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Welcome to our big acai powder test 2021. Here we present all the acai powders that we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the internet.
We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best acai powder for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should be aware of if you want to buy acai powder.
Contents
- 1 Weekly newsletter with the best personal finance tips
- 2 The most important facts
- 3 The Best Acai Powder: Our Picks
- 4 Guide: Questions you should ask before buying acai powder
- 5 Decision: What types of acai powder are there and which is the right one for you?
- 6 Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate acai powder
- 7 Interesting facts about acai powder
The most important facts
- Acai berries are the fruits of a palm tree called acaizeiro, which is native to South America and mainly found in Brazil.
- In South America, acai berries are a staple food. The fruits, reminiscent of blueberries, are rich in antioxidants and are also talked about as a superfood in the name of a diet.
- Acai powder has been in circulation in Europe for more than ten years. This is the only way to preserve the valuable ingredients for export, because fresh acai berries only keep a little longer than a day.
The Best Acai Powder: Our Picks
Guide: Questions you should ask before buying acai powder
Everyone is talking about the acai berry as a superfood with amazing properties. The small berry contains valuable vitamins and antioxidants and is said to be responsible for glowing skin, a healthy heart and even cancer prevention.
Before you decide on acai powder, you should ask yourself a few questions about the power fruit.
What is Acai?
Both berry fruits are purple in colour and a greyish haze surrounds the fresh fruits. The difference becomes clear when you bite into them.
Acai berries consist almost exclusively of a large seed, which makes up 90 percent of the surface. The healthy ingredients are hidden in the skin and in the flesh surrounding the seed.
The berries grow in umbels, similar to the elderberries native to our latitudes. Up to 1,000 acai berries can be counted on an umbel.
In the Amazon region, people have been using acai berries for generations and it is not uncommon for almost half of the energy requirement per day to be covered by acai berries.
Why is acai powder healthy?
The consumption of acai powder is definitely worth recommending to LAO, as the body is sustainably supplied with vitamins, minerals and the aforementioned antioxidants. (1)
The ingredients in their balance and composition can be consumed preventively and to maintain one's own health.
It is more about making a valuable contribution to general fitness and performance through the regular intake of acai powder.
| Mineral | Amount in mg per 100 g Acai powder |
|---|---|
| Potassium | 500 to 900 |
| Calcium | 100 to 300 |
| Magnesium | 100 to 200 |
| Phosphorus | 100 to 150 |
| Sodium | 10 to 60 |
| Iron | 2 to 26 |
A summary of the vitamins contained and their spectrum of action:
| Vitamin | spectrum of action |
|---|---|
| Vitamin B |
|
| Vitamin C |
|
| Vitamin D |
|
| Vitamin E |
|
In summary, acai powder offers a wide range of health benefits:
- protects the heart
- counteracts skin ageing
- strengthens the immune system
- supplies vitamins and minerals
- has a positive effect on digestion
- provides valuable omega-3 fatty acids
- boosts fat burning
What role do the antioxidants contained in acai powder play?
Free radicals are compounds that also occur in your body, but should not get out of hand, otherwise cell health will suffer.
Antioxidants can prevent free radicals from attacking healthy cells and causing them to degenerate.
The aggressive oxygen compounds are prevented by the antioxidants contained in acai powder from stealing an electron from the cells and thus turning them into free radicals as well.
In the context of antioxidants, the acai berry has become a superfood. In fact, however, the native blueberries have a higher proportion of antioxidants.
The numerous individual ingredients and their interaction make the acai berry a valuable food.
What are the effects of acai powder?
| Ingredients | proven effect |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C |
|
| Calcium |
|
| Vitamin B |
|
| Dietary fibre |
|
| Omega fatty acids |
|
Acai powder can thus make a comprehensive contribution to general health:
- Antioxidant effect
- Immune-strengthening effect
- Anti-inflammatory effect
- Cell-protecting effect
- Heart-protecting effect
- Digestive effect
Acai is a particularly effective radical scavenger due to its high ORAC value. With a value of 70,000, the fruit outshines most other fruits and vegetables.
In an experiment with rats in the USA, it was found that acai can inhibit the development of bladder cancer. (2)
In another study from the USA, rats with a tumour in the oesophagus were fed various berries, including acai, for 5 weeks.
A growth-inhibiting effect was observed, which was attributed to each of the berries, including the acai. (3)
It was also proven that acai berries are suitable as a photosensitizer. This can push back the development of black skin cancer by increasing the area of necrotic tissue - i.e. the death of the malignant tissue. This accelerates the decline of the disease. (4)
In addition, the consumption of an acai smoothie has been found to improve vascular function, causing significant dilation of blood vessels.
