From Central and South America, the home of exotic animals, music, and medicinal foodstuffs, comes yet another product to add to the “must try” list for anyone interested in nutrition: the acai berry (it even rhymes with “must try” – a bit) is actually the fruit of new world species of palm tree. Grown also to produce hearts of palm, it’s the fruit of the tree that’s getting most of the attention these days for its purported antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants are chemical compounds that aid the body's cell protection system. Antioxidants have been shown to neutralize the effect of harmful cell metabolism byproducts known as free radicals. Eating a diet high in antioxidants, therefore, is believed to interfere with the aging process and the occurence of some forms of diseases by neutralizing free radicals.

Worldwide demand for the antioxidant-containing acai has jumped in recent years, and as a result the acai palm is now cultivated for that purpose primarily. A romance language version of the Tupi Indian word meaning “fruit that weeps,” the juice from the acai berry has been made into fruit drinks and food in South America from time immemorial. Where the trees are grown, acai palms have the same practical uses as any other palm:  the leaves can be woven into such everyday items as hats, baskets, and thatch. The wood from the trunk can be used in pest resistant construction.

Recently, the oil from the fruit has been used in cosmetics in place of other tropical fruit oils. That may be due in part to the stability of the fruit’s antioxidant content when rendered into oil.

In places like the United States, it’s the berry that’s so very important. The grape-sized fruit in its processed form now shows up in products ranging from concentrated dietary supplements to blends with other fruits in yogurt. Other products include juice blends, sodas, smoothies and a bevvy of beverages.

As a dietary supplement, the acai berry is purported to have anywhere from moderate to high antioxidant properties. According to online watchdog Quackwatch.com, "acai juice has only middling levels of antioxidants—less than that of Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry juices, but more than cranberry, orange, and apple juices." According to another online health resource, WebMD.com, some studies of acai fruit pulp show that it  has a high antioxidant capacity--more than other fruits known for their antioxidant content such as cranberries or blueberries. But the site acknowledges that studies are ongoing and aggregate results are inconclusive.

That means that, so far, acai berries have no notable health benefit that sets it apart from that of other commonly eaten, dark reddish-bluish fruits. But then, of course, there is the matter of taste. And you never know it till you try it.

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