The acai berry is found in the Amazon forest and is promoted as having very powerful antioxidant properties. It is purple colored and grows on a palm tree. Both the juice and the supplement are a healthy addition to one's diet.

Nutrient content, composition
The caloric value of a single serving (approximately 600 calories per standard 100 g) is exceptional among comparative berry fruit such as goji (wolfberry, Lycium barbarum) and lowbush blueberry. The fat content for açaí berry is high, some 40% of dry weight. The fiber content is about 35%. Lipid-soluble antioxidant vitamins A and E are rich in concentration, 1000 IU and 45 mg per 100 g.

buy Acai Berry Extract 500 mg, 90 capsules
For those who do not wish to consume the extra calories from the juice or drink.

Buy this acai berry extract product, mangosteen, goji berry, pomegranate, morinda noni or to see a list of hundreds of high quality products. Pomegranate juice concentrate is an excellent source of natural antioxidants. The supplements can be shipped to Canada. Mangosteen can be taken the same day.

Do you sell Acai wholesale? I wish to be a distributor.
   Yes, a wholesale discount is available.

Is your acai product organic?
   As much as possible we try to obtain our raw material from the best sources possible, but we cannot guarantee that every batch is organic.

Dosage: Each person is different in how many capsules to take a day. No firm guidelines are available but a couple of caps a few times a week is reasonable.

Historical uses
Acai has been a traditional food for several centuries of the native people living in the Amazon forest. However it was only a few years ago, about the year 2000, that the it was introduced to the Western market.

Benefit
Acai plant has been used for centuries as a natural energy booster and to increase stamina. More recently it has been discovered in lab studies that it may be helpful in discouraging growth of tumor and cancer cells as well as being helpful for the cardiovascular system, improving blood circulation and reducing cholesterol. Apparently the dark purple skin has many times the anthocyanin content as red wine. The antioxidants could be helpful for several health conditions but research is not yet available to let us know which conditions acai extract would benefit.

Antioxidant and protection of brain cells
Frozen fruit pulp of Euterpe oleraceae Mart. prevents hydrogen peroxide-induced damage in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus of rats.
J Med Food. 2009. Spada PD, Dani C, Bortolini GV, Funchal C. Laboratório de Estresse Oxidativo e Antioxidantes, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
Oxidative stress is implicated in several human illnesses, including neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Acai is largely consumed in Brazil and contains high levels of antioxidant compounds. This work aims to study the antioxidant activity of acai frozen fruit pulp in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum of rats treated with the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). Pretreatment of tissue decreased H(2)O(2)-induced damage of both lipids and proteins in all tissues tested. This fruit was also able to reduce the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase to basal levels. We observed a negative correlation between the polyphenol content of acai and the levels of lipid and protein damage, suggesting the participation of polyphenols in the observed antioxidant activity. These data suggest that acai has a positive contribution in the development of age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

ORAC value
Has that high ORAC number for acai berry been replicated by other researchers? Is it due to a combination of antioxidants or high concentrations of one compound?
    Herbs, fruits, berries and vegetables have a number of compounds in them that act together to provide antioxidant benefits. One should not overly focus on ORAC values since there are many compounds in plants that have health benefits (for instance dilating blood vessels or anti-tumor potential) that may be independent of their antioxidant properties.

Skin health
I've found that acai extract, among other things, has helped improve my skin (i.e. superficially). It has reduced redness in certain areas by a noticeable degree.
   This is the first time anyone has reported an effect on skin to us.

We have been working with formulations of skincare products containing acai extract for its anti-oxidant properties. From a marketing perspective we have a lot of information about the traditional use by native South Americans but only in consumable form. We would be very interested to know if you have ever come across evidence of acai extract being used traditionally being applied directly to the skin?
    We are not aware of it being used topically for skin care.

Vasodilator
Polyphenolshave the ability to act as vasodilators, which means they can dilate blood vessels. This means acai berry extract could potentially be beneficial in conditions where blood vessel dilation is of benefit.

Weight loss
I have read about acai berry tablets, or juice, or powder works to help lose weight? Is this true?
   We have not seen any evidence that acai berry products help with weight loss. See weight loss pill for supplements that could help.

I was trying to drop those last 20 pounds after giving birth to my son 9 months ago. I'm breastfeeding and wanted to know if it was safe to do an acai berry cleansing that I've been reading and seeing on the television lately?
    We have not seen any studies regarding its role in cleansing or weight loss safety during breastfeeding. Many times promoters make claims about their products when no such proof of efficacy exists.

Availability in stores and on the internet
Acai is sold as capsules, and can be placed in smoothies or made into bars. You will also find the berry made into juice and pulp. You can open a capsule and add the powder to make a puree or smoothie with other fruits.

Is it better to take an acai powder supplement or to have the juice drink?
   Each form is a good option. One idea is to alternate between some days drinking the juice other times taking a capsule.

Is your acai supplement the same berry Oprah had mentioned on her show?
   Yes, it is the same acai berry fruit she had mentioned. The plant comes from many different plantations in the Amazon forest, particularly Brazil.

Can a glass be sweetened with stevia?
   Sure, you can add a little stevia to the juice if you like to make it sweeter.

