Acai Health Watch

While it is true that there haven’t been large scale clinical human trials evaluating the health benefits of “superfoods” like the acai berry, evidence is building that the acai berry naturally contains health benefits that may help with disease prevention in the future.  Some marketing messaging for acai berry products is designed to lead the reader in drawing a conclusion that may not actually be true.  Still, there is reason to be optimistic about acai and its health benefits according to Monica Giusti of Ohio State University’s Department of Food Science and Technology.

“Giusti and her colleagues have found that applying anthocyanin extracts from a variety of plants to human colon cancer cells in test tubes can significantly slow down or even completely stop the cells’ growth. Researchers think they will find the same cancer-quashing results from other foods that contain anthocyanins.

And similar evidence is mounting for the potential health benefits from anthocyanins in dark-colored fruits like blueberries and pomegranates, fruits in which growers and manufacturers have invested a lot of research money”

Research has yet to prove benefits of antioxidant-rich berry juices | Health and Fitness – cleveland.com – - cleveland.com.

It’s important that the freeze-dried acai supplement products you buy contain all of the health benefits, such as a blend of antioxidants, that you’d expect from the fresh berry.  Freeze dried acai should be 100% pure and contain no additives or fillers.

In the freeze drying process, moisture is removed at a low temperature from the frozen acai berry, leaving very little moisture at the time of packaging. Oftentimes, the original flavor is maintained but unlike fresh acai, the product is stable and can have a long shelf life without additives or preservatives.  (Acai berries spoil quickly when picked).  Freeze drying preserves the maximum amount of nutrients in the process, and also makes the acai product easier to transport.

Freeze dried acai is available in different forms to suit your lifestyle.  Two ways to purchase freeze dried acai are in powder or capsule forms.

Freeze dried acai powder such as Navitas Naturals Acai Power Freeze Dried Powder (8 oz) is typically added to juice or smoothies and adds a tasty zing to recipes.  We particularly like that the Navitas Naturals line is all certified organic.  Each scoop is typically equivalent to several fruit servings.  Acai freeze dried capsules are made from acai powder, just synthesized into a capsule form.

Remember, not all forms of acai berry supplements are created equal.  Freeze dried acai, whether in powder or capsule form, offers considerably greater nutritional value than “concentrated acai” or “acai extracts,” or those dried using other methods.

Here’s to your health! If you can’t make it to Nobu Miami, try making this Acai Berry Martini cocktail at home.   A lovely holiday after dinner drink, don’t you think? Here’s the recipe courtesy of the Miami Herald.

Acai Martini: Combine 2 ounces acai liqueur (VeeV preferred), 2 ounces acai juice, 1 ounce passion fruit juice and a splash of lavender syrup in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a chocolate stick.

Chill out with acai sip – Clink! | Mixed drinks & spirits – MiamiHerald.com.

An outbreak of Chagas disease, a tropical ailment caused by insects has been identified in acai berries in one area of Brazil.  This disease can arise due to unsanitary conditions, leading to food-borne contamination and this is likely how the disease has been transmitted.

“Though still under investigation, health authorities in the Para state of Brazil is reporting an outbreak of food borne trypanosomiasis.

There have been 13 confirmed cases of Chaga’s in the Belem neighborhood. State officials at present suspect it occurred through contaminated food stuffs, including the fruit acai.”

There is no indication that products for export were contaminated.

Outbreak of Chaga’s disease through contaminated acai berries.

This was an interesting feature on CNBC discussing the acai berry with Lindsay Duncan, founder of Genesis Today.  His company produces the acai berry juice sold at Walmart.  We’re thrilled that more people are being exposed to the health benefits of drinking acai berry juice.  We’d be interested in how the Genesis Today product compares with other acai berry juices on the market today.

Here’s how the relationship between Genesis Today and Walmart began, according to Duncan.

“They [Wal-Mart] just wanted to learn about my 27 years of helping people heal their body with nutrition,” he said. “It’s kind of what like Whole Foods has done. They believe that food’s your medicine. And that’s what we do, and they wanted to pick my brain and find out what foods do I believe are the most healthy foods in the world.”

Inside Wal-Mart’s Acai Berry Juice Maker – Retail * US * News * Story – CNBC.com.