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Acai Berries Aren't That Wonderful Essay

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Acai Berry For many years, dieters have called acai berries a super fruit. Many diet pill companies have touted the health benefits of acai due to its rich antioxidant content. Unfortunately, popular weight loss claims surrounding this berry are unfounded. Little scientific research exists to back up false and exaggerated statements made by diet pill manufacturers. General Information Acai berries share a similar appearance with grapes and are native to Central and South America. Deep purple in color, the berries are a staple in the diet of Amazonian populations. In the United States, Brazilian acai berries are often consumed in pill and beverage form and are commonly taken as a dietary supplement. …show more content…

History Acai berries commonly found in the United States come from the Amazonian region of Brazil. Traditionally, the berry juice was used for nutrition, medicinal healing and as a natural dye. The juice can be mixed with ice cream, chocolates, and liquor. In 2008, acai berries found fame when Dr. Oz mentioned their potential effects and benefits on Oprah Winfrey’s show. Diet pill companies were quick to claim endorsements by the celebrity surgeon, Rachel Ray and Oprah herself. It was not long before unscrupulous manufacturers began tying celebrity names to their products without consent. Diet pill companies created blogs and entire marketing campaigns based on false claims that acai berries had the ability to boost weight loss. These claims were proven to be unfounded. The companies were later found to be involved in credit card fraud scams aimed at unsuspecting consumers who signed up for their free trials. Oprah, Rachel Ray and Dr. Oz attempted to distance themselves from the controversy. Acai-fueled weight loss claims have not been proven by science, and the celebrities who were inadvertently dragged into the scam had made no such statements at all. The FTC eventually stepped in and took action against the scammers, and the Better Business Bureau warned consumers against acai diet advertisements. To this day, consumers are encouraged to take great care when

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