All Acai Products are Not Created Equal

The acai berry is a very delicate fruit. If it is not properly handled and packaged very soon after it is picked it will lose a lot of its nutritional value. This is why it is so important to get your acai product from someone who works closely with the local farmers and has facilities in Brazil (someone like Amazon Thunder). You see, the acai products you will find in the grocery store are usually going to be produced by large corporations trying to capitalize on the berry’s immense popularity. They most likely do not know anything about the procedures necessary to retain the benefits of acai. All they care about is that their label says “Acai Juice”, and that people who have heard about the fruit, but haven’t done their homework, will buy it from them.

I would also like to make a distinction between acai juice and acai pulp. Most of the time these are used interchangeably, but there is actually a huge difference between the two. Acai juice is squeezed from the fruit and does not include the skin. Most of the nutrients and antioxidants are found in the acai berry’s skin, or directly under it. If you leave out this part and just take the “juice” then you are essentially leaving out everything that makes the berry so good for you. Acai pulp uses the whole fruit (minus the large seed in the middle) and keeps all the nutrients in tact.

Most of the products you find in a grocery store are going to contain “acai juice” instead of “acai pulp”. One other important thing to note is that most of these grocery store acai products are going to be a blend that only contains a small percentage of our Amazonian friend. When you buy acai you want it to be 100% pure, not 10% with 90% grape, apple, and cranberry juice. These big companies also add insane levels of sugar to their products which counteracts a lot of the good the juice is doing. If the product is not USDA organic approved you are most likely wasting your money.

So, yes you can buy some acai berry products in a grocery store you need to first make sure its an organic product produced by someone who has connections with the local farmers. Most grocery stores will not sell a product like this so your best bet is to buy Amazon Thunder online.

Dr. Perricone is a professor of medicine at Michigan State University, and is known as an expert in cutting edge methods for weight loss and maintaining the appearance of youth. He has written seven books which include “The Perricone Promise, The Perricone Weigh-Loss Diet, and 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health and Longevity”.

For someone with such a high level of expertise in the area of weight-loss and anti-aging to call acai his #1 superfood is high praise indeed. In fact, many people point to Dr. Perricone’s appearance on Oprah as the time that acai went from a secret superfood only known about by a select group of people, to a fully recognized product available to anyone who wanted to try it.

One of the main reasons Dr. Perricone is so fond of the acai berry is that it is a natural way to restore beauty and health. Instead of other anti-aging products that simply work to cover up the signs of aging, acai is packed full of powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants mean that acai skin care actually helps restore your body’s cells to a more youthful state.

In essence you are removing the damage time naturally does to our bodies. This means while your real age might be 45 but your skin and hair will look like it is 25. The acai antioxidants will also strengthen you immune system, which can lead you to not only look 25, but feel like it as well.

Dr. Perricone work is all about finding new ways to look young and beautiful, and the acai berry is a natural, easy, and safe way to do just that.

Many people are first introduced to acai by hearing about the acai berry diet. The acai berry diet refers to taking a type of diet pill whose primary ingredient is acai powder.

Acai can help regulate your appetite and contains Cyanidin, which has been linked to a reduction in our body’s ability to absorb fat. It also can strengthen your immune system and in turn increase your metabolism. However, none of these properties will cause an acai berry diet pill to “Wash away 20, 30, 40, or even 50 pounds in less than two months!” as some of products claim.

Most of these diet supplements use the same tactics for promoting their products. On each of their websites you will find a “free trial” offer where you only pay $5 shipping. However, what they do not make clear is that you will be billed again in 14 days if you do not return the bottle or cancel the subscription. Here is an example of this taken from on of the products terms of service.

By agreeing to the terms of the Agreement, Customer automatically receives 14-day trial to the Program. Customer has 14 days to try the Program and decide whether to accept the Program full-time. Prior to the expiration of the 14-day trial period, Customer may cancel its subscription by calling toll-free at XXX-XXX-XXXX or writing to XXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX. Should Customer fail to cancel its subscription, its Subscription with XXXX will become active and Customer will be billed $79.95 on the 16th day after its trial begins and every month thereafter.

