Acai Berry: Miracle Diet or Scam?

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Saturday, November 14th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Why is it that I can not be on the web these days for more than ten minutes without coming across and ad, popup or banner for this magical new diet based on the acai berry? Can there be some truth to all these marvelous claims or are we just looking at another current day snake-oil scam? Does this weird sounding mysterious berry from a far off land possess any nutritional value worth discussing? Last but not least, and what many term the million dollar question; is weight loss attainable with a diet centered on this little purple wonder?

At this point in time, it is virtually a no brainer to come out and declare that this product is hot. With items on the shelves like acai beer, acai shampoo, acai health drinks, acai snack bars, acai ice cream and acai powders and pills, there is no disagreeing with its popularity. But why?

I recognize that we have a lot of un-answered questions so before we lunge any deeper into the acai world, let’s go back and tackle our first main question about where this little purple sensation fits in the fat loss world and if it performs; my response is: YES and NO.

Now, do not adjust your screen or hit refresh; I in fact did say “yes and no” and I pledge to not leave it at that. By the time you have completed reading this article, you will understand exactly why I gave that answer and more significantly, you will be in a position to make a very knowledgeable decision.

For a really terrifc and free resource on the Acai Berry, Weight Loss and dieting, explore Fact or Fiction: Secrets of the Acai Berry Diet

My reasoning behind the “no” part of my answer is very straightforward and to the point so we will talk about that part of my response first. If you make the determination to put all your trust and optimisim into one little pill or powder and believe that you are going to awaken each morning weighing less and less, or leap on the scale after finishing the container and weigh less than when you began it, plan on being in for a rude awakening. It is going to take plenty more effort than the energy expenditure you put into taking the cap off the bottle and hurling the pills into your mouth.

Let us shift now and look at why I said “yes” when I responded to the original question from the beginning of the article. I have spent a innumerable amount of time investigating and personally dechipering what kind of outcome a person can expect to achieve when they integrate acai or an acai based product into their diet or weight loss system. Before we carry on, please keep in mind that I am not a doctor of medicine or some Masters or PhD scientist. So my research wasn’t done in a lab and I am not studying this berry at a molecular level. My findings come from real world application. My results are arise from what I have experienced on a personal level and from the dozens of testimonials that I have obtained from individuals who incorporated different acai based weight loss products into their diet.

Here is the cliff notes account of what my investigation revealed; it would be a colossal understatement to say that the acai berry is a nutritionally intricate phenomenon of nature. The nutritional benefits of this berry go well beyond most of the stuff many of us put into our mouths each day. And I can confidently say that it will almost certainly be several more years before we thoroughly get a full appreciation of the nutritional benefits that the acai berry offers. Appropriate and superb nutrition is a key ingredient of any successful diet and nutrition regimen and as you can assume at this point, the acai berry is at the head of its class in this department.

So, what is it that makes this berry so exceptional? Let us start by taking a look at where it is found and go from there. The place it calls home is a crucial factor in understanding its nutritional dominance. You can circle our planet all you want but I will save you the time and cost if you are looking to find where the acai berry grows and prospers. It is indigenous to solely 1 location and that is the Amazon Rainforest in the jungles of Brasil. This statement plays a critical part in understanding why it is that on a nutritional level, this berry is such a powerhouse.

First and foremost, lack of urbanization and industrial expansion have kept this berry clean of so many of the impurities we uncover in today’s fruits (impurities brought about by things like pollution, pesticides, etc…). Second, because of where it grows, it literally needs to be hardy in order to endure many of the adversities nature throws its way; adversities like seasonal flooding, powerful rays from the sun, and other fruits and vegetation vying for the resources that are needed to grow and thrive in that environment. This resilience is found in the skin of this fruit and that is exactly where so much of the amazing nutritional properties this fruit possess is stored. The acai berry grows high above the ground in a particular species of palm trees. In a side by side comparison, the acai berry truly has no known counterpart in the fruit or vegetable world. Its nutritional properties and the amount of antioxidants that it contains are off the charts. When the pulp and skin of the acai were examined, it was found that it contained an remarkable amount of amino acids, trace minerals and essential fatty acids.

Under a microscope and at a cellular level, the incredibly considerable amount of antioxidants found in this berry function as an remarkable weapon against an enemy known as free radicals.

As you sit there and read this article, free radicals are destroying the cell’s in your body. Free radicals are created as a byproduct of all the pollution our bodies absorb on a daily basis. Pollution from sources like car exhaust, industrial fumes, first and second hand smoke, etc… Outside of living in a bubble, it is a near impracticality to evade them. Plainly stated, the more free radicals in your system, the more damage your cells are experiencing. As free radicals accumulate in your system, you are not only speeding up the aging process, you are also making yourself a lot more vulnerable to disease and illness.

Lets take a look at this process in the real world so you can really comprehend what free radicals are doing to your body. Please go and locate an apple. Cut the apple in half and watch what happens. As it changes color, that process is identified as oxidation. Free radicals do the same thing to your cells; they cause them to oxidize. So now that you know you have an inevitable battle being waged in the battlefield we will refer to as your body, where do collect butt-kicking, free-radical killing, soldiers? You are going to build your little army by consuming a diet that is rich in natural antioxidants. If you look in a book titled, ‘The Perricone Promise’ (or on Oprah’s website), you will notice that the author, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, lists the acai berry as his # 1 pick for superfoods in the world.

