Oprah under fire for acai endorsement
Filed under: Health
Oprah has been a leading voice in the exponential growth in sales of acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) products -- a fruit found in the Brazilian jungles heralded for its antioxidant powers. But now she's under attack for her endorsement from humanitarian types, who say the exploitation of the acai is leaving jungle dwellers starved for one of their favored sources of nutrients.
Soaring yuppie demand for the fruit -- sales doubled to $104 million in 2008 -- has driven prices out of reach for low-income indigenous people.
It seems like much ado about nothing: If acai is being made unaffordable by $104 million in US-driven sales, then it should be easy enough to funnel a chunk of that money back into the communities to raise the standard of living: The emergence of a valuable cash crop should help the people, not hurt them. The fact is that that rarely happens, but perhaps Oprah can use her platform to make sure that the benefits of Acai's popularity accrues at least partly to the poor locals.But long-term, it's probably not going to be a major driver of anything. Its explosive sales growth aside, acai has all the hallmarks of a fad food: Its sales growth is being driven by multi-level marketing hype machines like MonaVie and unrealistic claims and promises have abounded. And what about the antioxidant power? Gourmet reported that "an experiment last year at UCLA revealed that the berry is actually lower in antioxidant potency than many other sources, including red wine and pomegranate, grape, and blueberry juices."
Acai products -- especially the ones sold through multi-level marketing -- are outrageously expensive and don't appear to be spectacular enough to justify the cost. I predict that acai flames out before it has any long-term impact on the Brazilian economy.
It seems like much ado about nothing: If acai is being made unaffordable by $104 million in US-driven sales, then it should be easy enough to funnel a chunk of that money back into the communities to raise the standard of living: The emergence of a valuable cash crop should help the people, not hurt them. The fact is that that rarely happens, but perhaps Oprah can use her platform to make sure that the benefits of Acai's popularity accrues at least partly to the poor locals.But long-term, it's probably not going to be a major driver of anything. Its explosive sales growth aside, acai has all the hallmarks of a fad food: Its sales growth is being driven by multi-level marketing hype machines like MonaVie and unrealistic claims and promises have abounded. And what about the antioxidant power? Gourmet reported that "an experiment last year at UCLA revealed that the berry is actually lower in antioxidant potency than many other sources, including red wine and pomegranate, grape, and blueberry juices."
Acai products -- especially the ones sold through multi-level marketing -- are outrageously expensive and don't appear to be spectacular enough to justify the cost. I predict that acai flames out before it has any long-term impact on the Brazilian economy.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
5-15-2009 @ 2:10PM
jbjg24m said...
OPIE !!!!
Reply
5-16-2009 @ 8:14PM
tom said...
Someday I hope people will come to grips, that they will die,NO MATTER what you do or try.We start dieing when we are born.
have fun while your here its only for a little while. It will get better.
5-16-2009 @ 8:36PM
whitey said...
Maybe Oprah needs to move to that jungle.
5-15-2009 @ 2:13PM
savoy said...
The acai berry is all hype Acai Berries are over priced
Reply
5-17-2009 @ 12:22AM
Think Maxit said...
Don't believe the Acai hype....the most powerful antioxidant in the world is ALREADY IN YOUR BODY!!! GET THE FACTS TODAY!!! http://jabzstaples.maxtrax4u.com/
5-15-2009 @ 2:14PM
Johnny Be said...
I looked on http://acaiguide.com and its not all hype
Reply
5-15-2009 @ 4:35PM
Jazz said...
Do you believe everything you read?
5-15-2009 @ 6:50PM
Meg said...
Riiiiggghhht...because everything you read on the internet...especially stuff you read from and endorsing website is correct. Wake up and smell the coffee people...stop being sheople. .
5-18-2009 @ 1:05AM
John Keries said...
Johnny,Jus the fact that Oprah endorsed it should tell you it is hype and all about the money..She become a billionare by hyping stuff that she makes a profit from and her sheep that are in the multi millions buy everything she sells,,even a Presidency.Pretty much any non-sheeple can consider the source and say hmm she endorsed it,must be something fishy about it,follow the money!! Do you realize that many other billionares and millionares give fortunes away to charity also???? NO YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT because unlike her the MEDIA doesn't conveniently find out about the generosity of the other people because they give just to help not to make themselves seem like more of a SAINT to their followerers....In all the kill the rich and class envy pushed by the Current Government and Media,it is amazing they never include their friends and themselves on the list of Targets...kind of like the pitchforks being held back by Obama that he said he was the one protecting AIG from the people(clever ruse to incite more hatred towards them and have some fanatic actually do some kind of violence towards them) but NO mention about Fannie and Freddie CEO's and other buddies of the Administration that were given far bigger bonuses the what the AIG guys got.....I guess Aig didn't give enough to the campaign compared to Fannie and Freddie and many of the other Special people with friends in HIGH PLACES....AGENDA MUCH??HYPOCRISY??Call is what you want but very fishy indeed.
5-15-2009 @ 2:15PM
ADMR said...
Lord Have Mercy!
Reply
5-15-2009 @ 2:23PM
Anna Freeman said...
Why would any one believe her or the product she endorses.
If it worked that well, she would not have a problem. We need to stop giving her all this credibility. She ain't all that!!
Reply
5-15-2009 @ 3:06PM
Michelle said...
You are so right. You would think everything she says is written in stone.That Acai berry is not what all she makes it out to be. It was a good gimmik to create something with hopes it would farther upgrade her.
5-15-2009 @ 3:31PM
Regina said...
I agree!
5-15-2009 @ 3:56PM
john said...
opie is a fat overated slob.people just keep making her richer,,duhhhhhhh....
5-15-2009 @ 4:46PM
Jazz said...
You're a hater
5-15-2009 @ 6:03PM
dappy said...
AMEN............
5-16-2009 @ 11:08PM
Laughter said...
I don't see you with your own show. You ain't even that. Hater.
5-17-2009 @ 12:31AM
terri said...
I would pay more attention to her ridiculous blackerry and acai berry hoopla if she were to take accountability and STOP the ongoing rapes, torture and general abuses in the African schools she's "gifted" some young proteges. . She should stfu, she's part of the problem, not at all part of any change.
5-17-2009 @ 1:44PM
Ramonda said...
No one and nothing can stop it! If she was anyone else the negativeness wouldn't be so strong. Get over it she is Powerful, Intelligent, and doing great things in our country and others! She will always be ridiculed for something... from her weight to her relationships and now her endorsements. Blah, Blah, Blah! = )~
5-15-2009 @ 2:31PM
pam said...
oprah isnt all that. wonder how many wigs she has... you know that is not her hair.... the acia berry is a myth...it dont work... just another something to get peoples money...
Reply