Geelong's Gym

Here’s an observation of mine: if a person can eat their way to weight loss they’re going to take it.  So my post today is about the humble Acai Berry and whether it can indeed aid weight loss.

Until a few years ago most of us probably hadn’t heard of the Acai Berry, but since Oprah promoted it to the top of her list of superfoods it has suddenly become famous.

So what is the Acai Berry?

Pronounced ah-sigh-ee, it is a small, round, black/purple fruit about an inch in diameter and is grown in the Amazon region of Brazil.  Unsurprisingly, it makes up a large part of the diet in Brazil and is a huge cash crop for the area.

The humble Acai Berry

The Berry is believed to have tremendous health properties and has been used by the Amazonian tribes to cure various ailments.  These tribes discovered that it helped build the immune system, fight infection, protect the heart and control prostate enlargement.  It is also a cholesterol controller, an antioxidant and has been used to produce antibiotics to fight Staph infections.

That’s a pretty impressive resume for such a small berry!

But can it help me lose weight?

Well it can certainly help if combined with a proper diet and regular exercise.  It has a natural combination of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, amino acids and phytosterols which work together to help your body function better, process food more easily and burn fat more efficiently.  It also boosts your metabolism and reportedly suppresses your appetite because of its high fibre content.

Certainly this little berry has a lot going for it, so give it a go and see what you think.