What Conditions Will Acai Treat?

It is important to state openly and clearly that, at the time of this writing, there have been no published human clinical trials of acai for the prevention or treatment of any health condition. However, there is enough preliminary evidence, particularly relating to the disease-preventing properties of anthocyanins, to be able to confidently recommend high-quality acai as a health-promoting supplement. Taken daily, high-quality acai should exert antioxidant effects in the body sufficient to help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cancer. The antioxidant activity of acai can also slow down or reverse some of the cellular changes associated with aging. Daily consumption of acai improves energy levels without caffeine and promotes overall good health in a safe and gentle way.

How Much Do I Need?

The amount of acai needed to achieve specific therapeutic effects has not been studied. The amount to take depends on whether you are drinking juice or taking a supplement.

Frozen pulp and juice: Acai is not usually sold as pure juice, but is instead mixed with other sweeter juices, so it is sometimes difficult to know exactly how much acai you’re actually getting. With frozen pulp, it is easier to estimate. Approximately 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of frozen certified organic acai pulp per day is a good place to start, although no standard has been established. In the Amazon, people consume up to a liter (34 ounces) of juice a day!

If you’re using acai powder, a typical amount would be about 1 ounce of powder mixed with 10 to 12 ounces of cold water (do not mix acai with hot water, as this can diminish its nutritional value). This can be done once or twice per day.

Freeze-dried acai in capsules or tablets is sometimes recommended at 1 to 2 grams per day, but this is a small quantity compared to consuming the powder or juice forms of acai.

Because acai is mainly a preventive general health tonic, and because specific health benefits in humans have not been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials, it is not possible to estimate what results you will obtain, or when. However, a high-quality acai product should produce noticeable improvements in your energy levels almost immediately.