Reportedly many years ago an Amazon Indian tribe grew so large that there wasn't enough food to go around. So the tribal chief devised a plan to stretch the food supply... He decreed that all newborn babies should be killed.
When his own daughter, Iaca, gave birth to a baby, he was afraid to show partiality. So tragically, Iaca's baby was killed along with all the other newborn infants.
Iaca went into solitary confinement, mourning her baby's death alone in her hut for days.
After many days, she thought she heard a baby cry, and went into the jungle in search of the baby. What she found instead was a huge palm tree deep in the jungle, shooting toward the sky, literally blanketed with dark-colored fruit.
Realizing that if this food source had been discovered earlier, she would still be cuddling her dear baby, she leaned against the tree in total desperation and died.
The next day, the tribe's people went in search of Iaca, and discovered her body there under the tree... Along with the food supply that could have saved her baby and so many others.
The chief declared that the tree his daughter died under should be named after her, so it was called the açaí (Iaca backwards).
'The Fruit That Cries'
The indigenous people know açaí as "içá-çai" -- which roughly translated means, "the fruit that cries."
If this story is true, there were indeed many tears shed over the late discovery of that valuable food source.
The legend goes on to tell us this...
Now that the tribe had a new food source, the death decree was lifted, and the tribe went on to prosper.
Even though there were significant challenges to harvesting this fruit.
Before I tell you about those challenges, though, allow me to detail some of the challenges of this fruit today – namely the honesty (or lack thereof) in claims about it.
Empty Promises and Bogus Claims -- Açaí Scandals Exposed
Whenever a product becomes very popular and in the public eye, as açaí has, scams seem to pop up everywhere. Naturally, açaí is no different.
What kinds of scams am I talking about?
- Ludicrous promises.
One such promise is that you'll lose "30 pounds in 30 days." Losing 30 pounds in 30 days is not something açaí can help you achieve.
You do not live on açaí alone. Your diet should consist of a large variety of (preferably high-ORAC) vegetables, high-quality meat, and a small quantity of fruit.
And you've heard me say it before if you've spent much time on this site...
Exercise is an integral part of your daily lifestyle. You must get moving to lose weight that you subsequently keep off. Whatever your weight, you simply cannot optimize your health without daily exercise. So find a form of exercise you enjoy and get started today.
Don't fall for these promises that seem "out-of-this-world" good. Too-good-to-be-true is just that -- too good to be true.
- Inflated ORAC values.
Many companies tout açaí as a "superfood" and claim ORAC values in the high thousands (or more). ORAC is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities in biological samples.
Fact is, ORAC numbers can and do vary depending on harvesting conditions and your own body. Many companies multiply the ORAC numbers by 100 grams to make ORAC numbers appear higher than they really are (for the amount you're ingesting).
Açaí is truly a great food. But is it the only food you should eat? Absolutely not! It's really not even at the top of the chart on ORAC values.
Many other foods have strong ORAC numbers too -- red grapes, blueberries, raspberries, spinach, and many more. So strive for balance.
If you do want to look at the ORAC values, be sure the ORAC values you are comparing are per milligram, not per bottle of supplement or some other inflated measure!
- Obscure amounts of açaí, use of other juices and use of cheap fillers.
Pure açaí is expensive... therefore, many products that contain açaí use token amounts of açaí, and load up with cheaper juices or flavorings.
This affects not only the real ORAC value of the product, but also exactly how much açaí you are actually consuming. Many times, it's very difficult to tell how much that is.
Besides other juices which may have lower nutritional value than açaí's, some products are contaminated with fillers of dubious value, like soy lecithin, citric acid, maltodextrin, or seeds. (Remember, seeds have no nutritional value.)
My advice is to steer clear of mixed products, because it's so very difficult to really know what's in them.
- Questionable marketing practices.
One popular marketing practice invites you to try out a "free" bottle of açaí (whether capsules or liquid is irrelevant), and charges you "only" for shipping and handling.
You're asked for your credit card number to cover shipping and handling. Hidden in the fine print is a statement that by accepting the free offer, you're authorizing a monthly auto-ship program and will be charged $90 to your credit card every month.
Then comes the real rub... Unscrupulous companies make it difficult or almost impossible to stop the monthly charges. By the time you manage to get a "return authorization" from them to stop your payments and shipments, you've lost several hundred dollars...
So be sure you know the history and integrity of the company you're dealing with.
At Mercola.com, we're fanatical about our integrity and serving you with the best customer service humanly possible.
The customer surveys you complete give us consistently high ratings for your shopping experience with us, with 92% of you awarding us with a "9" or "10" for quality of service. We want you to know we're delighted to have you as honored customers, and anticipate making you life-long fans.
(And we never engage in these types of scams.)
