Acai Berry and Weight Loss

Is there evidence that Acai Berry aids with weight loss?

What is the real deal with Acai Berry? Does this new “Superfood” really promote weight loss as one of its touted benefits?

Acai berry, pronounced (ah-sigh-ee), comes from a palm tree that grows in the Amazon Rainforest. This berry contains very high amounts of antioxidants (Anthocyanins and Polyphenols) as well as iron, calcium, essential fatty acids, phytosterols and fiber. These all are proven to contribute to overall health, including building muscle, aiding digestion and increasing energy.

Acai Berry Fatty Acids – Acai berry contains a plentiful amount of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. These fats are essential for good health and can only be obtained from food as the human body cannot produce them itself. Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to help regulate the body’s blood sugar levels, which helps keep hunger at bay and may be the contributing factor to acai berry’s ability to aid weight loss.

There is currently a debate about how much omega-3 versus omega-6 one should have in their diet and studies have shown that there are benefits and risks to too much of either. According to the Merck Manual, an authoritative medical text, essential fatty acids should make up 1-2% of the dietary calories for adults, with a suggested ratio of 10:1 for omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids. Acai berry contains Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids in a similar ratio found in olive oil, which is in a 10:1 ratio.

Acai Berry Fiber – Acai is high in fiber, which helps with digestion and moving food through the body. In this way, excess food is eliminated rather than absorbed and turned into fat. Similar to the fatty acids mentioned above, fiber also helps to curb hunger.

Acai Berry Amino Acids – The Acai berry is rich with essential amino acids along with trace minerals that are vital for proper muscle contraction and regeneration. This increases muscle growth and performance, which enhances the body’s ability to burn calories.

How much Acai do you need to eat to reap the benefits for health and weight loss? Because Acai Berries are so jam packed full of antioxidants, it is recommended that people be cautious about fat losseffects such as weakness, fever and toxicity. Nutritional experts suggest discussing with your doctor what your optimal dosage of antioxidants is. There are currently no recommended dietary guidelines for Acai.

What does Acai Berry taste like? If you are a fan of raspberries and chocolate, then you will probably enjoy the taste of acai. Acai can be described as having a sharp fruit flavor similar to unripened raspberries, combined with a mildly bitter taste of cocoa.

Acai does show promise to aid in weight loss. Although there are no human studies to back this claim, there are hundreds of testimonials online from people saying that it helped them to lose weight. Eating or drinking Acai is not a miracle fat loss treatment, but it will help make your body healthy. Until there are human studies conducted it is not possible to say how much Acai should be consumed for weight loss benefits, if it has any at all.