Acai berries as an effective weight loss supplement?

It seems as though every day a new weight loss method is developed. From slimming belts to miracle fruits, nothing is surprising anymore. A decade ago, some of the products and techniques being marketed today would have seemed ridiculous. One of the techniques which would surely be most scrutinized is the acai berry diet.

The acai berry is the fruit of the Brazilian palm tree. Its properties are really quite similar to other berries such as blueberries and blackberries. There reason many fall for the claims made by the marketers is that Oprah mentioned the health benefits of the berries on her show near the end of 2008. After that, people began searching wildly for acai berry products in the hope that consuming them would facilitate weight loss. All the while the fact remains there is not much truth to all of this.

In North America where many have noticed a huge growth in popularity of the berry, it is typically bought and sold in extract form. While the extract makes a decent supplement, it is a poor substitute for the whole fruit. Many of the beneficial substances within the fruit are lost in the process of drying and extraction.

Diet supplements are only part of the weight loss equation. Regardless of whether you are supplementing with acai berries, ephedra or pharmaceuticals, regular exercise should also be a part of the weight loss plan. There is nothing like exercise to rev up the metabolism.

Acai berries make a good dietary supplement and surely the antioxidants they contain have some anti aging benefits, but there is no truth to the idea they will facilitate weight loss. It would be smart to consume them while exercising regularly and take advantage of their antioxidant properties to slow down the oxidative stress such exercise causes. A healthy diet in combination with regular exercise will always provide the best results for weight loss.