The consumption had a particularly positive effect on the function of overweight people. Peroxides caused by oxidative stress also decreased. (5)
Can I lose weight with acai powder?
If you are satiated for longer, you will probably automatically eat less food. However, this is far from a successful diet.
For a diet to really work, a number of conditions must be met. The adjustment of the diet and sufficient exercise and training must be in balance.
Successful weight loss only works if more calories are consumed than are ingested. Acai powder can accompany diets well and supply the body with vitamins and minerals. However, it is not possible to lose weight sustainably with acai powder alone.
Does acai powder have side effects?
Caution is advised with capsules or tablets containing acai extract. Various additives can cause intolerance reactions.
Acai products are subject to different recommendations for the individual dosage forms.
| Acai product | recommended daily intake |
|---|---|
| Acai powder | 5 g |
| Acai capsules | 5,000 to 6,000 mg |
| Acai juice | 500 ml |
| Acai puree | 30 ml |
Acai berries contain considerable amounts of manganese. The daily manganese intake for adults should not exceed three milligrams. For children, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) specifies a value between 0.02 and 0.5 milligrams.
If manganese is overdosed, this can hinder the absorption of iron in the body. High manganese intakes have increasingly occurred through drinking water in recent years.
This has resulted in loss of appetite, muscle pain, speech disorders and other symptoms of poisoning.
Since foods such as rice, cereals or nuts also contain manganese, acai powder should not be overdosed over a longer period of time.
Those who also take acai juice in addition to acai powder should be particularly careful, because anyone who drinks 300 millilitres of juice has already exceeded the daily recommended maximum amount of manganese.
Decision: What types of acai powder are there and which is the right one for you?
Basically, you can distinguish between three different types of acai powder:
- Acai powder as pure powder
- Acai powder as concentrate
- Acai powder in capsule form
The different types each have advantages and disadvantages. Depending on what you prefer, a different type is suitable for you. In the following section we would like to make it easier for you to decide.
What distinguishes acai powder as a pure powder and what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Pure acai powder provides you with an unadulterated taste and a product that has not been adulterated in its composition by other additives. Acai powder is a natural product and free from additives of any kind.
Another advantage is that acai powder can be dosed by yourself and thus adapted to your own needs and circumstances. Since it is a particularly high-yield product, you should not overdose on pure acai powder.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Acai powder as a concentrate?
If you opt for acai concentrate, you get a particularly high-yield product. However, it is a little more complicated to use than the pure powder. Since the product is highly concentrated, the dose must first be determined.
Two grams of powder, which is concentrated in a ratio of 1:20, corresponds to 20 grams of acai. The taste of the concentrate is rather unpleasant for many, so acai concentrate should be diluted with water.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Acai powder in capsule form?
Capsules are one of the most common forms of acai extract. When taking capsules, no one runs the risk of making a mistake with the dosage. Acai powder can be taken in exact doses at any time, even when travelling.
If you are looking for a pure product, you will often be disappointed because capsules contain various fillers and colourings. A look at the list of ingredients should not be missed.
Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate acai powder
In the following, we would like to show you which factors you can use to compare and evaluate acai powder. This will make it easier for you to decide whether a particular acai powder is suitable for you or not.
In summary, these are:
- Production
- Ingredients
- Origin
- Colouring
- Dosage
In the following paragraphs, we will explain to you what is important in the individual criteria to make your purchase decision easier.
Manufacturer
In recent years, the range of acai powder has become more extensive and therefore more and more confusing. Before buying, it is important to take a critical look at the manufacturers.
Your choice should preferably go to renowned manufacturers based in Germany. Also look for a good price-performance ratio. Overpriced products are not automatically better.
Acai berries are a valuable food supplement, but not a miracle cure. Reputable manufacturers do not overprice their products or make exaggerated promises.
Ingredients
The proportion of pure powder in the total product is always important. Those who choose pure acai powder are well advised to do so. The proportion of acai berries in the total product should always be over 90 percent.
This is usually the case with powder and capsules. Juices usually have a lower fruit content and are often highly diluted or enriched with other fruits.
Buying pure powder ensures that it is a high-quality product with a correspondingly high fruit content. In order to preserve the valuable product properties, the acai berries should have been further processed in a freeze-dried state.
Due to the short shelf life of fresh berries, they quickly lose their health-promoting properties.
Origin
It should be possible to trace the origin as precisely as possible. Pay attention to the corresponding information on the packaging.
Production in accordance with German food law is preferable. Then you can assume an equally high quality standard.
Make sure that the acai powder bears the organic seal. Organic quality excludes genetic engineering and indicates a product that does not require the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides.
For vegetarians and vegans, it is also important to know what the capsule shell is made of if they want to use acai powder in capsule form. Capsules made from plant fibres are often offered as an alternative to capsules made from gelatine.
