The acai berry is found in the Amazon forest and has the benefit of having very powerful antioxidant properties. The acai berry is purple colored and small and comes from a palm tree known by the Brazilians as "the tree of life." The predominant substances in the acai berry that are of benefit include polyphenols, flavonoids, mostly of the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins categories.

Historical uses of the Acai berry fruit
Acai has been a traditional food for several centuries of the native people living in the Amazon forest. However it was only a few years ago, about the year 2000, that the acai berry was introduced to the Western market.

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Acai benefits
The acai berry has many times the anthocyanin antioxidant content as red wine. The antioxidants in acai benefit health conditions where antioxidants are useful. Acai benefits may relate to the content of plant sterols, essential fatty acids, and fiber. Human research is required before learning the potential acai benefit in medical conditions or prevention of health problems.
   Additional herbs that have interesting properties that you can learn about include mangosteen fruit, Curcumin pill, Goji berry, Graviola supplement, and Pomegranate fruit extract. If you would like a great doctor formulated daily multivitamin and multimineral supplement, see multivitamin.

Acai benefit as Vasodilator
Polyphenols in acai berry have the ability to act as vasodilators, which means they can dilate blood vessels. This means that one acai benefit could include conditions where blood vessel dilation is needed.

Endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect of Euterpe oleracea Mart. Acai berry extracts in mesenteric vascular bed of the rat.
Vascul Pharmacol. 2006 Sep 1; Department of Pharmacology and Psychobiology, IBRAG, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) a fruit from the Amazon region, largely consumed in Brazil is rich in polyphenols. Experiments were undertaken to determine whether an extract obtained from acai induces a vasodilator effect in the rat mesenteric vascular bed precontracted with norepinephrine. The present study demonstrates that the vasodilator effect of acai extract is dependent on activation of nitric oxide -cGMP pathway and may also involve endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor release. The vasodilator effect suggest a possibility to use acai berry extract as a medicinal plant, in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Acai berry availability
Acai is sold as capsules, and can be placed in smoothies or made into bars. You will also find acai berry made into acai juice. Acai pulp is also useful. Acai fruit juice and acai berry juice.

Acai Berry benefit Summary
As of Octorber 2007, human studies with acai fruit or acai extract are lacking, therefore no firm statements can be made regarding the clinical uses of this plant and its full benefit in clinical medicine. However, occasionally eating acai berry or taking an acai berry supplement as part of a healthy diet seems to be a reasonable approach. An acai berry extract supplement can be taken once, twice, or three times a week with breakfast.

Acai berry side effects
No acai berry supplement side effects have been reported in the medical literature.

Acai Research as antioxidant
Total oxidant scavenging capacities of Euterpe oleracea Mart. ( Acai ) fruits.
Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2005 Feb;56(1):53-64.
The antioxidant capacities of 11 commercial and non-commercial samples of Euterpe oleracea Mart. ( acai ) fruit pulp were studied. The antioxidant capacities of all purple acai samples were found to be excellent against peroxyl radicals, good against peroxynitrite and poor against hydroxyl radicals compared with common European fruit and vegetable juices recently analysed. The phenolic compounds in purple acai fruit pulp were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the two major anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside, were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-visible spectrometry. The contributions of the anthocyanins to the overall antioxidant capacities of the fruit were estimated to be only approximately 10%. Obviously, compounds not yet identified are responsible for the major part of the antioxidant capacities of the acai fruit pulp.

Euterpe Oleracea ( Acai ) as an alternative oral contrast agent in MRI of the gastrointestinal system: preliminary results.
Magn Reson Imaging. 2004 Apr;22(3):389-93.
Using contrast agents is a common practice in medical imaging protocols. Paramagnetic properties of certain compounds present in contrast agents can affect magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals. For abdominal applications, they are usually injected, but may also be administered orally. However, their use as a routine technique is limited, mainly due to the lack of appropriate oral contrast agents. We herein present the preliminary characterization and results for implementation of Euterpe Oleracea (popularly named Acai) as a possible clinical oral contrast agent for MRI of the gastrointestinal tract. The pulp of Acai, a fruit from the Amazon area, presented an increase in T(1)-weighted MRI signal, equivalent to that of gadolinium-diethyltriamine pentaacetic acid, and a decrease in T(2)-weighted images. Atomic absorption spectra revealed the presence of iron, Mn and copper ions in Acai. This finding assents with the hypothesis that image contrast changes were due to the presence of paramagnetic material. The first measurements in vivo demonstrate a clear increase of contrast, in T(1)-weighted images, due to the presence of Acai. Consistently, the opacification in a T(2)-weighted acquisition was evident, revealing a good contrast on bowel walls of gastric tissues.

Acai Questions and Acai health benefit Information
Q. What is Ola Acai and how is it different than other acai products?
   A. Ola acai is just a brand name for an acai product. Without testing different products and comparing them, it is difficult to know which acai product is better than others. Most companies that have acai products buy the raw material from similar suppliers and the acai benefits from different product should be similar in most cases.

Q. Can you point me to a website that has good acai benefit study info?
   A. You can find good acai study information at this acai berry web site.

Q. Does acai help in weight loss?
   A. We have not seen studies regarding the role of acai berry in weight loss.

Q. Is the acai pulp healthy?
   A. Yes, acai pulp has many antioxidants.

Q. Where can I find truthful acai testimonials that list acai benefits?
   A. Most acai testimonials listed on websites that promote acai benefits may not be reliable, particularly if the website is selling an acai supplement.

Q. Can acai help with weight loss?
   A. It does not appear so far that acai supplements help people lose weight. Herbs that may reduce appetite include green tea extract and hoodia. You can purchase Green Tea Extract and Hoodia Extract here. Another option is a combination product called Diet Rx which works to cur the appetite.

Q. I want to get the benefit of acai but have a concern before I buy an acai supplement or berry product. I am presently considering acai berry supplement, however, am concerned about Chagas Disease. Is it mandatory that all acai products must be pasteurized and , if so, I understand that pasteurization does not kill all bacteria, protos, etc.etc. only sterilization does. In that case, how safe are these acai products? Please advise If I am misinformed. Since these acai products are coming from Brazil, Do they have to pass FDA criteria, standards, approval etc. I'm sure you know Chagas Disease kills many in Brazil every year,
   A. There is no indication that acai products pose any danger of disease transmission. Regulatory agencies routinely check for contaminants and there has never been a case mentioned that an acai supplement caused any transmission of a disease.

Q. I understand acai drinks are common in Brazil. What kind of acai benefit can one expect drinking acai juice?
   A. Unfortunately, acai juice is not pleasant to drink unless it is mixed with sugar or bananas. Many people drink acai juice with sugar added and thus get hundreds of extra calories which may negate the antioxidant benefits of acai fruit.

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This acai benefits page was last updated in 2008.