Why is it that we always want to find a magic food, or group of foods to make us healthy? In this case, the Acai berry (ah Sigh EE) is the latest craze to cure everything with magic anti-oxidant powers. So much so that Americans spent over $108 million last year for this product.
I promise to address the myth of oxidants in a post, but for the purpose of discussion — let’s pretend that we want a lot of anti-oxidants in our diet. If we do, and if more is better, does this mean we should spend sixty bucks a bottle for the magic of the Acai berry?
The great thing about science is we can measure things. We can measure anti oxidant potential, put some berries in a test tube, come up with a number, and compare. To be a nerd about it — there are a number of tests that one can apply to a product to test them: four tests of antioxidant potency [Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), total oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), free radical scavenging capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)]; (2) a test of antioxidant functionality, that is, inhibition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation by peroxides and malondialdehyde methods; and (3) evaluation of the total polyphenol content [by gallic acid equivalents (GAEs)] of polyphenol-rich beverages in the marketplace. The results of those tests? PJ had the greatest antioxidant potency composite index among the beverages tested and was at least 20% greater than any of the other beverages tested. Antioxidant potency, ability to inhibit LDL oxidation, and total polyphenol content were consistent in classifying the antioxidant capacity of the polyphenol-rich beverages in the following order: Pomegranate Juice >red wine>Concord grape juice>blueberry juice>black cherry juice, açaí juice, cranberry juice>orange juice, iced tea beverages, apple juice.
The Acai Berry is a scam. Offering free trials while getting credit card information – and, as with all supplements, unregulated (by act of Congress) by the F.D.A. The Center for Science and the Public Interest issued a warning about these scams . Click here.
Who says the Acai berry is wonderful – -even Oprah (yea the Oprah) and her beloved Doctor Mehmet Oz (listing this berry as one of the top ten power foods). Not that we can compete with the power of Oprah, but she continues to put forth myth after myth, sending people to places that have no benefit, no science, and spending hard earned money. Of course, a skeptic doctor would say — gee, lets see how well this does with Oprah. Did she lose weight? Is she healthier than ever? Is her immune system now super charged?
In the meantime, a doctor, Dr. Oz, telling everyone about the Acai Berry. He stated that “”It has twice the antioxidant content as a blueberry, so it’s a wonderful alternative,” Too bad that Dr. Oz didn’t check the facts — it does not have twice the antioxidant of blueberry, in fact, as you can see, the blueberry has more antioxidant than the acai.
For those who are interested, Dr. Oz, a cardiac surgeon, has a strong interest in becoming a public official – no doubt wanting a job in the U.S. Senate, or a nice public launching as the Surgeon General. What we need in the office of the Surgeon General is someone who promotes the public interest, not someone who promotes the whims of fad and pseudoscience. We need a skeptic for Surgeon General.
