QandAs: Food

What is acai?

Answer:
Acai is a type of palm tree native to

South America.

Acai is a tall, slender palm tree that grows in swamplands and is native to south and central America. It grows to be 15 to 30 meters tall with leaves that are 3 meters long. It produces fruits, often called Acai Berries, that are similar in size and appearance to grapes with a single large seed that makes up 80% of the berry's mass.

Acai berries have come under scrutiny because of unverified claims of medicinal benefits, most notably claims that they provide "natural weight loss". In reality, most such claims are scams, and most consumers have found it hard to stop the credit card charges after cancelling the free samples.

Acai berries provide limited antioxidant properties, less than concorde grapes, black cherries and blueberries, but more than cranberries and apples. Their effects on weight loss and the claims they can reverse diabetes have not been verified and as such, many sites touting such claims are determined to be scams.