Freeze Dried Acai – simply the best

There are cheaper ways to make Acai powder. There are quicker and easier ways to make Acai powder. However, the best way to make Acai powder is to freeze dry. The freeze dried process which  uses is low heat, introduces no carry agents and retains all the nutrients of the Acai berry.

As we stated in the last article, 1 grams of freeze dried power is equal to about 7 grams of fresh Acai berry. 100 grams of fresh Acai has an impressive antioxidant rating of 5,500 ORAC score but 100 grams of freeze dried Acai powder has an amazing ORAC score of over 50,000!

What about Spray Dried Acai supplements?

There is a much cheaper way to process Acai and make Acai supplements – it is called spray dried Acai. The Spray Dried process involves heating the Acai to high temperatures to remove the water and spraying the Acai with carries such as maltodextrin.

To put it bluntly – spray dried Acai is a terrible idea!

The first problem with the spray dried process is that it requires heating the Acai to very high temperatures. The problem is that the high temperatures kill off many of the nutrients in the Acai. The second problem is that the spray dried process involves using a carrier agents such as maltodextrin to dry the Acai. In the end, 40% of the “Acai powder” is actually maltodextrin. So, if you see a spray dried Acai supplement that claims to have 500mg of Acai per capsule – it probably only has 300mg of actual Acai per capsule.

Spray dried Acai powders, while cheap to buy, are vastly inferior to freeze dried Acai powders.

Can I just look for Maltodextrin on the label of Acai products?

You can look – but you will never find it! Since Maltodextrin is added during the manufacturing process, it technically does not need to be listed as an ingredient on the label. It is just a loophole in the FDA labeling laws, but since Maltodextrin is a product of the manufacturing process and not an “added ingredient” – it does NOT need to be listed on the label.

If a Acai supplement does not say “Freeze Dried Acai” on the label – we would not recommend it.

What about Acai Extracts – like 4:1 Acai Extract?

With herbal supplements, extracts involve isolating one element of the plant and extracting it. For example, with the coffee bean plant you may want to create a caffeine extract. This would involve isolating the caffeine in the coffee berry and extracting.

When it comes to Acai – extracts make no sense. The health value of the Acai berry comes from the whole fruit. As we discussed in the Nutritional Value of Acai article, there are many positive nutrients in the Acai berry. So, what exactly do you want to extract from the Acai berry? In truth, you want the whole Acai berry – not just an extract.

The other issue with extracts is that almost all are made from spray dried Acai. The only thing worse than spray dried Acai is an extract of spray dried Acai. It should then come as no surprise that the ORAC value of Freeze Dried Acai has tested 50 times as high as that of spray dried Acai extracts.

Don’t let phrases like “4:1″ and “super concentrated extract” fool you. You want all the nutrients of the whole Acai berry, and you can only get this in freeze dried Acai powder.

When does an extract equal a concentrate?

Extracts and concentrates SHOULD be two different things, but in the world of supplements the two terms are sometimes mistakenly interchanged. Some Acai companies say that their 4:1 Extract means that 4 grams of Acai pulp are used to make 1 gram of Acai powder. The correct term for this would be a concentrate – not extract.

Even assuming that a company that advertises Acai 4:1 Extract means Acai 4:1 Concentrate – this is still not very impressive. Perfect Acai^TM, the brand we recommend uses a 7 to 1 concentrate of Acai pulp to powder. Gram per gram, 50% more Acai is used to make Perfect Acai^TM than 4:1 Acai powders.

When does Acai lose 90% of its Nutritional Content?

When a company uses the Acai Seed in their Acai product!

The Acai berry is 90% seed, with only 10% of the berry edible. In the Amazon Rainforest, they eat the skin and pulp of the Acai berry and discard the seed. All the research and nutritional information we discuss is based on just the Acai berry skin and pulp. When you hear Dr. Perricone, Dr. Oz and every other expert discuss the amazing nutritional profile of the Acai berry – they are talking about just the skin and pulp.

Companies that make legitimate Acai products use only the Acai skin and pulp (of course the Perfect Acai uses only the skin and pulp). These companies have come up with creative uses for the Acai seed – they make Acai necklaces and even burn the seeds as a renewable energy source. The one thing that no legitimate Acai supplier would ever do is crush the Acai seeds and sell them as juice or supplement.

Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that a number of companies are selling Acai products that contain the Acai seed. These products therefore contain 90% less Acai (as defined by the edible portion) than Acai products that use only the skin and pulp. An Acai juice that has 30 grams of Acai, BUT uses the whole berry (including seed) – by definition would only have 3 grams of Acai pulp and skin.

Consumers that ingest Acai seed products are consuming a product that has been the subject of very little research and in no way reflects how the indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest have enjoyed Acai for thousands of years.

Our recommendation – steer clear of any product that is made with the Acai seed!

Does it matter which company makes the Acai powder?

Yes, yes and YES! As we have discussed, Acai is highly perishable, so you want to make sure the company making the Acai powder is using fresh Acai berries. After all, the best freeze drying techniques really don’t mean much if you start with spoiled Acai berries! You also want a company with strong relations with the indigenous people of the Amazon who will be picking the Acai berries.

When it comes to pure Acai, one company stands head and shoulders above all others – Earth Fruits.

Recap:

It is clear that not all Acai supplements are created equal. The highest quality Acai supplements will be made with freeze dried acai. Spray dried and “extract” Acai supplements should be avoided at all costs.

How can I get fresh Acai berries?

If you happen to live in the Amazon rainforest you are in luck. Just climb up the Acai tree and pick some fresh Acai berries. Unfortunately, for our readers who don’t live in the Amazon rainforest, getting fresh Acai berries can be close to impossible.

As we discussed in our article on the nutritional makeup of Acai, the Acai berry is 30 – 50% fat. Foods high in fat will go rancid very quickly. Due to the high fat content, Acai berries go rancid within a day of being picked. This means it is not feasible for Acai berries to be exported to the US (and other countries) because they would go bad before they ever reached our fruit markets.

So if I live outside the Amazon I can’t enjoy Acai berries?

While fresh Acai berries are not an option, frozen Acai pulp is available.  Earth Fruits, the largest exporter of Acai, has developed a process to flash freeze Acai pulp within a day of the Acai berries being picked. This frozen Acai can then be shipped to the US and other countries. Frozen Acai can be used in smoothies, juices or deserts.

Of course the problem with frozen Acai pulp is that it must be stored and shipped frozen. This limits the stores you will find frozen Acai pulp in and also limits how you can use Acai pulp. While frozen Acai is great for making smoothies, it is not ideal if you are looking for Acai you can keep in your locker or take along in your bag.

Is there a way to get fresh Acai that is not frozen?

Fortunately – yes! Earth Fruits, the world leader in Acai exports, has come up with a freeze dried Acai powder. Acai is fresh picked in the Amazon and the pulp (the seed of the acai berry is not used) is frozen and de-hydrated within 24 hours. What you end up with is a freeze dried Acai powder that maintains all the health benefits of fresh Acai. We call it – freeze dried superfood! This freeze dried Acai powder can then be put into capsules and provide a convenient way to enjoy Acai at any time and any place.

Is freeze dried Acai powder really as good as fresh Acai?

Acai tastes so good – if we lived in the Amazon we would probably eat it fresh just to enjoy the taste. However, from a nutrition stand point the freeze dried Acai powder does maintain the same nutrition profile as fresh Acai. In fact, because freeze dried Acai removes the water from the Acai – ounce for ounce freeze dried Acai has a much higher concentration of nutrients than fresh Acai.

The actual process that Earth Fruit uses to freeze dry their Acai involves a 6.9 fold concentrate of their 14% dried Acai pulp. What this means in English is that it takes about 7 grams of Acai pulp to make 1 gram of Acai freeze dried powder. 100 grams of fresh Acai has an impressive antioxidant rating of 5,500 ORAC score but 100 grams of freeze dried Acai powder has an amazing ORAC score of over 50,000!

Recap:

Since the Acai Berry is so perishable we are not able to go to the local fruit market and buy a basket of Acai berries. The good news is, companies like Earth Fruits have developed a process to export frozen Acai pulp and freeze dried Acai powder. While frozen Acai is great if you want to make a smoothie or dessert, we will be focusing on the freeze dried Acai powder that can be put in capsules to make Acai supplements.

The nutrients in Acai can help:

• Promote weight loss
• Maintain the healthy function of bodily systems and organs
• Increase energy, libido and stamina
• Promote healthy, glowing skin and hair
• Promotes healthy sleep
• Support immune system
• Act as a powerful anti-inflammatory
• Help reduce pain and soreness
• Help rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit

How can Acai help with all these health issues?

