A recent study has been conducted in OURO PRETO, Brazil that shows acai lowers cholesterol of rats with high fat diets.  Published in the Nutrition journal (December, 17 2009) researchers found that acai contributed to lowering cholesterol and improving the antioxidant count in rats.

Female Fischer rats were separated in 4 groups: 2 groups ate a high fat diet full of twenty-five percent soy oil and one percent of cholesterol and the other 2 groups were given a healthy diet.  The first group and second groups were also given an acai supplement of acai pulp for 6 weeks.

By the end of the laboratory test, group 1 with the high fat diet had an increase in low-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower levels of HDL cholesterol.  The acai significantly reduced the levels of low-density HDL and total cholesterol.  In addition, the levels of serum with carbonyl protein andgroups of sulfhydryl (oxidative damage indicator) were decreased from the acai supplement in both rat groups the high fat or healthy diet.

Furthermore, the acai supplements also reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) which are the enzymes that work as defensive antioxidants, proving that the test group with the high fat diet had a reaction specifically from the acai diet implementation.

Celebrity endorsements are what make products fly off the shelves. Whether it is books, clothes, shoes, food or pretty much anything seen on the Oprah Winfrey show, it must be worth trying. Consumers seem fascinated by what Oprah loves. If it has Oprah’s seal of approval, then the product’s popularity skyrockets overnight.

Last year, Oprah Winfrey had a show with Dr. Mehmet Oz about anti-aging. As part of his anti-aging list, Dr. Oz introduced the viewers to a new, powerful fruit named acai. He mentioned that the acai berries had twice as many antioxidants as a blueberry. This along with other helpful tips on his list would help to deter the aging process. On a later show, Dr. Perricone also touted the benefits of the acai berry and named it his number one superfood on his health list. Potential benefits of the acai berry include preventing heart disease, lowering cholesterol, boosting energy, and aiding in weight loss. Oprah Winfrey seemed excited to hear about the possible benefits in the acai fruit, but never did she or Dr. Oz ever endorse any products made with the acai berry.

Misleading supplement manufacturers were quick to jump on the Oprah bandwagon. Many began claiming the talk show queen was endorsing their acai supplements for weight loss throughout the internet. The thousands of online advertisements for the supplements spread like wildfire across the world wide web. Scammers used the names and faces of Oprah and Dr. Oz to take advantage of those looking for a quick weight loss fix. These companies are making appalling claims about acai being some miracle weight loss pill. Using Oprah Winfrey’s name would undoubtedly influence the viewers to purchase anything they sell.

Now, Oprah’s fighting back. Along with her company, Harpo, Inc., Dr. Oz, producers of The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Oprah is suing the acai fruit companies over false claims. They are now warning consumers about the fabricated endorsements for acai berry supplements. A law suit has been filed against 40 companies who marketed the supplements over their deceptive practices.

The acai berry itself is a powerful antioxidant that you can benefit from but beware. Consumers must be vigilant of the thousands of scammers on the internet waiting to take advantage of you. Just because a celebrity face or name is attached to a product, it doesn’t mean that they are actually endorsing it. Do your homework and educate yourself about a product before making any purchase.

It is important to stay healthy. However, all the options that are available require too much of our time or are too expensive. That is until Acai Supplements came along.

Acai was used as a herbal medicine in the Amazon area. Used in the form of Acai Berry or Acai juice, it was used to treat a variety of ailments. These included treating diarrhea, washing of skin ulcers and reducing fevers.

Recent research especially from Tufts University and the University of Florida has shown that Acai supplements can boost your health in many ways. It is no longer in the realm of traditional medicine men and herbal treatment.

Nutritional Value

Probably the most important benefit of taking an Acai supplement is the nutritional value inherent. Acai is one of the most nutritious foods in the Amazon. It is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-9, protein, minerals and Vitamin B. It also contains important minerals such as Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Antioxidant Activities

Acai contains Phytonutrients that are very important in antioxidant activity. These help to neutralize harmful free radicals that increase the incidence of conditions such as heart disease.

