2015-06-11 09:58:54
The acai fruit pulp may have effects on metabolic parameters. It is native to South America and has recently been popular as a functional food due to its antioxidant content. This is one pilot study that has been conducted in a human population, rather than in animals (1). They had 10 overweight adults who took 100g of acai pulp twice a day for 1 month. They measured various endpoints, including glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein. The results showed that compared to baseline, there were reductions in fasting glucose and insulin levels after 30 days. There was a reduction in total choletserol. There was no effect on blood pressure or C-reactive protein. The authors conclude that consumption of acai fruit pulp reduced levels of metabolic disease in overweight adults, indicating that further studies are warranted.
References
- Udani JK, et al. Effects of Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) berry preparation on metabolic parameters in a healthy overweight population: a pilot study. Nutr J. 2011;10:45.