Why You Should Avoid Acai Extract Products

Acai powder… acai juice, acai extract...what’s the difference? What does it all mean?

It can be very overwhelming, when you first start learning about the berry, to filter through all the information.  After all, there are hundreds of products, all vying for your attention and your money.  There are some pretty incredible claims as to the health benefits of acai, but then others claim they’re not true.  Some say juice is better, some say supplements are....and the information keeps swirling around until you want to give up completely.

First, take a deep breath.  If it helps, there is a reason for all this insanity.  Actually, there are two reasons for the information overload:

1. The acai berry is, in fact, a very exciting “discovery,” and so it has the entire health industry all abuzz. The acai fruit nutrition facts are astounding; it contains all kinds of nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, amino acids, fatty acids, and a high concentration of beta-sitosterol.

There are some entirely reliable, reputable, pure acai products out there, and there are some scams.  With just a little bit of your own acai berry research, you can filter through and find the best products

1. It is so new that there aren’t any regulations or set standards, and so, for now, it’s a bit of a free-for-all. Anyone who can somehow get even 1% of acai into a product can label it an acai product.

There are some entirely reliable, reputable, pure acai products out there, and there are some scams.  With just a little bit of your own acai berry research, you can filter through and find the best products.

One of the first steps is to learn to not pay any attention to products that are labeled as an acai extract.  Many product sites tout their amazing “acai extract”; but what does this mean?  To “extract” means to remove a part from a whole.  In the acai process, the only thing that should be removed is the seed.  The flesh, or the pulp, of the fruit is where all the nutrients and antioxidants are; so to get all the health benefits of acai, you need the entire fruit (minus the seed).  Any product claiming to be made of “acai extract” just doesn’t know what they are talking about, and you should stay away.

Another thing to look for is the method a product uses to process their acai.  The acai berry is extremely perishable and will spoil within 24 hours of being picked; and so anyone outside the outskirts of the Amazon rainforest has to get their acai processed

There are basically two methods to processing: spray dried and freeze-dried. 

1. Spray-Dried Acai: The process of spray-drying acai is cheaper, and so most products use this process. However, this process involves heating the acai to high temperatures to remove the water, then spraying the acai with maltodextrin.  The heating process removes most of the nutrients and antioxidants of the acai; and then adds on maltodextrin. 

1. Freeze-dried Acai: Freeze drying uses a combination of freezing, then just the right amount of heat, then vaporizing the remaining water content.  This is a complicated process but it retains all of the nutrients and the antioxidants that the acai is known for. 

The more reputable acai products, such as Mon Avie and Sambazon, all use this freeze-drying technique; and never mention the words “acai extract” or acai seed.  With just a little knowledge, you can make informed decisions and find the best acai products for you, and not worry about buying acai extract products by accident.

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More Reading:
Berry Facts
Pure Acai Juice
Berry Information
Berry Products
Berry Supplements