I’ve always been interested in acai for its high ORAC levels (this is the measure of its antioxidant capacity). Many manufacturers also promote its weight loss benefits, but I’ve never known for sure if you can really lose weight with acai. I decided to search the web for any confirmed studies or well-known experts that confirm or deny this claim.
After searching through numerous articles, it appears no studies have been performed that test the weight loss abilities of acai. Most people know of the University of Florida study showing that acai killed leukemia cells (http://news.ufl.edu/2006/01/12/berries/), but the weight loss claims have not been tested. I’ve read that Dr. Perricone, a well known dermatologist, in his book ”The Perricone Weight-loss Diet” does say acai can help with weight loss, but there are still no actual studies on this.
I’m not saying that acai berries cannot result in weight loss, but there is still research to be done. I have found reviews of people online saying that they have lost weight with acai berry products, but it’s tough to tell if these people are promoters or not. It would be nice to get hard scientific evidence.
Manufacturers claim that acai berries help you lose weight by either suppressing appetite or increasing your metabolism. In theory, this could be possible. There are ingredients in acai that could potentially assist with weight loss such as fatty acids (can increase metabolism), fiber (helps your digestive tract move food through your body), amino acids (help rebuild muscle mass which can help burn more calories), and phytosterols (may help move waste smoother out of your body).
In summary, there are no confirmed studies that acai results in weight loss, but there are also no studies that say it doesn’t result in weight loss. At this point, you may have to rely on user’s reviews of acai or test it out for yourself.