Vitamin Information Center

The acai berry is a native of the Amazon rainforests in the land of Brazil. It is a small, grape-like fruit that contains more seed than pulp and is highly valued for its very high nutritional content. Also, it contains a high level of antioxidants, the free-radical fighting compounds that fights cancer, among other illnesses. While it contains more antioxidants than any other fruit in the world, it is also said to contain more kinds of different antioxidants in any one fruit and more amount of any of these types in a single fruit.

The acai berry is increasingly becoming more popular for its fat burning properties. Many weight loss products are now claiming to be acai berry based. Online, you will find several offers and risk-free trials that uses acai berry as the main constituent of their product for fast and efficient weight loss.

The truth is, acai berry weight loss products are not a “magic pills” that can make people lose 25 pounds in a week. Such claims are not supported by scientific studies, and there is wisdom in the old adage that when something is too good to be true, then it probably is.

However, the acai berry does indeed contain elements that can aid in weight loss, especially if the use of such products is combined with proper diet and exercise. First, the acai berry contains what is called the omega fatty acids, a kind of fat that is medically proven to improve metabolism. These fatty acids are usually found in fish oil. It cannot be produced by the body so we have to get it from the food we eat. So having these added fatty acids in the diet can make a person have a faster metabolism, which aids in weight loss and dieting. Also, the acai berry contains a lot of fiber and we know that fiber aids in digestion and helps in detoxifying the system and flushing out fats. Because of the fiber content, it also helps in making a person feeling fuller, thus suppressing one’s appetite. In turn, it aids in avoiding eating too much and thus helps in dieting.

What’s more, it also helps in improving the muscle tone. This is because the acai berry contains a good amount of amino acids. Amino acids help the muscles to work properly during exercise, so more amino acids on the diet helps in increasing the muscle mass. The increase in muscle mass, on the other hand, is proportional to the increase in the amount of calories the body burns, which, in turn, makes one lose weight faster. Also, the acai berry is a good source of energy, as many athletes, specifically Jiu-Jitsu fighters, in Brazil has been using it to provide an energy boost before any major tournament. The increase in stamina and energy is definitely a big plus because for those trying to lose weight, increased energy level means increased ability top perform cardiovascular exercises, such as running or working out in a treadmill. Thus, the acai berry is a good and efficient aid in losing weight.

WOULDN’T it be wonderful if there were a range of magic pills we could take once a day to protect us from all manner of diseases?

One to ward off cancer, another to keep our cholesterol in check, and yet more to keep us mentally astute, with slim, well-toned bodies and glowing complexions.

We could drink beer, smoke tabs and eat burger and chips to our heart’s content and never have to worry because all the nasty side-effects would be cancelled out by a cocktail of dietary supplements.

You’d be forgiven for thinking many people already believe this to be possible, though admittedly to a lesser extent. But there’s surely no denying that millions of us are under the illusion that popping a few pills can cure a variety of ills.

I’m not talking about genuine, tried-and-tested medicines here . . . I’m referring to vitamin supplements.

An estimated 10m people in the UK regularly take vitamins, shoring up a whopping £350m-a- year industry. Goodness knows what the industry is worth worldwide. But if a new report is to be believed, they’re wasting their money.

In what is claimed to be the most in-depth study ever undertaken into the effects of supplements, a team of Danish scientists concluded that there’s no evidence that they are of any benefit to health.

Worse still, they say some — including Beta- carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E — actually endanger life and could “significantly increase mortality”.

Whenever I read stories like this I feel like I’ve wandered onto the set of the old Woody Allen movie Sleeper.

Allen’s character, having been cryogenically frozen for hundreds of years, is brought back to life in the future where everyone smokes because scientists have discovered tobacco is the healthiest substance known to man.

Now we’re faced with a version of Allen’s movie in reverse . . . it seems everything we thought was good for us is bad for us. Either that or it makes no difference, in which case, it’s still bad for us financially. So how come so many of us have fallen for the hype? I suspect the answer is that people believe vitamins work because that’s what they want to believe . . .

And because the truth is as unpalatable to them as the fresh fruit and vegetables they have shunned in favour of supplements.

Unfortunately, however, there are no magic pills. And it’s high time we accepted that fact and stopped throwing money at an industry that has become adept at selling us an impossible dream.

A healthy diet and plenty of exercise is the only answer . . . that’s the hard-to-swallow truth scientists have been telling us for years.