By neutralizing free radicals in our systems, the Acai helps us maintain the healthy body functions. Some of these antioxidants include catechin, and cyaniding-3-glucoside.

High Protein Levels

Protein intake is essential for good health. However, the source of the protein can lead to further harm. For example, the egg is one of our main protein sources. However, it comes with a high level of cholesterol. This may harm your health in the end.

An Acai supplement on the other hand has all the protein you need as well as additional nutrients that help to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Slow Aging

Acai is high in high-ORAC-foods that may slow the aging process and prevent metabolic disease. Coupled with its antioxidant effects, an Acai supplement can make you feel stronger and younger as you age with grace.

Though the Acai has many health benefits, it is important to research any Acai supplement supplier before using their product. This is to avoid being tricked into a fake Acai product and missing the real product. Many internet companies make wild claims about its benefits which cannot be independently verified.

This is the reason it is important to find out the actual benefits of an Acai benefit and compare to the benefits that a company claims.

Acai berries are a great tool to increase your daily energy level. In addition to improving your daily health, the high vitamin and antioxidant content of the Acai berry helps you deal with fatigue on a daily basis. Users of the Acai berry who have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia have found positive results from Acai supplements in their diet. Some users reported increased energy levels and a decrease in headaches and muscle pain. These improvements often occurred as fast as in a couple week period.  Some users reported that Acai berries reduced their joint pain and completely removed daily headaches that they have dealt with for most of their lives.

Fibromyalgia and other fatigue related diseases are often difficult to treat and diagnose. Fibromyalgia is due in large part to a slow metabolism and an inability between your cells to communicate with each other. Many Doctors have trouble diagnosing the disease and often treat the patients of it as if their feelings are just in their head or due to a lack of good diet or exercise. However, to people who have Fibromyalgia it is no joke, and they often find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning or to maintain their energy levels throughout the day. Instead of taking anti-depressant medication or using other drugs to increase your energy levels, try Acai berries. Acai is 100% natural and organic, unlike other options. Acai is a small fruit found in the Amazon rain forest.

One of the best ways to deal with joint inflammation or pains with a unknown cause in your body is to improve your diet and exercise. Acai berries can help you balance your diet and give you key vitamins that are known to increase energy levels. Acai contains high levels of Antioxidants, which help streamline the energy production of your cells and protect cells from damaging themselves and creating free radicals during the energy creation process. Some individuals suffering from Fibromyalgia need higher levels of Antioxidants in their diet. Most modern day foods have very low levels of Antioxidants and vitamins, the foods are just too processed. By balancing your diet, you help your body deal with the byproducts of creating more energy. When too many of your cells are damaged as your body produces energy it can lead to joint pain, headaches and the serious disease of Fibromyalgia.

Acai berries are not a drug and sold over the counter at most vitamin stores and supermarkets today. Instead of taking a drug cocktail to increase energy levels, consider working hard to make sure you get all the vitamins you need to stay healthy. Acai berry also has high levels of Vitamin A and C, which help protect the body from disease.

A better immune system means more energy and less off days where you aren’t feeling well. The power of the Acai berry is in its ability to help make you feel better on a daily basis. When combined with other good dietary foods and regular exercise Acai berries has decreased the symptoms of some Fibromylagia patients.

In one of my recent posts titled “Does Acai Berry Really Help You Lose Weight” I discussed the reality of acai berry as a diet supplement. The article concluded that acai contains many properties that can assist those trying to lose weight, but that its primary benefit is not as a dietary supplement.

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 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

You have probably been hearing big things about a new found supplement called acai berry. Acai promises to increase energy, boost your metabolism, and strengthen your immune system. All those benefits are great, but is acai berry a safe supplement?

Most people would see the fitness nutrition benefits of acai 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.