If you read our article – The Nutritional Makeup of Acai – you know that Acai is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. While there are many nutrients in the Acai berry, clearly the antioxidants are the major reason for the health benefits of Acai.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated studies to look at the link between antioxidant rich food and aging. Here are some direct quotes from the USDA website -

“Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high-ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain.”Ronald L. Prior, the researcher for the USDA study went on to suggest that “the ORAC measure may help define the dietary conditions needed to prevent tissue damage.”

“Science has long held that damage by oxygen free radicals is behind many of the maladies that come with aging, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. There’s firm evidence that a high intake of fruits and vegetables reduces risk of cancer and that a low intake raises risk. And recent evidence suggests that diminished brain function associated with aging and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases may be due to increased vulnerability to free radicals, says Joseph, a neuroscientist. ”

- “Can Foods Forestall Aging?”, published in the February 1999 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

It is clear that the potential health benefits of eating high ORAC value foods should not be underestimated.

Doesn’t Acai cure every ailment known to man?

Okay, we admit this question is a little tongue-in-cheek – but if you read through some of the websites it sure seems like Acai is a miracle food. While other sites will talk about how Acai is a miracle fruit that cures every known ailment – we would never say that. There are no miracle cures – period. If you want to stay healthy and feel energetic and young the key is a good diet and exercise. It is true that when it comes to eating a good diet – you really can do no better than starting with a healthy portion of Acai. However, we would never give false hope by claiming that Acai alone is the cure to any disease.

I have heard that Acai kills cancer cells – is this true?

A University of Florida study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on Jan 12. 2006 found that acai berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested in vitro. While we consider this study a promising start, it is important to understand that the Acai killed cultured cancer cells in a test tube – this is very different than killing cancer in the human body. Obviously, much more research needs to be done before anyone could make any cancer claims regarding Acai in the human body.

Recap:

It is clear that eating foods with high ORAC values have numerous health benefits. Acai is one of the highest ORAC value foods. While there are no miracles, Acai is an incredibly healthy food that can help you maintain healthy bodily functions across the board.

Ready to start eating Acai berries? First you need to get the Acai out of the Amazon Rainforest…

What is in the Acai Berry?

Incredible Antioxidant and Anthocyanins Levels

Simply put, Acai is one of the highest antioxidant fruits in the world. Acai has 10 times the antioxidant level of grapes and twice that of blueberries. Acai has 10 to 30 times the Anthocyanins of red wine.  The ORAC score for 100 grams of freeze dried Acai powder is over 50,000. An almost unbelievable number when you consider most of the population consumes less than 1,000 ORAC units a day.

Healthy Fats

The Acai berry is very rich in healthy Omega fats. Nearly 50% of the Acai berry is fat – with 74% of the fat coming from healthy unsaturated fats such as Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9.

Rich in Amino Acids and Protein

7.59% of the weight of the Acai pulp is from amino acids. 19 different amino acids have been identified in Acai. Since amino acids are the building blocks of protein, it is no surprise that you have over 8 grams of protein in a 100 gram serving of Acai.

Excellent source of Plant Sterols

Three plant sterols (or photosterols) have been identified in Acai – B-sitosterol, campesterol and sigmasterol. Photosterols have been shown to have numerous health benefits for maintaining healthy heart and digestive function.

Good source of Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E are all present in Acai. In fact, Acai contain as much Vitamin C as blueberries and has over 1000 IU of Vitamin A for every 100 grams of Acai. In addition, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc are all found in Acai.

Good Source of Fiber

For a fruit, Acai has a strong fiber profile. There are about 14 grams of fiber in every 100 grams of freeze dried Acai powder.

Delicious Taste

You would think anything this healthy must taste terrible – however, just the opposite is true. Acai has a berry and chocolate flavor that is truly unique and delicious. Acai is used in smoothies, deserts and can also be eaten by itself.

More to be discovered

Research on the nutritional makeup of Acai is ongoing and there are many aspects of the fruit that have not been characterized yet. We know there must be undiscovered antioxidants in Acai, because even though it is high in Anthocyanins – they are not high enough to account for the incredible ORAC scores.

