Tricky marketing made acai seem like a wonder fruit but, is it?

What if we told you we found one ingredient that could provide you with amazing weight loss results, cure back pain, increase your energy level instantly, heal your arthritis, combat premature aging, promote cardiovascular and digestive health, regenerate muscle growth, cure chronic illness and inflammation all while providing more calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries and with the safe kick of coffee? Would you line up at the door to get a sample?

That’s what has been, and is happening, with the trend of the little “superfruit” known as Acai (ah-sigh-ee). Unless you haven’t watched TV, listened to the radio, been on the web, or around the general public for that matter, you have heard about acai. Virtually unknown outside of Brazil until about 10 years ago, acai has made a major wave in the industry recently with enticing claims of cures and benefits while riding on the coat tails of celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Taking advantage of this wave of popularity are a number of companies providing acai in pill form, powder, freeze-dried, juice and even a frozen pulp smoothie blend. Free trials are offered on the internet and commercials to provide consumers with the “best” choice within the crowded acai market.

We thought we would dig around, now that the hype of the introduction of the superfruit is dying down, and were surprised at what we found. Beyond the miracle drug claims being made by companies about their particular brand of acai, what we found interesting was the indecisiveness of companies manufacturing products containing the fruit. One website claims you must ingest the roots while another stated that any product containing root of the acai plant was bogus. Some say the formula you ingest must be frozen to attain the benefits of the fruit while others say that isn’t the case at all, benefits can be attained through a small dose of acai powder. Who is right here?

The Rise and Fall of Acai – Fast Bucks and False Claims

Acai saw its most prominent soar in popularity sometime around 2006 when health claims beyond our wildest imaginations were being made. Oprah spoke with Dr. Mehmet Oz on her television show about the superfruit and almost overnight, a star was born. Good Morning America aired a segment called “Then vs. Now: The Next Big Thing for 2006” where they compared the immediate popularity of pomegranate with what was expected of acai. The fruit gained momentum and the attention of companies who used the curiosity of consumers to make a fast buck. Sadly, many consumers fell for it.

Acai blended into a smoothie

While acai no doubt has health benefits, it cannot hold up to the claims that lured so many into purchasing it. Last month The American Herbal Products Association used Oprah as an example of the branding of acai in their recent article “Strange Fruit-The Rise and Fall of Acai.” The article revealed the strange coupling of this superfruit with shady marketing claims. Beyond the confusion of companies recommending the fruit in powder/puree/pill/juice/freeze-dried/with or without roots, there is confusion as to who exactly is backing these claims anymore. Suits were filed against major manufacturers of acai products by Oprah and Dr. Oz; apparently those 2 no longer wish to be associated with the downward spiral acai has experienced lately.  Even the New Yorker, who once touted the potential benefits of the superfruit, soon changed their tune from super to “strangefruit.”

Through our research on claims versus truths of acai, we found the spin placed on side effects associated with some of the products available online to be very interesting. One website went so far as to say that even though the side effects may feel negative, you have to consider them as positive instead.  For example: Don’t think of the edgy feeling and increased heart rate as bad! Use it as motivation to work out harder and burn more calories! Don’t be alarmed at the sudden decrease in appetite! The product is so high in fiber, you won’t need to eat and you’ll lose weight even faster!

It is not my intention to portray acai as a money stealing devil, I’m sure there are many people worldwide enjoying the antioxidant benefits of it. Acai as a fruit has done nothing wrong; it’s the marketing of the berry that’s to blame here.  My intention with this post is to outline the dangers that come along with hopping on a “band wagon” for a miracle drug from companies making false claims. Some manufacturers use unadulterated, pure formulas to provide the best product possible but may not be shouting from the rooftops like those attempting to hook you with a free trail and empty promises. Too often consumers don’t take the time to consider the truths behind enticing claims and become a part of a scam in hopes of finding some relief from their pains and ills. Trust is such an important issue in relationships and consumer to business relationships are no different. Trust is earned and we understand that. We are happy to be purveyors of products that we truly believe in, to stock our shelves with companies we truly trust and to offer you the very best in natural health.

Above all remember these things: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If it claims to cure everything under the sun, odds are it can’t. Be wary of deception and know what you are putting in your body.  There are no miracle drugs or instant fixes, just good decisions on your part and help from companies who are trustworthy.

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Real Health and Nutrition is the Skinny on Weight Loss

Fresh produce and the nutrients within it are a part of the skinny on weight loss!

The number one thing to look at is what you put in your body. Get rid of counting calories or the idea that fats make you fat, these strategies don’t work. If a calorie is empty, meaning it has no nutritional value, then you’ve fed yourself nothing that will nourish, nurture or feed your body. What kind of calories are more important than how many. This doesn’t mean overeat, it means be smart about what you eat: how much was it processed? Did it come out of the ground that way? Was it genetically modified? Does it have chemicals and pesticides on it? Was the meat you are eating pumped full of hormones? Eat as clean and balanced as possible and make sure you get a good variety of foods along with a good vitamin & mineral supplement.

Exercise is essential and the effects are exponential. It kicks in our metabolism. Start where you are at even if that means walking for 5 minutes outside; next week you can make it 10 minutes and keep building on your progress.

If you are truly eating well with little to no processed foods and you exercise, you would start looking at things like the thyroid which regulates metabolism. If you are constantly tired, overweight, having hair loss, cold body temperature and/or experiencing brain fog, you may want to get your thyroid checked. This is a simple blood test that your doctor can prescribe. To find out more, a good book is Solved: The Riddle of Illness by Stephen Langer, MD.

There is also the issue of absorption in the digestive system and food allergens which should be looked at. If a person is consuming something they are allergic to it causes inflammation in the digestive system, interrupting absorption. This can actually make a person over eat because the body truly is hungry, not getting nutrients and energy out of the food that’s being consumed. Really common food allergens are gluten (wheat, rye, barley), soy, corn and dairy.

Toxins must also be considered. If the body is overloaded with toxins and can’t eliminate them, those toxins get stored in the body and guess what? Those toxins are toxic, so they get buffered with fat. The body does this to protect itself. We are in a day and age when we are literally bombarded with toxins like never before in the history of humanity. We all know this, but because it’s part of daily life, it’s easy to forget how big a deal it really is. Most people have a large toxic load in their bodies that the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin can’t completely eliminate. It also explains why we keep getting heavier and heavier as a society.

Bottom line: there’s no quick fix. Look at your lifestyle, make some changes to take better care of yourself and consider doing some cleansing to help eliminate toxins. If you need help, there’s tons of amazing practitioners out there who would love to help you! Open your mind and find them and if you don’t know where to start, check your local health food store. Remember to be patient and kind to yourself in the process!

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