Acai berries have received a lot of media attention lately. Sensational ads and stories of weight loss, anti-aging and pain relief are all over the internet. The berries and their exotic promise of easy weight loss and instant vitality have been featured on mainstream television shows including Oprah, Rachael Ray and CNN.
Are super juices and pills containing Acai (pronounced “ah-sigh-ee”) the miracle of vitality, longevity and fast weight loss that so many sales pages tout? Are acai berries truly “one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world” as claimed on Oprah’s website?
All whole foods in their pure and unprocessed form have healing and often miraculous properties. The exotic berries – including acai berries, elderberries, goji berry, mulberries, schizandra berry, goldenberries and bilberries – are each potent sources of antioxidants and each possess unique healing properties as outlined below. In fact, ALL berries – including the more common strawberries and blueberries – are anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants!
Beware of Acai Berries’ Marketing Scams
Many of these super berries, like the acai berries, do have compelling evidence of extraordinarily high levels of healing nutrients. And, like many traditional foods from remote regions, their healing properties have been enjoyed by indigenous people for many generations. Within a cleansing whole foods diet they can provide many health benefits.
However, the evidence is not compelling enough to justify spending exorbitant amounts of money on exotic juices and supplements. Many of the companies marketing these products use questionable tactics as well - such as fake diet blogs or phony “expert” pages. This tactic is used to funnel readers into free trials that lead into a costly monthly commitment. Many of these products are of suspicious or unknown quality.
So please be wary of all free trial offers and stories of people losing 30 pounds in 30 days by simply taking an acai berry supplement. These unbelievable stories are truly not believable and not documented by credible sources. Even the more reputable network marketing companies who use high quality raw product sources usually market an acai juice or goji juice blend that is mixed with other less potent juices and costs $40-$50 a bottle or $180-$200 for a monthly supply. That kind of money would be better spent on fresh, organic fruits and vegetables from your local market!
When you purchase acai berries or any of the exotic berries featured here, buy them in as close to natural and pure form as possible – dried, powdered or juiced – without other fillers or additives. You may be able to find them at your local health food store, but be sure to look for 100% pure, organic, raw berries with NO additives.
To find out more about the unique healing properties of acai and other exotic berries, how to use them and where to shop for them in pure form, read this full report on acai berries.
Cindy Cleary, Masters in Social Work, and Jo delAmor, Certified Holistic Health Counselor, are natural health advocates and educators. Visit Whole Body Detox Diet for tools and guidelines for creating a safe, effective and gentle detox diet that’s just right for you. Sign up for your Free Detox Diet Startup Kit to receive step by step guidance for creating your customized detox diet plan using whole foods, herbs, and therapies.