What is the Acai Berry - Super Fruit or Super Scam?

If you have had your eye on the supplement market, you have probably found yourself asking, "What is the acai berry?" Fortunately, you're not alone. The acai (pronounced ah-sah-EE) berry has recently experienced a boom among consumers in no small part due to a plethora of media attention. But media attention alone isn't the only qualification for a product to be worth buying. Your body is no testing ground for new products, so you have to make sure you know exactly what you are getting.What on earth is this berry?The acai berry is a fruit the size of a grape, produced from acai palm trees which only grow in certain parts of Central and South America. The edible part of acai is the pulp which is only about 25% of the whole fruit; the rest is a large seed. Acai berries are harvested twice every year and make up for about 40% of the diet of the locals living in these areas. Despite the fruit's rich nutrients however, it was only known to the rest of the world until a few years ago as the acai berry spoils quickly, making it impossible to transport fresh acai to other countries.What makes it so good for you?The berry is so popular because of its wide array of potential health properties. Natives to Brazil use the acai berry to treat a range of illnesses from diarrhea to jaundice. While it may sound a bit extreme, the fruit may have the potential to combat a number of diseases. It contains high levels of antioxidants, which some believe may help prevent a number of diseases such Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and cancer to name a few. And people who get plenty of antioxidants may also be at a lower risk for heart disease, a leading killer in America.Are there any downsides?To put it bluntly, no. The berry itself is extremely nutritious and contains all the vitamins, nutrients and fiber that many people lack in their diet. The only downsides you may find are in poor supplement products. Some companies use useful fillers while others will add other ingredients to make their products sound more impressive. From sugars in acai berry drinks to maltodextrin in spray-dried products, you may be getting extra ingredients you don't want in your health food.This fruit is one of the healthiest foods you can get. While you may be disappointed that you can't pop down to the local grocery store and pick up a bag of berries, you can still get all the benefits of the fruit in high-quality acai supplements. You just have to know what to look for. The amazing little fruit, if properly harvested and processed into high quality supplements, can be a tremendous source of nutrition. So if you're asking what is the acai berry, it is quite simply one of the healthiest foods you can buy.Do you know what to check on the label  when shopping for pure acai berry products? We not only provide complete  information on what is the acai berry and what to look for, but we also provide everything you need to know from side effects, to potential health benefits, to customer reviews of the best supplements in the market today.