How to Use Acai Berry for Weight Loss

Using Different Forms of Açaí

Look for açaí in many different forms. Because there is a lot of excitement surrounding açaí, there are a lot of different way you can get it. Experiment with different brands and kinds of açaí to discover the one that works for you the best. Fresh açaí is ideal if you can get it. It may be uncommon, but it is the best way to ensure the açaí you're eating is of top quality. Dried or frozen açaí works well when it is hard to find fresh açaí berries. These forms of açaí will last longer than fresh açaí berries. Juice or concentrates can be easier to consume on the go. However, these may be expensive, and it is hard to determine how much açaí you're getting. Powder or pill forms of açaí have a long shelf-life. They also make taking açaí very easy. However, as these products are not evaluated by the FDA, it is difficult to tell exactly what you're getting. Look on the label for a third party verifier such as United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

Add açaí berries to low-fat desserts, like frozen yogurt. Making frozen yogurt is a simple way to satisfy your sweet tooth, and to get your açaí berry benefits at the same time. This takes some time to freeze and requires an ice cream maker, but it is worth the wait. Replace your ice cream with a healthier açaí dessert. Gather your ingredients 1 cup of frozen or fresh pomegranate arils 7 ounces of açaí puree, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup of honey 32 ounces of Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ½ cup of lime juice. Toss the frozen pomegranate arils with the açaí puree, honey, vanilla, and lime juice. Drain the liquid from the fruit and honey mixture right into the yogurt and set aside. Whisk the yogurt/liquid mixture until smooth. Pour the yogurt base into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last two minutes of mixing, pour in the açaí-pomegranate mixture. Freeze for a little bit to allow the frozen yogurt to solidify.

Toss açaí berries into healthy snacks to sweeten them up. Liven up foods like granola, cereal, oatmeal, salads and plain yogurt using açaí. There are plenty of foods to which you can just add fresh açaí berries. Because they don't need to be cooked, you can liberally combine fresh açaí with many of the things you already eat. Make a summer salad, with spinach, red onions, cashews, and açaí berries. Built a yogurt parfait, by layering granola, açaí berries, and yogurt in a cup. Throw açaí into your oatmeal while it is cooking. Toss açaí berries in Greek yogurt, then freeze for a tasty snack.

Make an açaí berry breakfast bowl. Açaí berry breakfast bowls, which are essentially a smoothie in a bowl, are a popular way to consume açaí. Making açaí bowls are an easy way to get a nutritious, satisfying, açaí-filled meal. While there are many variations on the açaí bowl, highlighting the versatility of this recipe, there are some basic principles to producing one. Vary the kinds of raw foods you include. Try spinach, nuts, and banana to name a few. Add some apple sauce and some chia or flax. Blend your ingredients in a high-speed blender. This gives the dish an even consistency, a crucial quality of the açaí breakfast bowl. Thicken with chia or ice to the desired consistency. This will help you to feel more full, aiding in your weight-loss.

Add fresh açaí berry to various recipes. While you're focused on losing weight, try to view açaí berry like you would any other berry. The flavor of many foods, from muffins, breads, and pies to chicken, turkey, and fish can be improved or enhanced with the addition of this berry. Gather your ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/3 cup Cognac or brandy 1/3 cup grapefruit juice 2 tablespoons açaí berry vinegar 2 1/4 cups fresh or frozen açaí berries, thawed 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 4 chicken breasts, without skin Melt butter in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir brown sugar until all the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes Mix Cognac, grapefruit juice and vinegar, and bring to boil, stirring. Add 1 1/4 cups berries and stock and boil, until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 175 °F (79.4 °C). Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, skin side down, for a couple of minutes on each side. Then place the chicken in a greased baking dish. Pour the still simmering sauce over the chicken, and add the remaining berries. Bake, covered, for two hours, or until the chicken is heated to 175 °F (79.4 °C) in the center. For faster cooking, heat the oven to 400 °F (204.4 °C), and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer shows the meat has been heated to 175 °F (79.4 °C) throughout. Spoon sauce onto plates. Slice chicken and place atop sauce. Garnish with additional berries.

Drink açaí berry. Using a powder, açaí juice, or liquid concentrate you can make it really easy to take açaí all the time. Making your own drink with it is a cost-effective method of using this weight loss product, though ready-made beverages are more convenient. Find juice that boasts açaí berry or açaí extracts as one of its main ingredients. Blend the powder into a smoothie, along with frozen yogurt, milk or soy milk, and any other fruits that you desire. Purchase ready-made juice or smoothies at health food stores, websites, or gyms.

Find açaí berry in herbal supplement capsules. This is usually the easiest form to find. It can also be the least expensive form of açaí berry. Capsules will enable you to consume larger quantities of açaí, without adding a lot of extra calories. However, as many herbal supplements are not evaluated by the FDA, it can be difficult to know exactly what you're taking. This is the method of choice for those needing large doses of açaí. Capsules can be purchased online or in health food stores. Take a daily dosage as recommended on the packaging by the manufacturer. If you don't like to swallow capsules, look for chewable tablets or those that dissolve in the mouth.

Understanding the Facts

Be aware that it is possible to be allergic to açaí. People who are allergic to pollen or who have a palm allergy should be wary of açaí. The severity of these reactions can vary. If you begin to feel abnormal or adverse reactions after taking açaí, consult your doctor.

Know why açaí is purported to impact weight loss. Weight-control theories about açaí rely on the idea that powerful antioxidants, such as those found in açaí berries, help promote metabolic function. It is postulated that this in turn can help promote weight loss. Antioxidants in açaí are credited with promoting weight-control by aiding metabolic processes. Anthocyanins are considered the major antioxidant component in açaí, but these are found in a wide variety of berries and other fruit and vegetables. They can be extracted from all of these sources, the same as açaí. Monounsaturated fats found in açaí, like avocado and olives, are credited with controlling appetite. However, so much açaí would have to be consumed to achieve these benefits that caloric intake would likely impede weight loss, and the diet would be impractically expensive in many cases.

Look into the research behind açaí and weight loss. Because there is not very much science supporting the impact of açaí on weight loss, the science that does exist is inconclusive. However, there are two studies that specifically investigated açaí in its regard to body fat and weight loss, finding that açaí may actually cause people to put on more fat. In a study comparing the efficacy of a number of berries on weight-loss in mice, some berries actually had a measurable impact on weight-loss. However, açaí berries were not only ineffective, they caused a build-up of fatty tissue in some parts of the body. In another study, açaí consumption in humans was found to be positively correlated with an increase of visceral fat. Where minor weight loss was seen in individuals with an unhealthy level of body mass, the placebo effect cannot be ruled out.

Pay attention to government advisories about açaí. The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, released a warning to consumers about the abusive nature of misleading information regarding health benefits reported in the marketing of açaí products. Pay close attention to the sources of information you read regarding açaí. Specifically: False or unsupported claims that use of the açaí products would cause rapid and substantial weight loss, including as much as 25 pounds in four weeks. News sites, where news reports, reporters who conducted independent tests of the products, and comments following the stories represented the views of independent consumers are fabricated. Failure to adequately disclose that the content on the fake news sites was authored by affiliated marketers. Failure to adequately disclose that consumers who sign up to receive a trial supply of the advertised products but who do not return the products and cancel quickly will be charged for the products, and will be shipped more products and billed on a recurring basis.