Safety of Acai Berry

Açaí (pronounced "ah-sigh-EE") is one of the "superfoods," fruits high in antioxidants and other nutrients. As of November 2009, it has enjoyed a boom in popularity driving a huge demand for its pulp, juice and derived supplements.

Origin

• The Caboclo people have harvested the açaí berry in the Amazon forests for generations. The fruit makes up 42 percent of their diet by weight with no observable ill effects.

Description

• The açaí palm, Euterpe oleracea, grows in seasonally flooded areas and near waterways. The purple berries grow in bunches of three to eight. Harvesting season runs from July to December.

Preparation

• The pulp of the berry produces a juice that you can drink raw or use to make wine. You can soak, squeeze and strain the açaí seed to produce a dense purple liquid to drink cold and sweetened with sugar and tapioca.

Benefits

• Consuming fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants (such as the açaí berry) correlates with a lower occurrence of cataracts, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Considerations

• Two clinical studies of antioxidant supplements reported in 2001 cast doubt on the benefits of antioxidant supplements, but the American Heart Association continues to recommend "a balanced diet with emphasis on antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and whole grains."