Everyone is talking about… Acai Berries
Aaaah-Siiiigh-Eeeeee! What is this berry that everybody is talking about? I set out to discover the truth. What started as an attempt to clarify the information being thrown at us from all the hype, ended up with even more confusion. Some experts say the Acai berry has more antioxidants than any other food. Some say pomegranates and blueberries still beat out anything else, including Acai, for highest antioxidant properties. Some experts say to eat the berry, some to drink the juice, and some companies even want you to wash your face with it! One thing is for sure… this stuff ain’t cheap. For a bottle of juice expect to pay $37.99, for supplements $18.99-$35.99 and one skin care product reached the price of $75! Why is it so expensive? Because it only grows in the Amazon rainforest. This berry is so exotic that the price will most likely never drop in any significant way. On top of which, if you are going to rely on it for your health, remember that the rainforest is continuously being destroyed and the source of Acai with it. So… yes, the Acai berry does have a high level of antioxidant properties, but it may not be practical for everyone to incorporate into their daily diet.
The two key things I discovered in my research are:
1. Often antioxidant based supplements (like the Acai berry ones) don’t work as effectively as advertised. This is because scientists and doctors have not pieced together the whole puzzle. It is known that certain foods, such as Acai berry, have antioxidant properties, however, how these properties work in conjunction with the whole berry is not fully understood yet. Studies have shown that incorporating antioxidant foods into your diet have very positive health benefits, the same consistency is not found in antioxidant based supplements.
2. As with all things that are good for you, if you only do them once in a blue moon you won’t see results. Like exercise and a healthy diet, it is important to incorporate antioxidant rich foods into your daily routine. Having an Acai Berry smoothie at Booster Juice (and yes, they do have them) when you do your Christmas shopping once a year will not have the results that all the expert’s claim. You must have them in your daily diet!
Amongst all the contradictory studies, articles and personal opinions I have deduced one thing: If I’m going to get the benefits of Acai I have to have them every day and if I’m going to have them every day I need a lot more money as well as a lot more time to get to the health food store. But how do I get antioxidants if I can’t get Acai? Many locally grown foods are also rich in antioxidant properties, some of which are part of the rat race with Acai for the highest antioxidant score. Most berries have them, the most famous being the blueberry. Broccoli, garlic, green tea and tomatoes are also known for their antioxidant properties. By eating locally you can also follow some of the other health trends out there if you want, such as only eating foods produced within a certain distance of where you are eating, or the raw food diet, that is hard to follow when things are processed in order to be shipped from far away. Perhaps if we combine parts of all the health trends we can find the perfect balance.
*Follow Fly Girl Fitness’ Blog for updates as I put the Acai berry to the test.