There have been many complaints from customers that they are still charged the $80 each month even after they have tried to cancel. Another scary truth about these products is what they tell you they are going to do with your information:

(From the privacy policy of one of these products)

By entering a sweepstakes or promotion, registering with our Website, completing any forms on our Website, or by checking or not unchecking co-registration boxes, you grant the Company the right to use the collected information for marketing purposes including, but not limited to, sharing such information with third party advertisers (”Advertisers”), emailing, or physically mailing Company or any third party offers to your email address or postal address. We may also use such information to fulfill prizes, track compliance with the applicable sweepstakes or promotion rules, or for content improvement and feedback purposes. We may share the personal information that you supply to us and we may join together with other businesses to bring selected retail or service opportunities to our user base. These businesses may include providers of direct marketing services and applications, including lookup and reference, data enhancement, suppression and validation.

They are literally telling you they are going to sell your information to other advertisers who will most likely consistently spam you with additional offers.

These acai berry diet companies consistently participate in shady business practices, use deceptive marketing practices, and make claims about their products which they simply cannot deliver on. This is why I believe these “free trial” acai offers are the “Dark Side of Acai”.

When you purchase a high quality 100% pure organic acai product you get all the amazing benefits of acai in its all natural form. These benefits include increased energy, a strengthened immune system, looking and feeling younger and healthier, and decreasing your risk for heart disease and cancer.

With a natural acai product you can also get all these benefits for less than half the price the acai berry diet products trick you into paying.

To learn more about where to purchase acai check out my guide: Where To Buy Acai Berry

Most people would see everything that acai can do and assume there would be some seriously negative side effects. However, there have yet to be any reported side effects from taking acai. This is because acai is simply a naturally accruing berry like blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries. The only difference is that the acai berry is much healthier for you.

Since the acai berry originates in the Amazon rainforest it is still a relatively new discovery for the rest of the world. Many studies are being conducted on the many health benefits of acai. In a study done by the University of Florida it was reported that acai triggered a “self destruct” reaction in 85% of leukemia cells.

Tens Thousands of people are already using acai berry juice as a daily supplements, with some remarkable results (see some acai berry testimonials here). If you take a 100% pure acai supplement it is as safe as eating a handful blueberries. The only risk would be if you took a lower quality acai pill that included ingredients other than acai.

For a review of the most popular 100% pure acai supplement check out our Amazon Thunder Acai Review.

I was in ill health. Surgery after surgery. Weak, tired and homebound most of the time. I heard that Oprah had mentioned this Acai fruit so I went on line to investigate. Amazon Thunder was the most pure product out there with no artificial ingredients, no ‘water added’ and organic. I decided to try one bottle and try it for myself. I started using one shot glass of Amazon Thunder acai puree last November 2007. Within THREE days I noticed that my arthritic fingers weren’t as sore and in one week the swelling had disappeared…Read The Rest of The Testimonial

-Nadine Panek Roswell

This is a great example of how Amazon Thunder’s high quality shows fast results for many health issues.

I have been faithfully using the Amazon Thunder puree daily and feel quite good on it! Hearing about the product in person (at camp) and meeting the awesome people behind the company makes me sold on the product even more! It is always nice to meet the owners and staff of products.. Makes them even more believable! Especially when you see them using it too! RE: the puree.. It is nice to use a product in liquid form that tastes good AND makes you feel good! Great combo!
Read The Rest of The Testimonial

-Monica Brant-Peckham

I know that it makes me feel good to know I am buying my acai product from a company who really cares about its customers…It’s good to see that more people agree!

I am just back from the Tri-America race in New Orleans’ Northshore. I had a terrific day and ended up with the win. I felt so strong throughout the whole race and my body was incredibly responsive every time I asked it to do more. Training hard and recovering with Amazon Thunder acai has made a huge difference this season for me. I can definitely say I am healthier being on it…Read The Rest of The Testimonial

-Felipe Bastos – Professional Triathlete

Wow! A pro athlete swears by this stuff. If acai is good enough to help a triathlete to victory, just think about what it can do for a regular Joe.

