· Weight loss
· Anti-aging
· Anti-heart disease, anti-cancer, and anti-arthritis properties
· Improved digestion, sleep, and overall health
There are ads all over the internet with these claims and “free trials” that end up charging exorbitant fees after entering credit card information. So what exactly is this substance that has everyone in frenzy and shelling out wads of cash?
The açaí berry originates from Central and South Africa and contains important antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E, polyphenols, anthocyanins, as well as many nutrients such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, and thiamine. The truth is, while these nutrients are a vital part of our diet, they aren’t exclusive to the expensive berry.
Açaí berry is just another antioxidant, which helps eliminate free radicals, or toxins from our environment that contribute to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Eating about 2 and a half cups each of fruits and vegetables should provide you with a cheaper source of antioxidants that will help stave off these diseases. As for the weight loss claims, there have been no real evidence to show that the açaí berry helps you lose weight.
If you like the taste of this berry, go ahead and enjoy, but keep in mind the limited amount of evidence that supports the claims.
If you’re on a budget but want to reap the benefits of antioxidants:
- Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to maximize benefit or each unique nutrient
- Vitamins A rich foods- orange, red, deep-yellow and dark-leafy vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, winter squash and broccoli.
- Vitamin C- think citrus such as oranges, lemon, grapefruit, tangerines, sweet peppers and even broccoli and potatoes
- Vitamin E rich foods- vegetable oils, whole grains, seeds, nuts and peanut butter.
- Consider a high quality multivitamin
Açaí berry is just another antioxidant with a really good publicist that played up its exoticism to appeal to the masses.
Another "healthy food" fad is kombucha. Any thoughts, or maybe you would like to save this one for a post?
ReplyDeleteI didn't know much about it before, but I’ve been doing some reading on this tea made from fermented yeast and bacteria. It’s supposed to be an antioxidant and help reduce cholesterol and hardening of the arteries, prevent cancer, and improve digestion and liver function. There’s been mixed studies about its effectiveness, but there have also been alarming cases of toxicity due to causing too much acidity in the body.
ReplyDeleteRegular tea is supposed to have antioxidant properties and is not associated with any toxicity so far and is much cheaper. Any kind of tea, whether green, black, or white contains powerful antioxidants that aid in lowering cholesterol, reducing risk of cancer and heart disease, and improving overall health.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable advising someone to start drink kombucha with the limited science behind the claims done primarily on rodents. The cost, both money and the risk, just doesn’t seem worth it to me. But if you find it helpful and notice a positive difference in how you feel, I would just advise being cautious and aware of any adverse symptoms.