Colouring
Acai powder should have a strong dark purple colour. This indicates a very good product quality and a high content of antioxidants.
If the powder appears rather pale and colourless, this is an indication of deficiencies in the processing or the addition of other substances that affect the initial colouring.
Dosage
Acai powder can be dosed as desired. This has both advantages and disadvantages. Precise doses can be determined.
This is advantageous when quantities are to be determined according to body weight or acai powder is to be added to smoothies and desserts.
There are a number of acai recipes that require specific amounts. Acai powder can easily be dosed individually with a tea spoon or tablespoon. However, this is a bit cumbersome and rather unsuitable for on the go.
Interesting facts about acai powder
Acai powder can be a useful addition to a healthy diet and provide us with valuable antioxidants.
You already know a lot about the miracle berry from the Andes and have learned to take a critical look at acai powder. Further interesting facts should round off our explanations.
What other forms of administration are popular besides acai powder?
There are different approaches. The people in South America do not elaborately process the acai berries for their own consumption, but consume the fruits raw.
However, this is a privilege that is only granted to people in countries where acai berries grow naturally. Very occasionally, frozen acai berries can also be found in European freezers.
Compared to acai powder, however, you have to pay a lot more. The trade offers a wide range of acai products, including juices, teas, purees, capsules and tablets.
As a foodstuff, the acai berry hardly plays a role in our kitchens due to its limited availability.
Acai powder is circulating as a food supplement, but this should not stop you from adding the fruit powder to yoghurt, ice cream, smoothies or other desserts and experimenting with the exotic fruit.
Where does the acai berry grow?
The cabbage palm is found in Central and South America, mainly in coastal areas. The distribution area stretches from the lowlands of Brazil to Panama.
The cabbage palms like it damp and are at home in swampy areas. The trees can also be found on riverbanks. With the rise of the acai berry hype, cultivation has increased and large plantations have been established.
The trees need a lot of warmth and high humidity. When the palms have grown to a height of about one metre, usually in their third year, the first fruits appear.
On the plantations, the trees are pruned regularly to make harvesting the fruit as easy as possible. Wild cabbage palms, on the other hand, reach heights of up to 20 metres.
How is acai powder made?
First, the fruits are harvested when ripe. Then the large seeds are removed, which proves to be a time-consuming procedure.
Acai berries are very sensitive and spoil particularly quickly, one reason being the high proportion of fatty acids.
The most gentle way to obtain acai powder is to freeze-dry the fruit. The fruit flesh is deep-frozen and the water is removed by evaporation. Only then is the fruit pulp ground and acai powder is produced.
To obtain one kilogram of acai powder, seven kilograms of acai berries are needed. The process is shortened when producing dried fruit. In this case, the fruits are only dried and then sold.
If you don't have any acai powder at hand because you don't want to handle the powder on the road or in the office, the nutritious dried fruits are a good snack between meals.
What do acai berries taste like?
There are various possible explanations. While some consumers notice a slightly sour taste, others taste something earthy and nutty. In general, the taste of the acai berry is described as particularly fatty.
In some acai products, the taste is enhanced by various additives. However, valuable ingredients are lost in the process. The pure powder may take some getting used to, but it is healthier in any case.
(Image source: pixabay.com / mrpizzamandc)
References (5)
1.
Texas A&M University - Agricultural Communications. Brazilian Acai Berry Antioxidants Absorbed By Human Body, Research Shows. October 17, 2008.
Source
2.
Mariana F. Fragoso, Monize G. Prado, Luciano Barbosa, Noeme S. Rocha, Luis F. Barbisan. Inhibition of Mouse Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis by Açai Fruit (Euterpe oleraceae Martius) Intake. September 2012, Volume 67, Issue 3, pp 235–241.
Source
3.
Gary D. Stoner, Li-Shu Wang, Claire Seguin, Claudio Rocha, Kristen Stoner, Steven Chiu. Multiple Berry Types Prevent N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine-Induced Esophageal Cancer in Rats. June 2010, Volume 27, Issue 6, pp 1138–1145.
Source
4.
Victoria Monge-Fuentesa, Luis Alexandre Muehlmanna, João Paulo Figueiró Longoa, Jaqueline Rodrigues et al. Photodynamic therapy mediated by acai oil (Euterpe oleracea Martius) in nanoemulsion: A potential treatment for melanoma. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B. January 2017; Biology
Volume 166, Pages 301-310
Source
5.
Randah M Alqurashi, Laura A Galante, Ian R Rowland, Jeremy PE Spencer, Daniel M Commane. Consumption of a flavonoid-rich açai meal is associated with acute improvements in vascular function and a reduction in total oxidative status in healthy overweight men. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 104, Issue 5, November 2016, Pages 1227–1235.
Source
