The acai berry is found in the Amazon forest and is promoted as 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 beneficial substances in the acai berry are polyphenols, flavonoids, mostly of the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins categories.
   As with any fruit or berry juice, we suggest you be reasonable in the amount you consume and include a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and produce in your diet as opposed to relying on just a select few.

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.

Acai berry extract 500 mg per pill, 90 capsules
This acai berry supplement is for those who do not wish to consume the extra calories from juice or drink.

Which is healthier, mangosteen plant, acai or amla extract?
    They are all healthy supplements, and you can alternate their use. Resveratrol pill is promoted as an anti-aging substance. Human research is quite inadequate thus far. Noni is an exotic fruit that has various health benefits.

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

Acai berry review
Human studies with acai fruit or extract are lacking, therefore no firm statements can be made regarding the clinical uses of this plant. However, 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 or twice a week with breakfast.

How often to drink acai juice or take acai supplement
Acai is a berry from the Amazon forest which has many compounds with antioxidant properties. One capsule can be taken a few days a week, and an acai berry supplement seems to be safe taken with other supplements. No side effects have been reported in the medical literature as of January 2009 with acai supplement intake. See also another healthy supplement called Grape-Seed extract..

Acai berry nutrient composition
Phytochemical and Nutrient Composition of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. ( Acai ).
J Agric Food Chem. 20063. Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B, Patel D, Huang D, Kababick JP.
Natural and Medicinal Products Research, AIMBR Life Sciences, Puyallup, Washington, Agriculture Research Service, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1120 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, Brunswick Laboratories, Wareham, Massachusetts, Integrated Biomolecule Corporation, Tucson, Arizona, Food Science and Technology Program, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore, and Flora Research, San Juan Capistrano, California.
A standardized freeze-dried acai fruit pulp / skin powder was used for all analyses and tests. Among many findings, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids were found to be the major phytochemicals. Two anthocyanins, cyandin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside were found to be predominant; three others were also found as minor anthocyanins. The total content of anthocyanins was measured as 3.1 mg/g dry weight. Polymers were found to be the major proanthocyanidins. The concentration of total proanthocyanidins was calculated as 13 mg/g dry weight Other flavonoids, namely, homoorientin, orientin, isovitexin, scoparin, and taxifolin deoxyhexose, along with several unknown flavonoids, were also detected. Resveratrol was found but at a very low concentration. In addition, components including fatty acids, amino acids, sterols, minerals, and other nutrients were analyzed and quantified. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid, total monounsaturated fatty acid, and total saturated fatty acids contributed to 11%, 60%, and 28% of total fatty acid. Oleic acid (53%) and palmitic acid (26%) were found to be the two dominant fatty acids. Nineteen amino acids were found; the total amino acid content was determined to be 7% of total weight. The total sterols accounted for 0.048% by weight of powder. The three sterols B-sitosterol, campesterol, and sigmasterol were identified.

Acai Tree information
Euterpe oleraceae is a large palm tree indigenous to the Amazon River and its tributaries and estuaries in South America. Its fruit, known as acai, is of great economic value to native people.

Acai study and anti oxidant potential
Total oxidant scavenging capacities of Euterpe oleracea Mart. fruits.
Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2005.
The antioxidant capacities of 11 commercial and non-commercial samples of Euterpe oleracea Mart. ( acai ) fruit pulp were studied with the total oxidant scavenging capacity assay in a modified and automated version against three reactive oxygen species. 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. In all cases the correlation between sample concentration and antioxidant capacities was non-linear. The antioxidant capacities against all three reactive oxygen species of the fruit pulp from one white acai variety were very low. 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.

Phytochemical composition and pigment stability of Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.).
J Agric Food Chem. 2004. Del Pozo-Insfran D, Brenes CH, Talcott ST.
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110370, Gainesville, Florida
Anthocyanin and polyphenolic compounds present in acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) were determined and their respective contribution to the overall antioxidant capacity established. Color stability of acai anthocyanins against hydrogen peroxide (0 and 30 mmol/L) over a range of temperatures (10-30 degrees C) was also determined and compared to common anthocyanin sources. Additionally, stability in a model beverage system was evaluated in the presence of ascorbic acid and naturally occurring polyphenolic cofactors. Cyanidin 3-glucoside (1040 mg/L) was the predominant anthocyanin in acai and correlated to antioxidant content, while 16 other polyphenolics were detected from 4 to 212 mg/L. Red grape anthocyanins were most stable in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, while acai and pigments rich in acylated anthocyanins displayed lower color stability in a temperature-dependent manner. In the presence of ascorbic acid, acylated anthocyanin sources generally had increased color stability. Acai was recognized for its functional properties for use in food and nutraceutical products.

questions by readers
Q. How is Acai Plus product different than other such products? It may be called Acai Juice Plus. Do you have an acai juice review, I can't determine the best .
   A. Acai Juice Plus is a brand name for an acai product. Without testing different products together in humans, it is difficult to know which acai product is best. Hence we don't have an acai juice review. Most companies that have acai products buy the raw material from similar suppliers. Acai Plus has acai in addition to pomegranate blueberry and raspberry. These are good additions. It is up to the consumer to determine the best price for an acai product and to determine if Acai Plus, Ola Acai, Monavie acai are worth the extra expense. Additional acai juice products include Bossa Nova Acai juice, Zola acai, Sambazon acai, Acai Life Dynamics, and several others.

Q. What are acai side affects? Am trying acai berry and am constipated and bloated.
   A. This is the first report we have had on potential acai berry side effects. Perhaps it is the acai berry or it could be coincidence and related to something else.

