Berry, Berry Good

One of my friends, and once-in-a-while client asked me today about acai. More specifically, she had been asked to participate in a multi-level marketing plan to distribute this berry juice. She wanted to know if it really is worth all the hype it gets. The first time I heard about it,(maybe 5 or 6 years ago), my sister had received a couple of sample bottles from a good friend. They were sold at around $20 a bottle, and you only had to drink 5 oz (three times a day) to have your life transformed. Okay…… such a deal. Well she found the juice to be pleasant, drank it, but didn’t really feel any different. I suppose if she had continued to purchase this product, and drunk many more 5 oz. portions, it probably would have changed her life. But at the time, she needed to pay her mortgage, so she opted for the latter, which was actually more beneficial for her mental health.
Here’s the deal: over the years, we have never been at a loss for snake-oil salesmen ( and women). I latched onto Dr. Atkins in the 70’s, and ate my weight in eggs and bacon. In the 80’s oat bran was touted as a wonder food, guaranteed to reduce cholesterol and cure heart disease (probably from all the bacon and eggs). The bagel industry ballooned as a result of being marketed as low cal and low fat. Then we ballooned because of our addiction to these 300-400 calorie taste temptations shmeared with cream cheese. The 90’s brought us those great low fat options, which morphed into sugar and additive-filled morsels because they tasted so wretched as low fat selections, which probably helped contribute to our diabetes problem. And then Dr. Atkins came back!! Hurray! You get my point.
So now, we are all about anti-oxidants. And many fruits have anti-oxidant qualities. So do tea and coffee, and --praise the Lord!—wine. A landmark study shows that just one cup of berries provides all the disease-fighting antioxidants you need in a single day. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, goji berries, grapes, acai, blackberries—it’s a long list. Acai is one of those berries, and up to now, it has tested out very well in the antioxidant category. My objection is when the mass marketing mega moguls decide to drive a good thing into the ground, and attempt to get rich doing it. Don’t be drawn into the multi-level distribution crap. If you want to drink acai, go to your grocer, or drug store, or local health food store and get some. But include it along with a healthy, well-balanced regimen of good food, exercise and a restful night’s sleep.