|  | Diet Nutrition | Vitamins

Where Can I Buy Acai Supplements?

Acai supplements are made from acai berries. These small, round blackish purple fruits are grown in the Amazon rainforest. The berries contain a large seed which holds a small amount of pulp. The acai berry has been eaten by the Brazilians for many years, mainly because of the benefits that the fruit offers. Products made with acai berries can be found in most health food stores, gourmet stores, vitamin stores, as well as in some pharmacies and grocery stores. Acai products are also offered on numerous websites.

  1. Considerations

    • Acai is grown only in the the rainforest and must be processes shortly after being harvested. As a result, it must be either frozen or freeze dried into a powder to be made available to faraway consumers.

    Benefits

    • According to Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.,the acai berry is a healthy source of antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats. Zeratsky also states that manufacturers claim that products made from acai berries can assist in losing weight, lowering cholesterol and gaining more energy. She notes that although these assumptions have not been proven, acai is still considered a vital part of a healthy diet.

    Types

    • Acai products are available as freeze-dried pulp in a capsule or powder, as a juice or as frozen pulp. Dr. Nicholas Perricone of the Perricone MD website, highly recommends the unsweetened pulp, which contains a significant concentration of antioxidants.

    Ingredients

    • There are several brands of acai supplements. According to Acai Health News, freeze-dried acai powder may contain 34,000 of Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity (ORAC) in every 100 grams of powder. The ORAC rating measures the antioxidant levels of any substance. When evaluating acai products, compare their ORAC ratings.

    History

    • The U.S. National Academy of Sciences began researching the traditional use of acai in the 1980s. During this time, researchers found that acai was a very popular fruit sought after by both young and old consumers. According to the research, acai is popular because of its energy-promoting properties and unique taste.

Vitamins - Related Articles