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Acai berry products: What are the health benefits?
By Mayo Clinic staff
- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Question
Acai berry products: What are the health benefits?
Do you have any information on the health benefits of acai berry products?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
The acai berry is a grape-like fruit harvested from acai palms in the rainforests of South America. Acai berries are a good source of antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats. Some manufacturers claim that products made from acai berries can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy. Research on acai berries is limited, however, and these claims have not been proved. Still, fruit is an important part of a healthy diet. If you'd like to try acai berry products, check local health food or gourmet stores for acai berry juice or other acai berry products. Fresh acai berries spoil too quickly to be distributed widely.
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