Recap:

Acai is rich in anthocyanins, antioxidants, fiber, healthy omega fats, amino acids, protein, plant sterols, vitamins and minerals. Acai is also a delicious tasting fruit that has a berry taste with hints of chocolate. It is clear that Acai has a nutrition and taste profile that make it a clear superfood.

What are Free Radicals and Antioxidants?

We are all made up of atoms. Atoms that have a full outer shell of electrons tend to be happy, peaceful and inert atoms. They tend not to enter into chemical reactions and enjoy a mellow life in your body.

Atoms that do NOT have a full outer shell of electrons are unhappy and unstable. Something is missing in their life – and they very badly want to get another electron so they can be stable and inert. These unstable atoms are called – Free Radicals.

Free radicals tend to move quickly to try to steal an electron from whatever molecule happens to be around them. Of course, whoever they steal an electron from becomes a new free radical and the process is like a domino effect.

Free radicals are not evil or bad – in moderation. Our body performs many functions and there will always be some free radicals created. However, if the level of free radicals gets too high in the body, you can run into major problems. Numerous diseases and health issues have been linked to high levels of free radicals.

One of the more common types of free radicals are oxygen free radicals. These are oxygen atoms missing an electron. You know that rust you see on the side of your car – well the same thing basically happens inside our body. Oxidative stress is what it is called when oxygen free radicals start to cause damage in your body.

What causes Free Radicals?

Breathing, eating, moving – basically living! Yes, basically any stress we put on our body can cause free radicals. While obvious things like polluted air, smoking, stressful events and unhealthy foods can cause free radicals – many “healthy” activities can also create free radicals. Almost any type of exercise will put stress on our body – we all know the saying “no pain, no gain”. Well, all this stress on our muscles creates free radicals.

Antioxidants to the rescue

So, how do you turn a free radical into a harmless cell? You give the free radical the extra electron it so desperately wants. What substance can supply this extra electron? You guessed it – antioxidants. Antioxidants are any substances that prevent or slow the oxidation process. Remember, free radicals cause oxidation – and antioxidants prevent oxidation. Antioxidants work by donating an electron to a free radical so it becomes a stable oxygen molecule.

What is ORAC?

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the ability of just about any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube. In short, ORAC is a lab assay that can measure the antioxidant activity of any substance and give it a number. The higher the ORAC number – the stronger the antioxidant properties of the substance.

National Institute on Aging developed the ORAC method and the US Department of Agriculture and Brunswick Labs have been instrumental in perfecting the ORAC assay procedure and testing various foods to determine ORAC levels.

While the exact science behind ORAC gets beyond the scope of this article, it is clear that if you want foods with greater antioxidant properties, you look for foods with high ORAC levels. The USDA recommends we consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units daily. In truth, 80% of the population is consuming less than 1,000 ORAC units a day. The USDA recommended “5-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of about 1,750 units.

Fruits and vegetables tend to have the highest ORAC values. Per 100 grams – Apples score a 218, Bananas a 221, blueberries 2,400. And what about fresh Acai? Acai has an amazing 5,500 ORAC score. More amazing, freeze dried Acai actually has an ORAC value of over 50,000 per 100 grams.

How about Anthocyanins?

Have you ever seen beautiful purple flowers? How about a deep red grape or a bright red Fuji apple? If you answered yes (and if you said no – stop reading this article and go out and enjoy nature more!) then you have seen anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are flavonoid pigments that plants and fruits synthesize. Anthocyanins give plants and fruits their beautiful pigmentation – but it is not all about looks. Anthocyanins can acts as a sunscreen for plants and in fruits the bright color attracts animals which feast on the fruits and in the process disperse the seeds. However, the aspect of Anthocyanins that is of most interest in regard to the Acai fruit is their antioxidant properties.

Fruits (like the Acai Berry Fruit) that are exposed to strong sunlight face a tremendous amount of ultra violet light stress. This UV light triggers free radicals to form in the fruit. Fruits, such as the Acai berry, develop high levels of anthocyanins because they have very strong antioxidants properties and can quench the free radicals. Here is the interesting part – the antioxidant properties of anthocyanins are maintained even after they are eaten by another organism. This is why fruits with bright pigmentation tend to have the great ORAC values – they are loaded with anthocyanins! Yes, you guessed it – Acai berries have a tremendous concentration of anthocyanins.

