Does Acai Berry Help With Weight Loss?

Acai Berry considered a ‘superfruit’, has long been associated with many health benefits. It has particularly made headlines for its ability to reverse age-related oxidative damage given that the fruit is loaded with antioxidants and various essential nutrients. However, of late, many fitness lovers seem interested in knowing whether Acai berry supports weight loss because it has been hitting the ingredient list of many fat burners.

In order to understand the science behind acai berry’s benefits and whether it actually supports weight loss, We have explored the science journals in detail. Let’s take a look at what the findings say:

What Is Acai Berry

Acai Berry, also scientifically identified as Euterpe oleracea, is a tropical fruit with its origin in Central and South America. It has a deep purple appearance on the outside with whitish-yellowish pulp inside. People mainly eat the fruit as it is but many contemporary dishes use it in different ways to reap its benefits.

As mentioned earlier, Acai Berry is packed with antioxidants, fibre, and other vital nutrients that support better body functioning. In fact, it is believed to have greater antioxidant capacity than many other fruits like blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries. Acai Berry isn’t really a sweet fruit; it has a mushy taste like that of blackberry with a hint of cocoa essence.

Nutrients In Acai Berry

Taking a closer look at this superfruit’s nutriment, We found that Acai Berry is loaded with some of the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and also has dietary fibre. Here’s a list of some of the prominent ones that make it a potent health-friendly fruit:

Zinc	Manganese	Calcium
Magnesium	Vitamin A	Vitamin C
Copper	Iron	Fiber
Vitamin B complex	Vitamin K	Potassium

Each of these nutrients plays a major role in supporting various body processes, but, what’s under discussion is whether any of it actually promotes weight loss.

How Is Acai Berry Linked To Weight Loss

There are limited studies supporting Acai Berry’s contribution to weight management but here are some ways it can have a positive influence:

Fiber

The amount of calories you take plays an important role in weight management. Consuming fewer calories is one of the effective ways to lose weight but it can be extremely difficult to control your hunger pangs throughout the day. Intake of dietary fiber keeps you full for longer hours allowing you to stay satiated and stick to a low-calorie diet with ease.

Acai Berry can be helpful in this situation. As mentioned earlier, the fruit contains fiber that improves digestion and promotes gastrointestinal health. Aside from that it can also control appetite helping you to stick to a restricted-calorie diet thus supporting weight loss.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral that contributes to many physiological functions and one of them is weight loss support acai berry is known to be a good source of this mineral. A meta-analysis from 2020 found that magnesium supplementation on a consistent basis can lead to a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI), mid-section size, and body weight.

I found another study showing that magnesium can improve muscle strength in the test subjects thus improving their physical performance. This helps in training harder which promotes faster fat burning.

Zinc

Another vital nutrient in acai berries is zinc which is associated with multiple health benefits. As for its connection with weight loss, Zinc has been found to promote weight management and fat reduction in individuals taking consistent supplementation of this nutrient along with a calorie-deficit diet. Additionally, it also improves insulin response which is a common issue in many individuals with excess body weight. The effects of zinc on weight loss are further supported by another meta-analysis from 2020.

Vitamin A

Acai berry also contains Vitamin A which has been linked to various weight loss benefits. It regulates metabolism and fat oxidation which helps in achieving a slimmer waistline.

However, it is important to note that the vitamin A concentration in acai berries is lesser than the daily recommended dose which can actually bring about positive changes. The suggested daily amount of vitamin A is 900 and 700 μg for men and women respectively. However, the vitamin A content in the fruit per 100g is much lesser, around 15% of the RDA. Therefore, the effect of this vitamin on weight reduction when you consume acai berry may be negligible.

So Does Acai Berry Aid Weight Loss?

Well, acai berries do have some potent nutrient contents like fiber, and magnesium which can directly influence weight management. However, it also depends on how much fruit you actually consume in a day to reap the benefits.

If you are to gain the optimum benefits of the nutrients in the fruit, you will have to consume a higher and unrealistic portion of these berries. For instance, the fiber content in 100 gm of Acai berry is 3g. In order to see a significant weight loss, you will have to take at least 25 to 30g of fiber which means around 1 kg of acai berry! The same goes for magnesium and others.

You should also note that there isn’t any definitive study yet that has shown acai berry to be a weight loss aid entirely. In addition to that, a clinical analysis also states that due to the lack of scientific evidence on this fruit’s weight reduction ability, it cannot be considered an exclusive health supplement for reducing body fat. That said, when combined with other important fat-burning foods or supplements, Acai berries can be a useful addition.

Other Health Gains Of Acai Berries

Acai berry’s weight loss benefits are uncertain as we can see from the available data. However, it has other positive impacts on health and wellness:

Antioxidative Benefits

Rich in flavonoids, acai berry has a high antioxidant capacity. Antioxidants counter the effects of free radicals in the body and reduce oxidative stress damage to the cells. This shields the body from numerous diseases. In other words, consuming acai berries can give you long-term protection from various health issues including serious ones like cancer, diabetes, asthma, and more.

Reducing Bad Cholesterol

Acai berry consumption can also benefit the cholesterol levels in the body by reducing total and bad cholesterol (LDL). This is also backed by a prominent study where a group of overweight adults were given acai berry pulp two times a day for one month. After the completion of a month, researchers found that there was a significant decrease in the LDL and total cholesterol levels. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL was also regulated.

Conclusion

After an in-depth evaluation of the available data and FDA reports, we can say that Acai berry isn’t really a significant weight loss aid. The only two nutrients that are present in decent amounts in the fruit are magnesium and fiber which may have some effect on appetite and physical strength which are useful for eliminating fat. However, the percentage of other nutrients present in the fruit doesn’t seem significant to have any major impact on body weight so far unless we have more conclusive studies to determine otherwise.

That said, acai berry’s other health advantages cannot be overlooked like lowering the cholesterol or its antioxidative role in the body. Given that it is a low-calorie fruit packed with a variety of nutrients, it can be a great addition to your daily diet.