The Acai berry is one of the latest super foods to have been brought to public attention. It is considered a super-food due to its status as a powerful antioxidant. It has become quite famous by those seeking to lose weight, as they have been told it has unique properties to help people lose weight.
The truth, of course is far more complicated, and needs some considerable investigation.
The weight loss myth: Acai berries are in fact not the best food to help you lose weight
According to the US National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the Department of Health and Human Sciences, very little research has actually been done to conclusively examine the health effects on people from Acai berries.[1] If this is the case then, why are there so many Acai berry supplements and sites touting the semi-miraculous weight loss properties of the Acai berry?
Ultimately, and unfortunately this boils down to lies and deception. The deception is so severe that the Federal Trade Commission has been hard at work shutting down websites that deceive customers by suggesting that the Acai berry will make them lose weight.[2] It is possible that weight loss benefits of Acai berries could be revealed in the future, after further investigation, as of right now, no real benefits have been found. So it seems these websites and companies selling the idea that Acai berries are great for weight loss, are merely seeking to build the market for Acai berry products, and not help people lose weight.
When Acai berry juice was tested on rats to investigate weight loss claims, researchers noticed no difference at all between rats who were given Acai berry juice, and those who had not.
Whilst it is true that Acai berries are an effective antioxidant, and as such they can help cleanse the colon, helping the digestive system, and protect cells from damage it is no better for burning fat than any other berry.[3] Ultimately, it remains the case that there is no food that makes you lose weight by itself. The key to weight loss is balancing a healthy died with exercise.
That said, there are other substances available which have far more effective weight loss properties, such as green tea. Green tea is a great metabolism booster, which means which means, while your body is feeling the effects of the green tea (specifically the caffeine) the body becomes much better at burning fat.
Also, some studies have shown that consuming green tea can lead to a real reduction of abdominal fat.[4]
Green tea also helps cognitive function. Partially this is due to the presence of caffeine, but when this is combined with the amino acid L-theanine (which alone can help fight anxiety and increases dopamine production) the two work in synergy to help improve brain functionality. The effects on the brain are so potent that in can even help fight brain degradation and Alzheimer’s condition in age.
Green tea has also been shown to decrease blood sugar levels, which means it could effectively combat type 2 diabetes. A study in Japan showed that those who drank green tea in high quantities had a 42% decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Of course, like Acai berries, green tea is a fantastic source of anti-oxidants and as such can function as a more affordable substitute for Acai berries, if your intention is finding a fantastic anti-oxidant.
Best of all, green tea is far cheaper and more easily accessible than Acai berries.
Acai berries aren’t useful for weight loss but they’re nutritious and anti-aging
Though Acai berries aren’t useful for weight loss, Acai berries are none the less extremely nutritious.
So nutritious, I believe its super food status is earned. Acai berries are good sources of:
- Fiber, which is good for digestion.
- Healthy fatty acids which help maintain a healthy heart and nervous system.
- Amino acids, which help in energy production and muscle performance
- Vitamin C and Vitamin A
- Calcium, which help maintains health teeth and bones
- Magnesium, which helps maintain blood pressure, and glucose levels, as well as help in energy production.
On top of this, Acai berries are a manganese powerhouse.[5] Manganese is a hugely important chemical. It is used in the maintenance and building of the bone structure, assists in the running of the metabolism, the absorption of calcium and maintains the healthy running of the thyroid and sex hormones.
Although the reputation Acai berries have for weight loss is undeserved, the reputation as something which can keep your skin healthy and fight the signs of aging is very much deserved. The reason for this lies in its high density of antioxidants. When people develop oxidation stress, where the body has trouble detoxifing the body due to a an abundance of free radicals (a form of molecule combated by antioxidants), this oxidation can show itself in skin degradation and the appearance of aging. The antioxidants fights the oxidation and the presence of free radicals, and in doing so, fights the related signs of aging.
So, with all of this considered, consuming Acai berries could be extremely good for your overall bodily health. However, the same could be said for other, and much cheaper berries like blueberries and cranberries. But if you feel like you might enjoy Acai berries, go ahead, there are far worse things you could consume. However, though Acai berries are extremely nutritious, they do not have miraculous weight loss properties.
Reference
| [1] | ^ | National Institutes of Health: Acai |
| [2] | ^ | Federal Trade Commission: FTC Permanently Stops Fake News Website Operator that Allegedly Deceived Consumers about Acai Berry Weight-Loss Products |
| [3] | ^ | Dr. Axe: Acai Berry: 6 Proven Scientific Benefits, Including Clear Skin + Weight Loss |
| [4] | ^ | Authority Nutrition: 10 Proven Benefits of Green Tea |
| [5] | ^ | Organic Facts: 13 Amazing Benefits Of Manganese |
The post The Power of Acai Berry For Weight Loss is Just too Overrated! appeared first on Lifehack.
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