Will acai bowls help you lose weight?

by Claris Ng

Heard of acai bowls? It’s (one of) the latest Instagram-worthy food items to sweep into town. Originally big in Hawaii and Southern California, it’s now available in Singapore at Holland Village, Takashimaya, and Pickering Street.

The bowls are made of a base of blended frozen acai pulp. It has a smoothie-like texture, and is topped with fruits, and chia seeds or almonds.

But what is acai?

Acai palm – or euterpe oleracea, the scientific name of this palm species – means “[fruit that] cries or expels water”. Acai pulp is extracted from acai berries, which are harvested in bunches of approximately 600 from the acai palm tree. The acai berry resembles a grape – it has a distinct purple-black colour and is of a similar size.

Acai berries are actually an “ancient” fruit, as they were discovered to have been grown in the Amazon rainforest for thousands of years. It appears that South Americans native to the Amazon have been consuming these berries for their nutritional benefits, to the extent that it forms a major component of their diet – up to 42 per cent of their total food intake by weight.

It is also reported that acai palm trees can grow up to 30 metres high, and because the berries are fragile, delicate, and perishable, local farmers scale the heights to collect these berries instead of relying on tools.

Powerful antioxidant

According to an article published in 2010 by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM, acai berries are known for their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Their high antioxidant activity can be attributed to a large amount of anthocyanins, which is a group of polyphenols (abundant micronutrients in our diet). Anthocyanins are also found in red wine.

There are three major anthocyanins found in acai, namely cyanidin 3-rutoside, cyanidin 3-diglycoside, and cyanidin 3-glucoside. Another article published in 2008 – the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health – stated that “antioxidants in the [acai] juice blend penetrated and protected cells from oxidative damage”.

In addition, the high concentration of antioxidants boosts one’s metabolism rate. Antioxidants are also capable of delaying aging as they reduce the rate of cell damage. Furthermore, the oils found in the berries are capable of rejuvenating skin cells.

Acai pulp or acai skin reportedly has about 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and twice as much as blueberries.

Acai berries also contain fatty acids such as Omega-6 and Omega-9 which helps to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This prevents the hardening of arteries and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Do acai berries help in weight loss?

Heard of acai berries weight-loss supplements? Articles by The Sequitur and New York Post seem to suggest that consuming various forms of acai berries can aid in the shedding of some pounds. However, it is controversial. An article titled “The Truth About Acai Berry and Weight Loss” by Jean Rothman quoted Dr Valencia Porter, director of women’s health at the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, Calif: “There is no literature in the scientific journals about weight loss and the acai berry.”

Ms Ketki Vinayachandra, a Singapore-based naturopath, nutritionist, and herbalist at the Natural Medicine clinic agreed. “I do not think so, as losing weight requires a multi-pronged approach. The acai berry is an antioxidant, which helps relieve free radical stress, and aids detoxification. I don’t believe that drinking acai juice alone can help one to lose weight,” she said.

Specialist Dietitian and Nutritionist Ms Bridget Marr, the owner of Nutritional Solutions, said: “There is no evidence for acai berries helping in weight loss. They are marketed as a ‘superfood’. There was a survey carried out in a small group of athletes that showed increased blood antioxidant after consuming acai berries; however, there is still lack of research in this area.”

She added that “fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals – plant chemicals. They help to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even dementia. Red, blue, or purple fruits and vegetables such as acai berries, blueberries, blackberries, and egg plants are rich in plant chemical anthocyanins. We should be eating ‘a rainbow’ of fruits and vegetables.”

Another concern that is commonly raised – are there any side effects? “There are no side effects as far as I know, as the acai berry is an antioxidant, whether it is consumed as fruits or it is juiced. However, for all foods, moderation is important,” says Ms Ketki. 

Verdict?

Project Acai, launched in Singapore in February 2015, and located at Holland Village and Takashimaya, is known as the first acai superfood cafe. The price of acai bowls range between $6.80 and $14.90, which varies according to the size of the bowl – Handy, Medium, and Large.

Its competitor, Absolute Acai – which opened later in December 2015 at Pickering Street – serves the working executives in the Central Business District. Prices of acai bowls there are between $5.90 and $15.50.

Student Jacelyn Teo, 19, said: “I think the main reason why people are attracted to acai bowls is because when they are looking something to fill their stomachs, they don’t feel guilty.”

When asked if she would prepare acai bowls at home, she said, “I actually wanted to, but it is a little pricey. And it takes time to prepare, making it inconvenient especially for those who are working.”

Ms Gabrielle See, 18, a student, said she would have acai bowls more regularly if “it were cheaper and easier to find”. She said: “As with most fads, acai bowls are also featured heavily on social media platforms like Instagram and Youtube. It is also endorsed by celebrities.”

Indeed, a recipe for acai bowl can be found in Gwyneth Paltrow’s “It’s All Easy”. It was listed as one of the “5 Simple and Healthy Breakfast Recipes Gwyneth Paltrow Eats”, featured in SELF Magazine in April this year.

However, “the prices are quite steep for the small bowl, so the ambience is actually what I will come back for,” said Ms See.

What do you think? Are acai bowls here to stay?

 

Featured image Açaí, granola e banana by Flickr user Ben Tavener. (CC BY 2.0)

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The post Will acai bowls help you lose weight? appeared first on The Middle Ground.

- Claris Ng