The past few years there has been a huge obsession with the acai berry. Claims of weight loss magic, lowering cholesterol, slowing aging, increasing libido, and boosting the immune system are common.
Acai berries are a small fruit harvested from acai palm trees, which are mostly native to northern South America (think Brazil and the Amazon rainforest).
It’s also known to be fragile and difficult to transport. That’s why you won’t see the fruit sold here in the US in its whole form, but in the form of a powder or frozen pulp.
In terms of health benefits, we can say with confidence that acai berries ARE higher in antioxidants than other popular berry such as cranberries, blueberries and strawberries.
But one of the most interesting things about acai is that it actually has more fat than carbs! That’s right. In one 3.5 ounce serving, there are only 3 grams of carbohydrates, ALL of which come from fiber.
The key is to include an array of colorful fruits, veggies, and other high nutrient foods in your meals and snacks on a daily basis and not rely on one magic bullet to produce results.