Açai has been called the #1 food for re-energizing the body by Dr. Nicholas Perricone. Photo source BlackDiamondUniversity.com

Açai Berry (AH-sa-ee), an antioxidant-packed berry, comes from the Açai palms of Central and South America. Once harvested, açai has been called the “superfruit,” as it contains 15-22% vitamin C. Recently, skin care companies have started to include açai berry in products, including Borba Age Defying Concentrate ($45.00, Amazon.com) and Fresh Sugar Açai Age-Delay Body Cream ($65.00, Amazon.com). But how effective is açai berry compared to other antioxidants? Is it worth the extra cost?

Açai is a proven potent natural antioxidant

Açai berry has been demonstrated in a 2006 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry to have significant antioxidant effects. In fact, according to the study, açai had “by far the highest oxygen radical scavenging activity of any food measured to date.” In fact, it has been suggested in the book Natural Products: Essential Resources for Human Survival that açai berry is the highest natural source of vitamin C found to date. Keep in mind, however, that CoffeeBerry, found in RevaléSkin products, is not edible and has been reported to have the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) score to date. With this in mind, you may just want to eat açai berry and apply RevaléSkin products to your face.

Açai may not be a good investment in skin care products

According to dermatologist Dr. Jeannette Graf in the January 2008 issue of Allure magazine, “Topical products only contain a modest amount of açai, because a high concentration of it would stain the skin and hair.” Graf recommends to Allure skin care products that contain other antioxidants for the best result, like the aforementioned Borba Age Defying Concentrate ($45.00, Amazon.com) and Fresh Sugar Açai Age-Delay Body Cream ($65.00, Amazon.com).

As a Result…

Eat (and drink) your açai berry, but topically, apply açai berry with other antioxidants or just use other antioxidant sources altogether. According to a publication from the American Chemical Society in 2008, more research needs to be done on açai berry and similar “superfruits,” so I will write about more data (and products!) as they become available.