I received my 32 oz bottle of Amazon Thunder acai puree on Friday the 14th of August, 2008. Had my first shot of it on Saturday morning then again on Saturday night. For the first time in a long time, I was able to sleep soundly into the hours of the late morning (weekend) and I woke up with energy. I was vibrant and raring to go…Read The Rest of The Testimonial

-Queen Dixon
Tacoma, Washington

I have experienced a huge drop in my arthritis pain since beginning with Amazon Thunder Acai. My left foot was almost frozen in place with the toes pushed together and now my foot is normal and I can even splay my toes apart with absolutely no pain!
-D Donahue Tiverton
Rhode Island

That is just a small sample of acai berry testimonials from the thousands of happy Amazon Thunder users. No matter who you are you can benefit from taking a daily dose of acai berry juice. To learn more about this fantastic product check out our Amazon Thunder Acai Review.

Getting enough antioxidants each day can lead to a healthier, more enjoyable, and long lasting life. If you are going to attempt eat foods that have high levels of antioxidants you should get the most bang for your buck, right? So, what is the most power antioxidant in the world?

The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test was developed by Dr. Guohua Cao to test the total antioxidant capabilities of fruits, vegetables, and other substances. To put things into perspective a Tufts University study showed that you need a minimum of 2500 to 3000 ORAC to start seeing the health benefits of antioxidants. On average people consume between 800 and 1000 ORAC daily, which is less than half the required daily value.

The ORAC has tested nearly every fruit and vegetable known to man. Some of the highest scoring foods include red wine, pomegranates, and blueberries. However, the acai fruit stands out as the leader of the pack. Just 1 ounce of acai pulp contains 3800 ORAC. Acai has 30 times the antioxidant power of red wine, which experts have suggested drinking a glass a day just for its antioxidant value.

Not only is acai the most powerful antioxidant in the world, but it provides many other health benefits that other foods just can not deliver. Drinking acai can give you a boost of energy that is similar to drinking a glass of coffee or a can of Redbull, without the nasty side effects of caffeine or sugar.

The acai berry also contains high level of Omega 3, 6, and 9. Omega fatty acids are known to help fight cardiovascular disease, improve mood, and strengthen general brain function.

To learn about how you can get your hands on this powerful antioxidant fruit please check out our Amazon Thunder Acai Review.

What they do not make clear (it is in the fine print) is that if you do not return the supplement within 14 days you will be billed $88 each month until you send it back. Even those who want to cancel have a very hard time doing so. Some people have been charged for 5-6 months (that is over $500) before they were forced to cancel their credit card to get it stopped.

Not only are they tricking you with their free trial offer, but you end up with a product that does not deliver on its promises. These products usually only contain 20% acai powder, with the other 80% being filled by corn starch, multidextrin, or rice powder. The small amount of acai that is in these pills is spray dried, which actually burns out all the antioxidants that make acai a superfood.

So, how can you spot one of these scams before it is too late? Well, the first thing to be look out for is the free trials that these scam products usually offer. If you come across a product offering a free trial make sure to read the fine print, because there is a very good chance they are trying to take advantage of you.

The next thing that these scam offers have in common is outlandish claims and fake celebrity endorsements. You will probably hear things like “Melts away 30 pounds in a month” or “This free trial offer will expire in 5 minutes”. There might also be pictures of Oprah Winfrey, Rachael Ray, or other celebrities who do not actually endorse their products.

A final warning sign is the color of the pill. If a pill is light pink then it is not a real acai pill. Real acai pills keep the dark purple color of the berry, and have an oily feeling because of acai’s high omega fatty acid content.

These scam artists anger me because they give an amazing superfood a bad name. Acai has numerous health benefits and is something I believe everyone should be taking daily. To get all of these benefits you need to get a product produced by a company that gets high quality acai straight from the source. To learn about such a product check out my Amazon Thunder Acai Review.

