Pure Acai - The real Deal

As we have learned in previous articles, Acai is very perishable and must be processed, or in our case, freeze dried within 24 hours, or it will rot. Because it is freeze dried, it retains all the nutrients as if it were fresh off the palm. Now that we have a powder, we can mix it with our food, make a smoothie, make a beverage, or in our case, put it in a capsule. We believe ingesting the little berry in a capsule form is the best way to get your daily dose of Acai. It makes it easy to remember, just take it like a vitamin, twice a day.

Why Freeze Dried?

Because this is the best process for capturing all the wonderful nutrients in the berry.

Pure and Perfect Acai is organic, freeze dried Acai made with pure, whole Acai, processed at a very low temperature, keeping the majority of antioxidants and nutrients in the berry. This process is used by Sambazon and produceses the most concentrated and natural form of Sambazon Acai available. Freeze drying is a process used to dehydrate fruits with high technology for products that are highly sensitive to heat, like Acai. The moisture is removed from the fruit using a very low temperature (-20C or -6F) and a vacuum. In the freeze dried process, there is no pasteurization or heat used. It maintains almost all of its vitamins, enzymes and nutrients, mainly carotene, anthocyanin (antioxidant) and vitamin C. One gram of Sambazon freeze dried Acai powder is equal to approximately 7 grams of fresh berries. 100 grams of fresh Acai has an outstanding antioxidant rating of 5,500 ORAC score. Now get this; 100 grams of freeze dried Sambazon Acai powder has an unbelievable ORAC score of over 50,000! 

Are there cheaper ways to produce Acai Supplements?

Absolutely. There are faster and cheaper ways to obtain the powder. The process is called "spray drying" and because it is faster and cheaper to produce, you wind up with a sub-standard product when compared to 100% Pure and Perfect Acai. Remember, the berries are very perishable and do not do well in the heat, once picked. The "spray drying" process involves heating the berries to high temperatures in order to remove the water or moisture in the berry. Next, during the heating process, the berries are sprayed with a carrier such as maltodextrin. 

So what is Maltodextrin?

 Maltodextrin is a rather common additive to a number of different types of foods, maltodextrin is classified as a sweet polysaccharide. While containing sweet qualities, maltodextrin is considered to contain fewer calories than sugar. 

While thought to be a carbohydrate, maltodextrin is understood to be more easily digested than some other forms of carbohydrates, leaving behind less of the potential for health issues. This can be especially important for an individual who is trying to manage their Type 2 diabetes with their diet. Usually made from rice, corn, or potato starch, maltodextrin is produced by cooking down the starch. During the cooking process, which is often referred to as a hydrolysis of starch, natural enzymes and acids help to break down the starch even further. The end result is a simple white powder that contains roughly four calories per gram, and extremely small amounts of fiber, fat, and protein.

 Spray Drying - Bottom Line

This process is a bad idea! First of all, you have subjected the berries to high temperatures which destroys many of the nutrients. The second problem is the spraying of carrier agents, like Maltodextrin, that are used to dry the berries. When it's all said and done, approximately 35% of the powder is actually Maltodextrin. Keep in mind that when you see "spray dried" Acai being advertised at 500mg of Acai powder per capsule, it probably has maybe 300mg of actual Acai powder. So not only are you getting a product that has lost many of the nutrients that makes it so beneficial to our health, you are only getting a powder that is roughly 65% pure. The picture to the right is a Spray Dryer. They come in many sizes and configurations.

Unfortunately, manufactures are not required to put the ingredient, Maltodextrin, on the bottle. This is due to a legal loophole in the FDA labeling laws. In any event, if the bottle does not read "Freeze Dried Acai" on the label, I would suggest you stay away from that product. 

What about the Acai Seed?

Unfortunately, there are several companies selling the product where the seed was processed with the skin and pulp. In the article, The Overall Picture, we discussed the berry in detail. We said that the berry seed constitutes approximately 80% of the entire berry. Some authorities say it is 90% though I prefer to take the conservative approach. When you buy an Acai product that processed the seed, you are basically getting 10 to 20% pure Acai. Or look at it from a different perspective and say you have lost 80% of the nutritional value.

Buyer be ware!

In summary, you need to be very careful when buying Acai Supplements. For example, don't let the phrases "4:1 extract" or "super concentrated extract" fool you. These are simply tricks that mean nothing more than - Watered Down! You want all the nutrients of the whole berry, and you can only get this in freeze dried Acai powder with out the seed. In our article entitled, Acai - Nutritional Breakdown, we go into detail about the wonderful nutrients found in the berry. The local Brazilians have been eating the berries for centuries and the health benefits are well known. I can assure you that they don't mess around with extracts and concentrates. This is a Western idea that takes something pure, changes it properties, and undermines the market by selling it much cheaper while passing it off as: THE REAL DEAL.

Acai - 120 caps, 500mg ea. List Price: $49.95 Our Price: $39.95 YOU SAVE $10.00!

Acai Revive: 180 caps List Price: $69.95 Our Price: $45.95 YOU SAVE $24.00!