Acai: Miracle Food or the Latest Snake Oil?

Touted as a miracle cure for obesity, high blood pressure, wrinkles and heaven knows what, the truth may be a little bit different.

First off, what is Acai?  Acai is a palm tree that grows in Central and South America.  There, it is a staple food for the native tribes, providing salads in the form of palm hearts, fruit (the berries) and even fibers for weaving into headgear or mats.

In recent years, anything coming from the Amazon or the rain forest has had a kind of mystique about it, so it is no wonder that this food-stuff should make its way into the diets of other countries. 

In laboratory tests, it has been shown to be high in anti-oxidants and omega-3’s; sales of it have become important to economies local to its growing sites.   So wherein lies the problem?

First of all, little or no scientific testing has been done on acai products.  They are, for the most part, an unknown quantity.  Second, acai berries do not transport well.  Unless you live in an area where the acai palms grow, you will not be able to consume fresh acai products.  Many of the products sold in the United States are made from reconstituted acai powder.   Third, even in its native area, the acai berry must go through preparation before eating.  It is usually served as a puree or a juice.  Fourth, the products that are being sold in northern areas are incredibly expensive.  Fifth, while sales to northern markets may benefit growers of the acai, these sales drive up the price of the berries so that indigenous populations that depend upon it as a staple may have a hard time affording it.

Furthermore, there are unscrupulous profiteers taking advantage of a sagging economy to recruit unwary entrepreneurs as sales-persons.  Since many of the drinks (never mind the other products) cost $40 a bottle or more, one might imagine that sales of these products would be slow.  Most of us who browse the internet have seen the ads saying things like:  “Don’t buy acai products till you read our ad.”  The reason is that certain companies offer a “free trial”.  Of course, if the customer does not cancel within the correct time, he or she will receive a bill for the products.