If you have been a victim of an acai scam, or have any more information on the situation please share your story below.

It will give you a great boost of energy, help control your appetite, and is packed full of vitamins, amino acids, and omega fatty acids. Acai also has the highest antioxidant capacity of any fruit, so adding it to your shake will strengthen your immune system, make you look and feel younger, and help fight off cancer cells.

Making a shake with acai is very simple. Here are the ingredients I use for my daily acai smoothie:

Acai Antioxidant Explosion Smoothie:

• 1 oz Amazon Thunder Acai Pulp
• 1 Handful Goji Berries (can be replaced with any other berry if you don’t have goji)
• ½ Cup Frozen Blueberries
• 1 Banana
• ½ Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Single Serving Yogurt Cup (can be ½ cup of milk or water if you like your smoothie less thick)

Add the orange juice, goji berries, and yogurt into the blender. Mix on the liquefy setting until it is well blended. Add in the rest of the ingredients and continue on the liquefy setting until you have a nice, thick, and smooth blend. The last step is to enjoy this healthy and delicious acai smoothie!

If you are using this for a pre/post work out shake you should add in one scoop of your favorite flavored whey protein.

Some companies produce low quality acai products by using incorrect procedures when producing and packaging their products. However, if acai pulp is processed and packaged correctly it will retain 100% of its nutritional benefits. The highest quality acai products are processed within 24 hours of being picked, since it is such a delicate and highly perishable fruit.

There are many benefits to taking acai in a liquid form, instead of in a powder or pill. The most important is that drinking anything as a liquid allows for a more natural absorption of nutrients than any other method. Our bodies are designed to get the nutrition we need from the food and drink we consume, so it only makes sense that it would be a more effective method than taking any form of supplement.

One important benefit of liquid acai is its taste. If you take it in pill or powder form you are missing out on one of the best tasting fruit juices on earth. People who drink acai juice look forward to starting their day out with a glass of acai or an acai smoothie, and are less likely to forget to take their daily dose.

If you are looking for the highest quality acai juice I recommend you check out Amazon Thunder’s 100% Pure Acai Pulp.

I first heard about this potential ban when I received a frantic email from a friend of mine who has been drinking Acai berry juice for a few months on my recommendation. Here is the email.

“I was surfing the net today and I saw a news story saying they are going to BAN ACAI! This can’t be for real can it? I don’t know what I will do without my daily fix of Acai. Help me out bro I need to know if this is for real or not. – Chris”

So I decided to do a little research myself and this is what I found:

My first impression was that this was an advertisement, but it referenced the AP (Associated Press), which is a very reliable news source. I did a search at AP.org as well as FDA.gov (Food and Drug Administration) and they both came up blank for any mention of Acai berry being banned.

This just confirmed that my gut suspicion was correct; this was just a marketing ploy to scare people into buying their product. While Acai is truly an amazing fruit, there are those who might give it a bad name by pushing their low quality products with high pressure sales tactics. The ad above is a perfect example of one of these sales tactics called “scarcity”.

They wanted you to believe that Acai was banned because it was too powerful, and you only had one week to get your hands on it. Anyone who wanted to use Acai would then be tempted to stock up and buy massive quantities from them before the “ban” was passed.

It makes me very angry when people’s first experience with Acai is being marketed to by these scam artists selling low quality Acai pills. Acai is a great fruit with tons of amazing benefits, but these scammers hype it up so much that they make it sound like Acai is a fruit personally sent down from Jesus to cures everything that ails you.

Personally, I think everyone should be drinking Acai, but I prefer to educate them on all its benefits and point them towards high quality pure Acai products and let them make their own decision on whether or not Acai is right for them. I believe Acai is so great that anyone who learns all the facts about it will want to purchase it, even without the use of any high pressure sales tactics.

So, if you are interested in trying out Acai here are some resources that will help you make the right decision for you.

Amazon Thunder Acai Review

Benefits of Acai

Where To Buy Acai