Acai pulp is the fleshy inside of Acai berries that is not taken up by the seed. The seed accounts for 80% of the total volume of the 1 inch berry. This means that there is only a small fraction of the berry that is actually accounted for as Acai berry pulp.

While the entire fruit does have its uses it is the Acai pulp that is most beneficial to humans. The pulp and skin are what contains the heavy nutrient content that is making the Acai fruit so popular. Most of the studies that have been done so far have been done on the Acai pulp because of all the parts of the Acai palm it is one of the most valuable in terms of nutrition.

Though each individual berry does not have a large amount of Acai pulp there is an abundance of berries. Each palm produces a crop bi annually and each crop consists of approximately 700-900 berries. Acai pulp is rich in fatty acids containing high amounts of oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids. Beta-sitosterol which may help to reduce cholesterol are also present in high levels within the Acai pulp.

The pulp also contains 19 amino acids. Studies have shown that Acai pulp assists in the removal of toxins and the control of free radical activity. Free radicals have been linked to cancer and other diseases and the presence of high levels of antioxidants helps to prevent these free radicals from having an effect on the body.

Recent studies have shown that the Acai pulp’s high antioxidant content is made up of slow acting antioxidants which means that this fruit has a more sustained effect on the free radicals and a longer lasting effect. This can be significant if Acai pulp is also being added to the diet for anti aging purposes.

Other studies have shown that the Acai pulp has inhibitory effects on enzymes which cause acute and chronic inflammation within the body. It also showed stimulation to white blood cells making it an immune system stimulating food.

Since the berry is very difficult to transport on it’s own, Acai juice is the most common way to get all the benefits of Acai. I prefer the juice (it tastes so good that I would drink it even without the amazing benefits) but you can also get your daily dose in the form of Acai supplements.

Acai, pronounced ah-sigh-ee, is a superfood from the Amazon that your diet shouldn’t be without. Not only does it taste great, but the health benefits of acai are off the charts.

Acai berry benefits Include:

In addition to having potassium, fiber, calcium, phosphorus and proteins you need to keep your body going, Acai also contains Vitamins C, E, B1, B2, B3 and fatty acids Omega-9 and Omega-6 to help improve your cholesterol. It is called a superfood because you could get almost all your day’s nutritional needs from this one fruit. Not only that, but Acai research has shown the fruit to have the most antioxidants of any fruits or vegetables, protecting you from damaging free radicals roaming the atmosphere.

The benefits of Acai are enormous. The antioxidant qualities mean that it fights cancer, slows down aging, and helps with cardiac functioning and blood circulation. This is helpful for those suffering from any kind of inflammation or arthritis.

The fatty acids not only help with removal of cholesterol, but also aid in absorption of Vitamins A, C, E, and K, some of which are in Acai itself. There is also a large amount of fiber found in Acai, which can help in digestion, and can be especially helpful to seniors who tend to have a lot of digestion problems.

For those into fitness and weight loss, there are acai benefits that contain special qualities for you. It supports weight loss and helps to improve your overall strength. If you get hurt, the berry helps reduce injuries and speeds up your recovery time. Stabilization of blood sugar levels helps you maintain a healthy appetite as well as manage diabetes.

The Acai Fruit has been called “nature’s perfect energy fruit”. Even if you don’t care about any of the Acai’s health benefits, the energy boost Acai juice provides is more intense and longer lasting than coffee.

Anyone can benefit from Acai. Instead of taking several different supplements and vitamins every day, this could be the one thing you need to help you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle (be sure to consult your doctor before you change supplements).

Since the Acai fruit does not hold up well in transport, it is usually found in juice or supplement form. Since it tastes so great I prefer to get my daily dose of Acai in juice form.

I get my Acai juice from vendors who sell purely organic acai. Companies that produce only the highest quality 100% organic Acai products. Many suppliers use inferior methods of preserving Acai’s nutritional benefits, often loosing most of its nutritional value.

Click Here To Start Receiving All The Benefits of Acai Today!