The press is all over it. Is acai a scam? Does acai superfood really alleviate arthritis? Does an acai smoothie help regulate metabolism, help burn body fat, lower total cholesterol and make you acai slim? Does an acai drink lower blood pressure, kill cancer cells in the lab, have a “viagra” type effect and do the windows? Well, maybe not the windows. But there is growing research into the benefits of the acai berryor acai superfood as it has been touted due to its nutrient rich make up Although acai research is in its infancy, the results are very promising. Due to its newness outside of the Amazon, more research still needs to be done. Below are examples of research to back up many of the claims heard from consumers of acai drinks and natives of the amazon.
Antioxidant
Acai fruit has been shown to have antioxidant effects in vitro (5) (6) by scavenging reactive oxygen species (7).
5. Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, et al. Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai). J Agric Food Chem 2006;54(22): 8604-10.
6. Rodrigues RB, Lichtenthaler R,Zimmermann BF, et al. Total oxidant scavenging capacity of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (acai) seeds and identification of their polyphenolic compounds. J Agric Food Chem 2006; 54(12):4162-7.
7. Hassimotto NM, Genovese MI, Lajolo FM. Antioxidant activity of dietary fruits, vegetables, and commercial frozen fruit pulps. J Agric Food Chem 2005;53(8):2928-35.
Anti-Inflammatory/Auto-Immune/Allergies
Some studies have demonstrated the potential effects of acai in inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune disorders and allergies.
Acai was shown to inhibit nitric oxide production (8) and cyclooxygenases (COX) 1 and 2 (5).
8. Matheus ME, de Oliveira Fernandes SB, Silvera CS, et al. Inhibitory effects of Euterpe oleracea Mart. on nitric oxide production and iNOS expression. J Ethnopharmacol 2006;107(2):291-6.
5. Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, et al. Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai). J Agric Food Chem 2006;54(22): 8604-10.
Cancer
Acai also induced apoptosis in HL-60 leukemia cells through caspase 3 activation, but its effects in humans are unknown (2).
Del Pozo-Insfran D, Percival SS, Talcott ST. Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) polyphenolics in their glycoside and aglycone forms induce apoptosis of HL-60 leukemia cells. J Agric Food Chem 2006;54(4):1222-9.
Heart Disease Prevention/Romance Enhancer
Nitric Oxide is essential for healthy circulation. It helps dilate blood vessels, prevent blood clots and regulate blood pressure. It also helps inhibit the accumulation of dangerous arterial plaque.
8. Matheus ME, de Oliveira Fernandes SB, Silvera CS, et al. Inhibitory effects of Euterpe oleracea Mart. on nitric oxide production and iNOS expression. J Ethnopharmacol 2006;107(2):291-6.
There you have it, actual research from credible sources. More to report as more research is done. Happy and healthy drinking!








