The acai berry grows on palms found in the Amazonian rain forest of Brazil. Touted for its high concentration of antioxidants and fiber, acai has become a supplement sensation. I will be the first to agree that antioxidants and fiber are essential for both wellness and weight loss, but are acai supplements the best way to get them? Before you latch on to the acai diet craze, take a deeper look.
Antioxidants exist in all plant foods; fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, etc. They neutralize oxidative stress caused by free radicals thereby decreasing the risk for age related degenerative disease and boosting the immune system and metabolism. Though it is beneficial to eat foods that have high concentrations of antioxidants, such as acai and other berries, it is equally important that we get a variety of antioxidants from diverse sources. If we are led to believe that we should seek foods solely for their high ORAC scores, we’d be eating pure ground cloves (the next diet fad?), which according to oracvalues.com, wins a score three times that of freeze dried acai berry.
The question we must ask is: Can the antioxidants in the acai berry maintain their integrity after all that processing? Though I don’t have the answer, I’m pretty confident that I’m better off eating my fresh roasted beets than popping a so-called wonder-pill containing a fruit that has been freeze dried, crushed into powder, traveled thousands of miles, and sat on a shelf for who knows how long. You don’t need to be a scientist to understand how to eat a healthful antioxidant rich diet – simply eat an array of fresh, unprocessed, colorful plant foods to boost the metabolism, promote health and weight loss, and reduce the damaging and aging effects of free radicals.
Fiber is also present in all plant foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, whole grains, etc) and is vital for health and weight loss. Fiber slows the absorption of sugars into the blood thereby stabilizing energy, decreasing sweet cravings, and curbing hunger. Fiber rich foods increase satiety and keep you feeling full longer. Additionally, fiber aids weight loss and supports health by cleansing the colon and promoting detoxification. According to one of my favorite authors, Mark Hyman, M.D., “…fiber is a powerful substance that has the ability to help you lose weight; lower your blood sugar and cholesterol; reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; and reduces inflammation. Fiber [also acts] like a sponge that soaks up fat and sugar in your gut and both slows and prevents some of their absorption” (“Ultra-Metabolism” 51).
Both antioxidants and fiber are, without a doubt, essential components for achieving your health and weight loss goals. However as for the Acai Diet, I recommend that you save your money and do not buy these trendy supplements. Instead, go to the produce section of your local health food store where you will find your “fountain of life”, “miracle pill”, weight loss solution, and dinner all in one.
See my article Picking the Perfect Peach for tips on choosing the best produce.
