To my knowledge, there is insufficient available evidence in humans to support the use of acai for any specific indication. However, researchers from a university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil explained that acai is rich in polyphenols. A study investigated whether hydro-alcoholic extract obtained from stone of açaí induces a vasodilator effect and, if so, researchers sought to determine the underlying mechanism. The study results showed that indeed there was a vasodilator effect when acai was consumed by humans. The study authors suggested the possibility to use acai as a medicinal plant, in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

I use acai on smoothies every day. The berries of acai may be used as food but the açai palm has other purposes. In Brazil the leaves of this palm plant are used for making hats, mats, baskets, brooms and roof thatch for homes, and trunk wood, resistant to pests, for building construction.