- Cost.
While price isn't necessarily a scam, you should know that there are some prices that are out there in the stratosphere... way higher than the highest açaí palm branch.
Açaí is an imported product and is available in many forms, so comparing prices can be a bit like comparing apples to oranges. As already mentioned, there are products containing very little açaí pulp and too many cheap fillers.
Some products, especially those marketed through multi-level marketing companies, have very steep monthly prices -- or like the above-mentioned $90 per month.
I can assure you that at Mercola.com, you will never have to pay nearly that much for a one-month supply! But more on that shortly…
Despite the hype about açaí and its high ORAC values, I still prefer Purple Defense as your best bet for high-ORAC antioxidants along with Resveratrol.* And Purple Defense is what I personally use.
But now back to our Brazilian story…
Reaching the Sky to Capture the Fruit
What were those challenges?
Dark purple berries known as açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) grow in huge clusters near the top of palm trees that sweep the sky. They may be up to a dizzying 82 feet tall... with no branches to ascend on.
Certainly no easy task....
But desperation has an amazing impact on motivation. And this jungle tribe found a way.
It's not known exactly how they first harvested their new-found treasure, but it was likely brought down the same way it is today.
Agile, brave men shimmy up the entire height of the açaí palm, cut off a huge cluster, and bring it down. They repeat the process for each of many clusters.
No One's Crying Now!
Açaí evolved from the obscurity of the rainforest to the cities of Brazil, where it quickly gained popularity.
It seemed just a small leap before its fame grew from Brazilian clubs to the entire world.
Just what caused a little-known jungle fruit to become such an international phenomenon?
What Are People Saying About Açaí?
Açaí berries are small royal-purple berries about the size of a grape. They consist of a large seed and small amount of pulp and flesh surrounding the seed. No one eats the seed -- it has absolutely no nutritional value.
On the other hand, the pulp is incredibly nutritious and delicious.* The taste has been described as a fruity red-wine flavor with chocolate overtones, not too sweet. It is also highly perishable... so if you want it fresh, you'll have to travel to the Amazon during harvest season, and be there within 24 hours of harvest to enjoy it.
More in a minute on how you can benefit from such a perishable food source -- even if you're thousands of miles from the Amazon.
Rest assured that if it was impossible to enjoy it so far from its source, no one would be talking about it.
Why are so many raving about this fruit?
Tiny Berry Gives Huge Energy Boost
Hidden within its royal purple skin is a "magical" nutritional profile that makes it nearly a perfect fruit.
Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids, essential fatty acids -- and more.*
Açaí's Amazing Nutritional Profile
I think the "superfood" title is a bit overblown. Like I already said, I still favor Purple Defense as my #1 antioxidant recommendation (especially with the added bonus of Resveratrol)...* yet açaí does indeed have an incredible nutritional profile and is a superb addition if you want to give variety to your antioxidant protection.
- Antioxidants and Anthocyanins.
Açaí has become recognized as one of the world's highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) foods.*
ORAC is a lab measurement of how well antioxidants can neutralize free radicals in your body. The higher the value, the better your body utilizes it to fight the damaging effects of free radicals.
Açaí has ten times the antioxidant levels of grapes and twice that of blueberries.*
Further, the USDA recommends you consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day.* But the average person only gets about 1,000 units daily.
What are anthocyanins?
If you've seen a deep purple plum, a bright red apple, or deep green spinach, you've seen anthocyanins. They are a particular class of flavonoids and represent nature's "colors of the rainbow."
But one of the biggest problems with açaí is that it's highly perishable.
How We Solved the Perishability Issue
As mentioned above, açaí's big downside is its extreme perishability. It must be freeze-dried, canned or frozen literally within hours of its harvest -- or else it spoils. How it's preserved affects how bioavailable it is for you.*
The very best way to preserve all its life-giving goodness is to instantly freeze dry the whole fruit (pulp plus juice -- no seeds).* Freeze-drying preserves the powerful antioxidants and omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9, which are found in the highest amounts in the skin and pulp, rather than the juice.*
So, I arranged to freeze-dry it at low temperatures so to retain its nutrient profile,* and bring it in from the Amazon...
Why the Right Manufacturer Is Important
Açaí is a delicate ingredient. If it's not handled properly, you may get a low potency product. In addition to the manufacturer's ability to freeze-dry the acai instantly, I also partnered with this manufacturer because it:
- Uses real-time process control technology to monitor every facet of production – Ensures a consistent high-quality product.
- Goes the “extra mile” and expense in testing – Each batch is third-party tested
- Is committed to supplying only high-quality ingredients – The manufacturer has rigorous standards it adheres to, so only high-quality raw materials and ingredients are used in the product
You can be assured that the açaí you get is a premium quality product.
