15 hottest products of 2008: The Acai berry
Americans have always loved their miracle cures. Even better when they come from exotic locations, cure cancer, improves your sex life and put the hair back on your head. Little wonder the Acai berry (pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE), from Brazil's tropical rainforests, has become the "it" food of 2008. If the snake-oil salesmen are to be believed, that $7 Acai drink you're about to quaff will restore your youth and do your laundry.
Dubbed by its boosters to be a "super food," the Acai berry also has more anthocyanins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, fibers and protein than you can shake a medicine man stick at.
But let's back away from the hype for a bit. Apparently there is some scientific truth to the claim that the Acai berry packs a real anti-oxidant wallop. Those are the compounds in food that help keep nasty bits like free radicals in check. The all-American blueberry is known to be full of them. And the berry has been a staple in the diets of Brazilians for many years.
The pesky trouble is, the fruit, a small bit of purple pulp surrounding a large seed, doesn't transport well. It spoils quickly, and supposedly loses much of its nutrients within a day of being picked. That presents problems for North American and European companies that want to market Acai-based products, as well as a host of opportunities for grifters looking to scam them.
The berry has been coming up the food trend ranks since at least 2005. But it's been 2008 that put the berry on the A-list. Oprah Winfrey and Rachel Ray, among others, have been talking up the alleged super fruit this year, putting it squarely in the limelight.
Now enjoying hype on the scale of Brangelina, the Acai berry can be found in everything from shakes to Pop Tarts. So little wonder critics are saying that many products, once tested, have varying degrees of Acai berry in them, if indeed they have any at all.
Will the little purple berry keep its spot as the no. 1 superfood of 2008? It's not going to go away anytime soon (we're still buying all things pomegranate, for example), but expect the Acai berry to be replaced with another exotic. Maybe one easier to get to. And maybe a little easier to pronounce.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
12-09-2008 @ 10:59AM
Grace Penha said...
Hey first let's not rush to such a rash comment as for the way u pronounce the word acai is a word that has 2 accents that u find on the English keybord, but there's no use because it won't go the proper way. For example my name has that sign on the c, since it doesn't work I americanized my name, if u pronouce it as ss you'll get it rigth and for the the i the sound is E. It's more difficult to explain than to pronounce.
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1-02-2009 @ 12:17PM
Frank said...
I ordered the Extreme acaiberry trial on a 14 day trial period. After i received the shipment i found out that the trial period started on the order date, not the receive date. I canceled my order but was charged for another shipment anyway and also was charged with a subscription program that was not even in the trial ad. When i protested that I did not authorize the subscrition the operator told me that it was as well as several other items were included with the order which i would have to pay.
Also all of the different sites on the internet were mostly from the same people as well as the protest sites and sites that claimed they were independent research sites. They all claimed that they were pushed by Doctors on the Oprey and Ray programs. A total scam.
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12-09-2008 @ 3:30PM
dixie said...
I too, was caught in the acai trial offer and charged for a product indorsed by Oprah, then was charged the second month and have been fighting with them for 3 monthes to get $88. refund for a $2.95 trail offer.....
What a scam
12-09-2008 @ 11:40AM
Glenn Jones said...
Acai is truly a super food! Mona Vie is where it's best. To find out more, e-mail me at glennjones66@aol.com.
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12-09-2008 @ 4:03PM
IRMA FERRERIRO said...
PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN GET IT.
12-09-2008 @ 6:29PM
Steve said...
Can't believe you either fell for the hipe or you're a snakeoil saleman...
12-09-2008 @ 8:18PM
Sue said...
You can join the company MonaVie by going to the site www.MyMonaVie.com/Krebs and click on ENROLL to purchase MonaVie at wholesale prices.
12-14-2008 @ 3:14PM
DOLLI said...
CAN YOU TELL WHERE I CAN GET THIS PRODUCT? THANK YOU GLENN
12-10-2008 @ 3:11AM
Rod Johnson said...
Fact, there is only one company that processes the Acai berry using patented process that retains over 90% of the nutrients originally found in the fruit. That product is Mona-Vie. The website is: www.mymonavie.com/rodandchris
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12-09-2008 @ 12:05PM
Joshua M. said...
Portuguese is an akward language if you can't even speak spanish... But anyways if you think of an apple and you cut it, few minutes later it starts to go bad and oxidizes like paint on a car. The same thing is happening in your BODY, free radicals are introducing more oxygen molecules into your blood stream destroying healthy cells that can lead to lukemia, cancer, and other ailments... By introducing Anti-Oxidants you destroy free radicals! So the Acai berry has more Anti-Oxidants than any other fruit or vegetable in the world, "IF" its from freeze-dried acai and pulp!! So only 1 company has a patent on its freeze-drying process that makes them the most amazing/potent ACAI IN THE WORLD!!! Go to http://www.mymonavie.com/smhannon/ and taste a blend of different choloric sources to give you all the nutrients you need in this world...
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12-09-2008 @ 11:54AM
Carolina Moon said...
The ACAI berry is a wonderful superfood loaded with anti-oxidants, but how about combining it with another superfood, which, is number one, Cacao Powder. So if you love chocolate you need to check out the following site:
www.NutzforChocolate.vpweb.com and get more information on these two superfoods!
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12-09-2008 @ 12:02PM
Gudrun Matthews said...
I don't no if the Mona Vie is the answer to all Pain and feel better..I take it for 2 Month and and I still feel like I always feel.Plus the Price is to hi. I stop taking it because I don't have the Money for it every month.
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12-09-2008 @ 12:10PM
David said...
The Acai berry is one of the great super foods in the world. I have been using a product called Seven+ put out by Exfuze. It not only has the Acai, but, also contains Gac, Goji, Noni, Fucoidan, Mangosteen, Seabuckthorn, Blueberry,Concord Grapes, Pomegranate, and Structured Water. To find out more about this super produce go to www.exfuze.com/betterhealth4u
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12-09-2008 @ 12:23PM
CONNIE said...
Has anyone had an allergic reaction to the Acai berry? I broke out in a rash after taking two Acai softgels, by Spring Valley, bought at Wal-Mart, I'm still trying to osolate the cause, but I'm 99% sure it's the Acai. I stopped taking them then took two more two weeks later and broke out again.
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12-10-2008 @ 5:00PM
Lynne said...
Has anyone on here taken Acai Berry for weight loss? Looking to lose about 10-15 lbs.
12-09-2008 @ 12:52PM
Michelle said...
Hey Connie, you might want to check out the capsule that it came in. I have been allergic to the outer capsule in more than one instant, not the actual product inside.
12-09-2008 @ 8:18PM
Sue said...
Yes. I lost about 20 pounds in 30 days.
1-18-2009 @ 8:29AM
Kara said...
Connie, I also just purchased the same brand from WalMart and my face is dry, itchy, and has a red rash. Very strange. I don't know if there's something wrong with the batch or if it's just that my skin is sensitive.
12-09-2008 @ 12:20PM
Leslie said...
Monavie IS the best source of the acai berry.
try www.monavie.com
If you decide to purchase or join, please use my distributor # 634336
Best wishes.
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12-09-2008 @ 12:23PM
Dave said...
For anyone looking for the highest antioxident foods, the acai berry combined with "healthy" dark chocolate is now at the top of the list. Recently I discovered that Xocai products (combining unprocessed cacao powder and the acai berry) are not only delicious but come with many health-related benefits. And who doesn't love chocolate?! Check out www.mydrchocolate.com for more excellent research information from medical professionals, or contact me directly at vanrisc@aol.com -- or both.
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