Acai Berry – The Discovery of A Superfood
Until 2000, no one imported significant amounts of Acai into the United States or other countries around the world, so interest in this “superfood” was in limbo until the beginning of the 21st century. Some companies promoted and marketed Acai products in the early 2000’s via distribution in juice bars and mass-market outlets. These used spray dried or frozen Acai, which according to this Acai article has significantly less of the nutritional and phytochemical composition, and antioxidant activity, of freeze dried Acai, which locks in these components.
Further, these companies relied on studies out of Brazil, without performing independent studies to verify them, or study their own products to support any implied claims they were making. Instead, they primarily relied on folklore, which is not an uncommon approach used to market exotic foods.
Demand for the Acai berry has surged in recent years, bringing with it the attention of nutritionists and health care practitioners around the world. But more than anything, the media has played a major role in its popularity. Here are some samples of quotations about Acai that have appeared in various publications in recent years:
“…twice the antioxidants of blueberries and a taste like blackberries crossed with chocolate.” Time magazine, February 14, 2005.
“Rich in antioxidants and amino acids, Acai is thought to be one of the most nutritional fruits of the Amazon basin.” New York Times, August 4, 2004.
“For those put off by juiced wheatgrass and bored with low-carb bars, there is Acai. Acai…the purple fruit of the palmberry plant purportedly contains more antioxidants than red wine and has a beguiling berry-like flavor with intense chocolate overtones. ” The Washington Post, August 11, 2004.
“The latest look-better, live-longer superfood? It is the Acai fruit. It’s what Denise Richards swears by; what Kelly Slater downs before surfing competition. It’s Acai, a multipurpose megabooster berry that Hollywood has been hooked on.” People Magazine, January 30, 2006.
“Wheatgrass, protein shakes-so 2002. At juice bars and health stores around the country the hip new taste of Acai. Acai…packed with anthocyanins, the same anthocyanins that give red wine its health benefits.” The Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2003.
“Acai is the fruit of an Amazonian palm tree with the nutritional content that makes other fruits blush with inadequacy.” The London Times, September 20, 2003.
“Acai pulp contains 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine; a synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health; and an almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.” NBC Today Show, November 26, 2007
In 2004, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, MD, author of The Perricone Promise, appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, where he told Oprah that the Acai berry is his number one choice as a “superfood” , because it was “packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids.”
National television news shows have also given Acai coverage. For example, NBC TV’s The Today Show, reported that, “The Anomabi Indians have believed for centuries that Acai holds unique power…and is believed to help women alter birth and to give anyone who drinks it a burst of energy.”