The French Paradox and Anthocyanins

The French have a diet very rich in cheese, sugar, coffee, nicotine, sugar and white flour. With this type of diet you would expect the French to have a very high rate of heart disease, however, the exact opposite is true. The ability of the French to consume a heart clogging diet and yet have a very low rate of heart disease has been labeled the French Paradox.

Researchers now believe they have the reason for the “French Paradox” – anthocyanins! The French drink a significant amount of red wine and the the red wine grape, due to its anthocyanins is what is believed to be responsible for the very low incidence of heart disease. While red wine has a good quantity of anthocyanins, the Acai berry has over 30 times the anthocyanins as red wine.

Omega Fats – giving fat a good name

Let’s face it – fat is not a pretty word. Most people would think that the phrase “fat and healthy” is an oxymoron. However, when you start talking about Omega fatty acids you realize that the right fats can be very healthy and beneficial.

The three most common forms of Omega Fatty Acids are Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9. While it is beyond the scope of this article to go into the full chemistry of fatty acids (and we would certainly put ourselves to sleep just writing it), suffice to say that significant research has shown numerous health benefits to a diet high in unsaturated omega fatty acids. In fact, on September 8, 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave “qualified health claim” status to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids, stating that “supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.” While that may not sound like much, for the FDA to allow any healthy claim on something that is not a drug is very impressive.

Why do you need to know what Omega fatty acids are? Because in our next article we will talk about the fact that Acai is an excellent source of Omega fatty acids and we just wanted you to know that is a good thing!

Recap:

Wake up – the boring definitions are over! In case you slept through the above lesson – here is the recap… Free Radicals are bad. Antioxidant, Omega fatty acids, Anthocyanins and food with high ORAC values are good. Oh yeah, and the French tend to eat a lot of cheese.

Now that we know the general vocabulary used when discussing Acai we can move on to looking at the specific nutritional makeup of Acai and what makes it a superfood?

What makes Acai so special?

While Acai may be small in size, it packs a nutritional punch unlike any other food in the world. While we get more into the specific benefits of Acai in our Acai health benefits article, here are a few highlights to wet your appetite:

• Dr. Perricone, in his bestseller – “The Perricone Promise” picks Acai fruit as the #1 Super Food in the world.
• In 2005, Oprah name Acai the #1 Super Food, saying “This little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world.”.
• “Rich in antioxidants and amino acids, açaí is thought to be one of the most nutritional fruits of the Amazon basin.” New York Times, 8/4/2004
• Acai has 10 Times the antioxidant power of red grapes and twice that of blueberries

While other sites make claims about Acai curing every disease known to man, we would never make those claims. What is clear is that Acai has tremendous health properties and may be one of the best possible foods you can eat to stay healthy. In our article – Nutritional make up of Acai – we get into more specifics of what makes Acai so healthy.

How Does Acai Taste?

Terrific! Acai has a berry flavor with a subtle chocolate after taste. Acai tastes so good, you would never guess it is also great for you.

Great, can I buy fresh Acai at my local market?

Yes – if you happen to live in the middle of Amazon Rainforest! For the rest of us, fresh Acai is not an option. Acai is very perishable and spoils within about 24 hours of being picked from the Acai Palm tree.

So, how can I get Acai fruit?

Acai pulp from the Amazon can be frozen and shipped to the US. A number of juice bars do have Acai smoothies – but this can get expensive.  Acai pulp can also be dehydrated into a powder and freeze dried. This powder can then be put into capsules to make pure Acai supplements that maintain all the nutritional properties of fresh Acai – just in a concentrated form.

Great, so I can just buy any Acai supplement?

Not exactly. There is a world of difference between the various Acai supplements on the market. Some are made in such a way that they maintain almost NONE of the nutritional profile of fresh Acai.

We have found some quality Acai supplements and had them lab tested to make sure they were pure and effective. We will discuss these more in a later article.

Recap:

Okay, so this is our take on Acai – Acai is the #1 Super Food in the world, but it is not available fresh outside of the Amazon Rainforest. Frozen Acai pulp is available, but it is expensive, found mostly in juice bars and can not be shipped without special freezer packaging. While there are a few quality Acai supplements, most the ones you see in a health food store are processed in such a way that they maintain almost NONE of the nutritional benefits of fresh Acai.

All makes perfect sense, right? Don’t worry, we know it is confusing, but this is just the Overview of Acai. Stick with us and it will all become clear.