Introducing Active Açaí
Now you can get açaí without traveling to the Amazon, and without resorting to diluted or over-processed products containing token amounts of açaí.
The product my team and I carefully selected is a capsule containing instantly freeze-dried açaí.
As soon as the açaí is harvested, the seeds are quickly removed, and the pulp and juice are flash freeze-dried.
Many companies offer overly-processed freeze-dried açaí, but not the whole fruit... then they further degrade it by adding preservatives (citric acid) and fillers (soy lecithin).
But I took it one step further...
To ensure you are receiving the very best product without any contaminants, I wanted to be sure your Active Açaí was organic.
We use only wild-harvested açaí berries grown in the Amazon without any manmade fertilizers or pesticides.
Components of Active Açaí... |
Ingredient |
Per 100g |
Energy (calories) |
579 |
Calories from fat (calories) |
359 |
Moisture (g) |
1.2 |
Ash (g) |
3.9 |
Protein (g) |
10 |
Fatty Acids as Triglycerides |
8:0 Caprylic (g) |
< 0.04 |
10:0 Capric (g) |
< 0.04 |
12:0 Lauric (g) |
< 0.04 |
14:0 Myristic (g) |
0.05 |
14:1 Myristoleic (g) |
< 0.04 |
15:0 Pentadecanoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
15:1 Pentadecenoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
16.0 Palmitic (g) |
9.02 |
16:1 Palmitoleic (g) |
1.57 |
17:0 Heptadecanoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
17:1 Heptadecenoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
18:0 Stearic (g) |
0.62 |
18:1 Oleic (g) |
22.8 |
18:2 Linoleic (g) |
5.4 |
20:0 Arachidic (g) |
0.04 |
18:3 Gamma Linolenic (GLA) (g) |
< 0.04 |
20:1 Eicosenoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
18:3 Linolenic (ALA) (g) |
0.4 |
20:2 Eicosadienoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
22:0 Behenic (g) |
< 0.04 |
20:3 Eicosatrienoic (g) |
< 0.04 |
20:4 Arachidonic (ARA) (g) |
< 0.04 |
Saturated fats (calculated as acids) (g) |
9.24 |
Monounsaturated fat, Cis and Trans isomers (calculated as acids) (g) |
23.3 |
Polyunsaturated fat, Cis and Trans isomers (calculated as acids) (g) |
5.54 |
Sum of quantified fatty acids (calculated as triglycerides) (g) |
39.9 |
Cholesterol (g) |
< 1 |
Total Carbohydrates (g) |
45 |
Dietary Fiber (g) |
55.8 |
So now you can get a pure, wholesome whole-fruit organic açaí supplement without traveling to the jungle -- and for a very reasonable price. What more could you ask?
But you may wonder about the impact on the rainforest...
Doesn't Harvesting Açaí Damage the Amazon Rainforests?
Actually, no... Quite the opposite, for two reasons...
First, harvesting açaí provides a livelihood and sustenance for the harvesters and their families. Agriculture in the more 'traditional' sense cannot do well in that region due to climatic and soil conditions. Harvesting açaí gives the river dwellers a valuable job to do at a decent living wage, improving their standard of living.
Secondly, it saves the trees.
One major way river dwellers earned a living before açaí harvesting became popular, was to cut the hearts of palm from the trees -- killing the trees in the process.
Now that they have a viable alternative, many trees are saved from destruction -- truly an eco-friendly solution for all.
So, do YOU want a high-quality açaí product that's organic, freeze-dried, an honest product for a fair price? An eco-friendly choice too?
START TODAY
In addition to eating high-quality diet according to your Nutritional Type, daily exercise, and supplements like our other antioxidant Purple Defense which you may already be using (also krill and probiotics), may I suggest adding Active Açaí as a supplement?
As with my other products, your satisfaction is absolutely guaranteed.
Our customer service is open twelve hours per day every weekday. Or opt for "chat" if you prefer. You can conveniently place your order online any time.
So, isn't today the perfect time to try Active Açaí?
What's not to love?
Remember, these capsules are made with organic açaí.
So, choose one of these three ways to get your wholesome açaí for an honest price, with customer service that gives far more than lip service to the word "service."
Order Active Açaí today.
We apologize for any inconvenience, but Active Açaí has been discontinued.
I am constantly striving to find the best formulations and high-quality products for your use. Although açaí is a potent water-soluble antioxidant that can help support your health,* I actually prefer Purple Defense over açaí. In fact, I personally use Purple Defense.
My Purple Defense not only has a high ORAC value (It efficiently and effectively helps fight free radicals.), it also contains resveratrol.* Açaí does not contain this beneficial nutrient which helps support your cardiovascular health.*
Discover more about Purple Defense.