Please keep in mind that there are a great number of ads and websites out in cyberspace today that are promoting the ‘Acai Berry Diet’ as Oprah’s new diet and this is a total fabrication of the truth. At the time of this article being written, there were no acai based weight loss products that she was endorsing or standing behind.

Now that we have completed the science lesson, let’s swing our focus back to losing weight. The secret is not to squander time in search of that one almighty and all-powerful fruit or vegetable that is going to make it happen for you. Yes, the acai berry has many remarkable properties and makes an first-rate addition to most diets but if you want real weight loss success (in particular for the long term), you need to make intelligent choices about all the food that is going into your body. It is of the highest significance that you take the time to have a handle on which foods in reality assist the fat burning process and more importantly, which foods hinder the process. There are a lot of impressive approaches in existence like ‘calorie shifting’, which allow a person to use particular nutritional properties found in different foods to help increase your metabolism. This allows your body to churn out a greater number of fat burning hormones which will, of course, help your body lose weight more speedily.

Just a reminder, if you are looking or a exceedingly exceptional and free resource on the Acai Berry, Fat Loss and dieting, see The Acai Berry Diet Exposed

So now that we realize that free radicals are bad, antioxidants are good, and acai berries contain lots of them (antioxidants); how do we integrate acai into our diet while evading all the rip-offs we are reading about each day and what can we look forward to once we are using it? This is far from being a authentic science experiment but I did assemble a considerable amount of testimonials from different people consuming acai based products and I have gone ahead and listed them below. One important thing to note is that I have only listed items that myself and least 2 other people experienced or felt:

- Increased energy levels
- Deeper and sustained sleep in the evenings
- Improvements in my skin and complexion
- Enhanced sexual drive and performance
- Better focus throughout the day
- Almost no occurrence of heart burn or indigestion
- Overall higher stamina

I can already visualize the car keys in your hand but hold on for just a minute (or at least until you finish reading this). Do not waste time or money speeding over to your local fruit stand… not unless that market is located in the Brasilian rain forest or at least inside a few hours of it. I am sure I just ruined the idea you had for acai muffins in the morning but it is extremely important that you comprehend this part. Upon being harvested from the palm in which it grows, the acai berry starts to lose its nutritional propensity just about instantly and inside of 24-36 hours, well… you might as well settle for some blueberry muffins.

I know that I have given you a lot of information to process but this next portion is going to be the most significant and pertinent portion of this article when it comes to acai, your diet and reducing your weight. If you determine to integrate an acai based product into your diet, please take a lot of precaution in selecting a product and take additional care if you see the tag-line ‘free trial’ in the offer or advertisement. These days, that seems to be code for ‘SCAM’ (notice how I used the word “seems” because not all of them are scams; just a large majority in my opinion.

Pills: check; powders: check; liquid form: check… I have tested pretty much all the different forms that acai based products come in and the one that gave me the most physical benefit came in a liquid form. The product name was MonaVie. They are a Utah based direct sales company and aside from the acai berry, their functional health beverage contains 18 other fruits known to contain tremendous levels of nutrition and antioxidants. This article is not meant to be a product promotion and that is why you are not going to find any links pointing you to a distinct product. My goal is to share with you what functioned best for me, and for a sizeable amount of people I have spoken with. Even though this particular product is not an acai only product, from what I comprehend, it is the key ingredient in the blend and it also supports my belief in not focusing on just one ingredient to be the magic. If you want to focus on locating an acai only product to incorporate in to your diet, the key is to find one that preserves the nutritional integrity of the berry once it has been picked from the palm. So, with that being said, focus on acai that has been freeze dried in Brazil. If it is processed in the States, I have doubts that it made it to the processing facility within 24-36 hours of being picked. In addition, ensure that they are processing the whole berry. Many facilities discard the skin and if you have read this whole article, you know exactly why that is a very bad idea.

On a final note, I have to highlight this one more time; please be very precautious with all these free trial offers that are floating around out there…. Particularly the ones using Oprah’s name. I’m certain a few of these free trial offers are legit but I have spoken with more than a dozen individuals that said they were charged a very small amount and before the product even arrived, they were charged a much larger amount. They then had a very challenging time trying to cancel the service. On top of all that, when the product arrived, it was junk (their language, not mine). If you are considering one of these offers, take the time to understand the fine print within the terms and conditions and find out what they plan on doing with your credit card number. Also take the time to find out what is being charged and when. One last thing, try getting in contact with customer service before placing your order and see if you are actually able to speak with a human being.

A diet rich in antioxidants is very important if you want to live a healthy or healthier lifestyle and the acai berry is a great addition to just about any nutritional program. Alone, it is not going to shed the weight for you but properly integrated into your diet, it can help with the overall program by providing more energy, focus and drive. Attributes you certainly need to successfully lose weight.

I hope that you benefited from this piece of writing. I also have an analysis of one of the finest weight loss products that I strongly recommend you check out here: Diets That Work-The Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review. This product will reveal a incredibly strategy that allows you to harness the fat burning potential of specific foods. A must read for any individual looking to drop some weight.

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