I have been drinking 2 oz of Monavie am and pm for a month with great hope of feeling better. I have a little arthritis in my knees and fingers but they are hurting worse now than before. But the real problem I am having is severe heartburn. It started about 2 weeks after drinking the acai juice and has been an everyday problem It has gotten to the point now that it has become incapacitating it hurts so bad. I have never been bothered much by heartburn so I have to believe it may be the acai juice. Have you gotten any other reports? I rarely had the problem until I started the Monavie. It stared as a daily problem after about the 1st week. I drank 2 oz. of the juice in the morning and evening as suggested. The heartburn became increasingly worse until by the time I had been on it a month it had became very painful. The heartburn stopped immediately after I quit drinking it. I had high hopes of reaping the benefits of the berry. Could the problem be from an additive in Monavie?
   We have not any acai side effect reports of heartburn but we have heard of constipation or bloating from one user as a potential acai juice side effect. We have no idea. You may wish to contact the people who make Monavie. Sometimes even a healthy supplement or a healthy fruit drink can have side effects if too high a dosage or an amount is consumed.

Review
Human studies with acai fruit or extract are lacking, therefore no firm statements can be made regarding the clinical uses of this plant. However, eating it or taking a supplement as part of a healthy diet seems to be a reasonable approach. A supplement can be taken a few times a week with breakfast.

Safety
As long as acai juice is used in reasonable amounts, we don't see why it would not be safe. It should not have side effects unless used in excessive amounts.

Nutrient composition, vitamins and minerals
Acai may have more antioxidant activity than grapes and blueberries. It is a powerhouse of nutrients packed with vitamins. It also provides minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus and essential fatty acids. It also contains glucosamine and celadrin.

Phytochemical and Nutrient Composition of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart.
J Agric Food Chem. 2006. Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B.
Natural and Medicinal Products Research, AIMBR Life Sciences, 4117 South Meridian, Puyallup, Washington 98373, Agriculture Research Service, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1120 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, Brunswick Laboratories, 6 Thatcher Lane, Wareham, Massachusetts 02571, Integrated Biomolecule Corporation, 2005 E. Innovation Park Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85755, and Flora Research, 32158 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675.
A standardized freeze-dried acai fruit pulp / skin powder was used for all analyses and tests. Among many findings, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids were found to be the major phytochemicals. The total content of anthocyanins was measured as 3 mg/g dry weight. Polymers were found to be the major proanthocyanidins. The concentration of total proanthocyanidins was calculated as 13 mg/g dry weight Other flavonoids, namely, homoorientin, orientin, isovitexin, scoparin, and taxifolin deoxyhexose, along with several unknown flavonoids, were also detected. Resveratrol was found but at a very low concentration. In addition, components including fatty acids, amino acids, sterols, minerals, and other nutrients were analyzed and quantified. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid, total monounsaturated fatty acid, and total saturated fatty acids contributed to 11%, 60%, and 28% of total fatty acid. Oleic acid (53%) and palmitic acid (26%) were found to be the two dominant fatty acids. Nineteen amino acids were found; the total amino acid content was determined to be 7% of total weight. The total sterols accounted for 0.048% by weight of powder. The three sterols B-sitosterol, campesterol, and sigmasterol were identified.

Use with other herbs and supplements
This fruit can be used safely with tongkat ali, pomegranate, and other berries.

The Plant and tree
Euterpe oleraceae is a large palm tree indigenous to the Amazon River and its tributaries and estuaries in South America. Its fruit, known as acai plant, is of great economic value to native people. It is a slender palm known to grow up to 15-30 meters (50 to 100 feet) high. Most of the world's Açai grows wild in the Amazon Rainforest. It can be found growing mainly in swamps and floodplains. The fruit is a small, deep purple colored berry comparable to the size of a blueberry. Acai berries usually hang in clusters of about 700 to 900 fruits. The berry has a large seed and small amount of pulp. The palm typically produces two crops of fruit per year.

Scam
Austin Hilton, of Arlington, Texas, signed a consent agreement in July 2009 agreeing to stop shipping unauthorized orders, refrain from making false health claims, clearly disclose their terms of service to future purchasers, and provide refunds to customers who were overcharged for products. The agreement also calls for payment of $200,000 in civil penalties plus $6,200 for the State's investigative costs and attorney's fees. Doing business as FX Supplements dot com, AcaiBerryMaxx dot com, and Hilton HG, LTD, Hilton claimed that his acai berry supplements can reduce the risk of heart attack, Alzheimer's disease, and cancers, and could limit premature aging. Austin Hilton also claimed that the Acai Berry Maxx product could reduce up to 30 pounds of waste and toxins from the body. The Fort Worth Better Business Bureau had received several hundred complaints about the companies.

NP Nutra importer
NP Nutra offers certified organic acai products. Their water soluble Juice Powder is being used in many beverages while the 4:1 extract is a good choice for encapsulated products. The freeze-dried extract is chosen by those who need a higher concentration of nutrients and polyphenols. They also carry 14% Acai frozen puree.

Acai Granola to Launch in Asia - press release
Vitasti, Inc. has come to an agreement with Someo International for the distribution of its Amazon Acai Berry Granola across Asia. Through Someo's established relationship with several of Asia's largest retail chains, the company anticipates yearly sales in excess of $21 million for the Asian market. Vitasti, Inc. is involved in producing and delivering products and services to its customers. One division of the company operates as Vitasti Lifestyle Markets, Bakeries and Cafes.