Acai berry – the chant of millions across the globe in their race towards fitness and health was originally found in the banks of the Amazon River, this dark purple fruit was consumed by the native Brazilians. Later it was testified by them of its goodness and now acai has found its place in the world market.
Short shelf life of Acai berry
The initial problem with acai berry being globalised was its short shelf life. Unlike other fruits, the Acai berry had to be consumed within 24 hours of being plucked. After 24 hours the fruit undergoes oxidation process. Oxidation leads to the loss of the nutrient effects of the fruit. This meant that only the locals of the area could consume and enjoy the benefits of Acai berry.
Even if the fruit had to be processed, it was before 24 hours. This was the major limitation. Later, modern processing came into play. Scientists developed better strategies to process the fruit and still maintain its nutritive effects.
Tips on the selection criteria for any product
- Do not opt for acai berries that are processed after a day. Most of the nutrients have been lost after the first 24 hours after plucking.
- Do not buy those products that do not specify the amount of Acai berry present in the product. The varying amounts of Acai present in it will definitely affect the body's response to it.
- Products that are freeze dried are the best option. This is because some nutrients of the Acai berry are heat labile (sensitive) and degrade when spray dried
- It is also important to do a background search on the chemical processes that underlie the production of your chosen Acai berry product. Every process though done is the best methods cannot guarantee 100% retention of all nutrients. Unavoidable loss of nutrients does take place during the processing.
- Whole fruit is always better than the extracts.
- Use only those that contain the skin and pulp. These contain more nutrition than either separately or with the seed.
- It is best to opt for those products that are in liquid form. Not only are they easy to consume when on the run, they quench thirst and are also easily absorbed by the body.
- Products that do not contain any additives like sugar or caffeine, are best for Diabetic patients
- Those that have preservatives are to be avoided.
- Presence of any chemical compound that might cause an allergic response should be observed. It is best to look at the content label and decide.
Different "forms" of the berry
Though the best available form of the berry is its native, not everyone can consume it due to the time constraint. Hence tablets, liquids and capsules of the berry are now available in the market. These can be bought off the shelf at any of your local stores or can be ordered via phone or internet. But many, but not all, of these companies are scam and hence it is better to have the above mentioned rules in mind before getting an Acai berry product.
Those which can be bought off the shelf can easily be checked for most of the above criteria. For those that can be ordered via internet, its best to ask friends who have tried the product. Also what works for your friend might not work for you with the same potency. This can be attributed to;
- Exercise
- Lifestyle
- Diet
The free trials are not often free and come with the automatic registration facility. Thus hold caution before finalising the Acai berry product.