Q. Can you tell me abut MonaVie acai juice?
   A. Monavie acai juice is acai juice is combination of other fruits grown in different parts of the world. A website claims, " MonaVie will provide you with the right kinds and right amounts of the worlds finest fruits. By drinking one to two ounces per day, you'll begin to enjoy the health enhancing properties of what will soon become the world s finest phyto-nectar fruit blend. There are many acai products on the market including Acai Plus, Ola Acai, and MonaVie acai and they each claim to have the most benefit.

Q. I have been taking Monavie juice for appx. 2 months. I have been experiencing head aches, constipation and bloating. I read the question on your web page and am interested if anyone else has had this acai berry bloating problem beside the person on your question and answer page.
   A. Thus far you are the second person who has reported to us an acai berry juice side effect such as bloating.

Q. Is acai juice safe?
   A. As long as acai juice is used in reasonable amounts, we don't see why it would not be safe. It should not have side effects unless used in excessive amounts.

Q. If calories are not a concern, what is the health advantage or disadvantage from, the acai capsules or acai juice concentrate, (and I will stipulate that the berries were picked, processed and bottled properly, and good presale storage). Is there a correlation in acai capsules and acia juice for the end results?
   A. Since hardly any human studies have been conducted with acai, it is difficult to say whether acai juice or acai capsules are preferable. It may be a good idea to alternate their use.

Q. Does Acai berry juice or Mona Vie Acai juice thin the blood?
   A. MonaVie Acai juice and MonaVie Active Acai juice are both juices that are new to the market. MonaVie Acai juice is a blend of several fruit juices. As far as acai fruit is concerned, it does have flavonoids which are known to thin the blood, however no clinical human studies could be identified evaluating the role of acai berry and coagulation. Since MonaVie acai juice is a blend of several juices, it is difficult to say its role in blood thinning.

Q. I've been researching acai juice products, my first contact was a relative, through a friend that had used an acai product, liked it, and signed up with a multi level group. I found two of these. I'm sure your aware of them. Mostly the distributors, like my sister in law, and her friend, are really not in it for a business, only to buy the acia product at a lower price. So far all I've read is the acai juice, some (with many other fruit juices) seem to be better than powder or capsules. This is my question: Are the products with acai, best with complimentary additional juices, or better in a more pure form? Or does acai need some other ingrediants to be palatable? I'm not sure such pure product is available, a pure concentrate could be very costly. I would also join a reputable company in their multi level organization, for my lower cost product, and tell as many health oriented friends I know, some would go for it, others would say, another scam or fad like the big "Green, algae" that was so popular several years ago. If this acai berry does have some physical or helpful agent to protect or restore some problems in our system, I'm all ears. I'm really interested, for several reasons: My biggest concern is my Prostate cancer has returned, this is the 3rd time. 1st time I had the radical surgery, Then 4 years later I had 7 weeks of radiation, now in 2007 my PSA is up again and I've started Hormone therapy, I will say after 1st injection, and a PSA test after 30 days my PSA is .01, very normal, and my Urologist is waiting  for 3 months to check PSA. So this does not mean it won't come back, so I will try to use an Acai product, hopfully it may work, maybe not. My wife has PMR, poly mayalgia Rheumatica, she has been on Prednisone for 5 years, it went into remission once for about 4 months in late 2005, but we had a very bad home selling that fell through 3 times, and the stress brought it back, and she still is on 5 mg of prednisone, we're hoping acai might bring her some relief?
   A. Not enough research is available to determine whether acai juice is preferable by itself or in combination with other juices, or whether it is preferable to have the acai juice drink or an acai supplement capsule. There's hardly any human research with acai juice or other forms of acai. There are dozens and hundreds of healthy fruits and vegetables and sometimes we focus on one at the expense of others.

Q. Is it better to have acai antioxidant juice or to take an acai supplement product?
   A. Each form is healthy and has antioxidants, you could alternate between the juice and a supplement on different days.

Q. Does acai juice or does an acai pill help with Impotence?
   A. We have not seen any research that acai helps or harms erectile function.

I'd like to know if the acai capsules offer everything the acai berry juice does in regards to the health benefits.
    It is difficult to say for sure since no studies have been done comparing acai capsules to acai juice. However, acai capsules are a concentrate of the juice in the sense that all the water, fiber, and sugars have been removed except for the nutrients and active plant antioxidants. One option is to sometimes take an acai pill, other times drink some of the acai berry juice.

I received a spam email recently, it said: Pure Acai Berry juice. LOSE WEIGHT! And Feel Great! Experience Increased Energy! Flush out your system! Lose weight and feel great with the world's #1 super food! "One of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world!"
    Acai berry juice is a healthy addition to one's diet, but marketers attribute many more benefits to it than proven by science. Many different berries are healthy, including blueberries, raspberries, etc. One should focus on having a wide variety of fruits and vegetables rather than a high amount of a few.

We recently heard about the Acai Berry product. We came across a product, Organic Acai Berries (in freeze dried powder form) by Amozonia. The total ORAC value per 100 grams is 78,650 and comes in a 260 gram tub valued at $74.50. Apparently you take a teaspoon of this per day with juices. I understand you ahve a product, Acai Berry 500 mg 4:1 extract 90 capsules physician formula at a cost of $15.00. I would like to know the difference between these two products as there is a big price difference. What is the ORAC value of your product in comparison to the other one? You mentioned yours is 4 times the concentration? How many capsules would you take per day? Which product do you recommend in terms of value for money and health benefits?
    We prefer not to commend on other products only to say that not all marketers of acai products are fully honest. Acai is a healthy fruit and the extracts have many beneficial substances but it is a good idea to have a variety of different berries and fruits rather than the same one daily or alternate between different antioxidant supplements rather than using a high dose of the same one every day.

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Various ways this supplement is available
Acai extract, often 4 to 1
freeze dried powder
juice powder