by Pamela Gentry

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

Have you heard about the acai berry craze? The health fad surrounding the acai berry has caught on faster than you can say Oprah. What is the acai berry and why has it become so popular?

The acai berry is grown and harvested in the Amazon Rainforests of Brazil. The acai berry has become a very economically valuable commodity for the Caboclo region which locally harvests the acai berry.

Acai harvests come twice a year, where thousands of these small, round grapelike seeds are extracted from the plant. Local farmers harvest acai berries by climbing far up into the tall palm-like trees to pick them. Acai must be quickly processed into a pulp or juice, due to the fact that it has a very short shelf life of 24 hours.

Acai can also be quickly freeze-dried into a powder form, called opti-acai. This powder can then be utilized in many different ways, and within many different types of dietary supplements.

Benefits of the acai berry are many. Most of the research which has been conducted on acai, has centered around this freeze dried version.

Acai contains a substantial amount of fiber, which may help you to feel full when you are hungry. This is one reason why acai is being marketed as a weight loss substance. Tablets, juices and instant drink powders containing acai have flooded the market.

Another important component of acai is its high antioxidant content. Antioxidants help the body fight off free radicals, which contribute to premature aging and disease.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a well-known and respected opinion in the field of healthy skin research, made an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show and wholeheartedly gave a thumbs up to the effectiveness of the acai berry to improve general health and skin tone. Dr. Perricone claims the acai berry to be the "number one superfood in the world." He goes on to say that the acai berry has the "best overall nutritional value of any fruit on earth." This appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show caused a spike in the demand for dietary supplements which contain acai extract.

In determining the effectiveness of this claim, it is important to examine all of the proven nutritional evidence about the acai berry.

Nutritional Information per 100 grams of acai extract:

533.9 calories, 52.2 grams of carbohydrate, 8.1 grams of protein, 32 grams of fat,

44.2 grams of fiber, 260 mg. of calcium, 4.4 mg. of iron, and 1002 units of Vitamin A.

Noting the high calorie, carbohydrate and fat content,

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