Does the acai fruit deserve all this fame as a “superfood”? | health | Essential information for better health | DW

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The acai fruit or even the acai berry (sometimes pronounced acai) is very famous for being a “super food” or a high quality food that provides health benefits to the body, including helping to lose weight. , and today it has become one of the “super foods”. foods” lists you must eat if you want to enjoy a healthy life according to many sites.

The original home of the fruit is the Amazon region in South America, and there are those who confuse it with cranberries, but it differs from them in its color, which tends to be black, as well as in its large size. It is found in the market either as a fruit, juice, powder or even grain for nutrition, and there are companies that sell it as a jam, and it also has other uses in cosmetics and skin care.

But does acai deserve the title of “superfood”? Nutrition expert Harald Zits of the health information website “Apotikne Umshaw” believes that there is a lot of exaggeration and says that berries in general are known for their high content of anthocyanin, an antioxidant believed to protect cells and that it has a major role in the prevention of infection by a group of diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis, but the scientific efficacy in humans has not yet been sufficiently proven.

He also points to the paucity of scientific studies proving that berries in general greatly aid in weight loss. It is true that it contains a high proportion of healthy fats, such as those found in avocado, and that it can reduce the feeling of hunger, but there is no direct scientific link between eating acai and lose weight.

The expert believes that the problem with many studies is that they are carried out on cell cultures and on animals and not on human samples, and he talks about the problem of different conditions in laboratories for studying living conditions daily that testify to interactions with other foods.

Acai fruit - acai

Acai fruit – acai

However, acai remains healthy and beneficial for the body, and the expert cites an opinion from the Bavarian Consumer Advisory Center, which confirms that this fruit contains vitamins and minerals that the body needs, and that It’s also available on calcium, which benefits vegetarians who don’t drink milk.

As far as antioxidants are concerned, it is true that these fruits are available at home, but these substances, according to the center, are also found in other fruits and vegetables, including even tomatoes, which are sold in all markets in prices much lower than those of the acai fruit. .

There is a public relations process that helps spread the benefits of these fruits and foods and get them on “superfood” lists, according to the same source, while nutrition experts advise that the best for the body is to follow a balanced diet that combines several foods, most of which are easily available on the market, in addition to practicing exercises, a sports approach and a healthy lifestyle.

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