There are thousands of FDA approved food additives and flavorings that can be added to food in the USA. This is only the second one of that list. I will be going through them all, eventually.
The first thing I learned about Acai Berry Extract is that I was totally pronouncing it wrong, see the videos below. This particular food is used as a flavoring or adjuvant in food items. An adjuvant is simply a food additive added to foods to enhance that food. But, is it a healthy food additive?
My research shows that it certainly is not a bad food additive. The issue seems to be that labeling super inflates the health benefits, especially in relation to how much Acai Berry Extract may actually be in the product. Plus, if the berries are not immediately freeze dried before processing they will lose a lot of their nutritional value. Eating unprocessed Acai Berry Extract can cause a very specific illness.
If you want to get the full benefits of Acai Berry Extract, the best way to is to buy a good quality Acai Berry Powder that was frozen immediately upon picking and then made into the powder. Acai Berry has been shown to be a powerful Antioxidant that may help reduce blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. It has not been shown to be effective for weight loss, Alzheimer’s though I hope they will do more studies on that. That is the main issue with food additives, flavorings and supplements. There simply is not enough evidence to show that they either are, or are not effective against illnesses as food companies may advertise. The second video will explain that while Acai Berry did show positive antioxidant effects in a double blind study, so did basic applesauce. If you have ever read an applesauce label you will note that there is not much nutrition in there. So, that does not bode well for Acai Berry Extract as a super antioxidant. Plus it is way more expensive than other antioxidants due to the labor intense way it is harvested.
Read the sources below, and watch the videos, then you can decide if this food additive is worth the hefty price put on it. Please note in the video how much Acai Berry you would need to consume to actually reach large enough levels to have the health benefits claimed by many supplement and food companies.
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https://www.victoriahealth.com/editorial/facts-and-myths-about-acai-berry
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acai
https://www.foodmatters.com/article/powerful-health-benefits-of-acai-berry
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