NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Acai Berry

Euterpe oleracea

Antioxidant Amazonian palm berry, eaten as pulp

Preliminary evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
7 verified / 7
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 100 g unsweetened pulp

100gSERVING
  • Water 80 g80%
  • Fibre 3 g3%
  • Other carbs 2 g2%
  • Protein 2 g2%
  • Fat 6 g6%
  • Other 7 g7%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Dietary Fibre11%Total Fat8%Vitamin A (RAE)6%Calcium3%Iron6%Vitamin C6%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
72 kcal2 g protein3 g fiber6 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Dietary Fibre3 g11%
Total Fat6 g8%
Vitamin A (RAE)50 mcg6%
Calcium40 mg3%
Iron1 mg6%
Vitamin C5 mg6%
Potassium105 mg2%
Sodium10 mg0%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Acai Berry?

Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea) is a fruit used for may lower oxidative-stress markers (e.g. 8-isoprostane, plasma peroxides) in small trials. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Acai is consumed not as a raw whole berry (which is mostly inedible seed) but as unsweetened pulp or puree, which is unusually high in fat and polyphenols and low in sugar for a fruit. Human evidence is preliminary: small randomized trials show acai can lower oxidative-stress markers and acutely improve postprandial flow-mediated dilation, and one RCT in metabolic syndrome reduced an inflammation marker (IFN-gamma) and urinary 8-isoprostane but did not improve glucose or lipid metabolism. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 8 studies (411 participants) found no significant effect on LDL-C, HDL-C, total cholesterol, or triglycerides (only total lipids fell modestly), rating the evidence low-to-very-low certainty. Much of the enthusiasm rests on in-vitro antioxidant capacity and cell models rather than clinical outcomes. There are no large prospective cohorts or hard-endpoint trials, so claims of weight loss, detox, or disease prevention are unsupported. Overall, acai is a nutritious, antioxidant-rich food with plausible but unproven health benefits in humans.

Purported Benefits

✓May lower oxidative-stress markers (e.g. 8-isoprostane, plasma peroxides) in small trials
✓May acutely improve endothelial/vascular function after a high-fat meal
✓May modestly reduce some inflammatory biomarkers (e.g. IFN-gamma)
✓High polyphenol/anthocyanin antioxidant capacity in vitro
✓Contributes dietary fibre and monounsaturated fats
✓Low in sugar relative to most fruits

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
Commonly eaten as 100 g (about half a 200 g pack) of unsweetened frozen pulp or puree in a bowl or smoothie. Trials used roughly 150-200 g pulp/day or a beverage/smoothie delivering about 700 mg total phenolics; no established therapeutic dose.
Active Compounds
Anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside)Proanthocyanidins & other flavonoids (orientin, isoorientin)Phenolic acids (vanillic, ferulic, p-coumaric)Monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid)Plant sterols (beta-sitosterol)Dietary fibreCarotenoids (provitamin A)Calcium & potassium

Safety & Cautions

Generally well tolerated as a food. Commercial acai bowls and sweetened juices often add large amounts of sugar and calories, negating the fruit's low-sugar advantage. Pollen-food allergy is possible. The pulp is high in fat, so portions are calorie-dense. Unpasteurized acai pulp has caused documented foodborne outbreaks of acute Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi) in the Brazilian Amazon, and freezing does not reliably kill the parasite; pasteurized/commercial products carry far lower risk. Theoretical interactions: polyphenols may affect drug metabolism, so patients on warfarin should consult a clinician. A claimed interference with MRI/imaging studies is anecdotal and not well established. No specific grapefruit-type CYP3A4 interaction is established. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Acai Berry with any medicine.

Key Studies

Meta-analysis Candeloro 2025 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 8 studies (411 adults): acai did not significantly change LDL-C, HDL-C, total cholesterol, or triglycerides; only total lipids fell modestly. Low-to-very-low certainty (GRADE).
Systematic review Stote et al. 2023 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review of 28 RCTs of berry consumption (including acai) on oxidative stress found only 32% of ~56 biomarkers showed statistically significant benefit while 68% showed no significant difference.
RCT Felzenszwalb / Tinnitus RCT 2023 ✓ Full text
Randomized placebo-controlled trial in 30 chronic tinnitus patients given 100 mg acai extract assessed effects on tinnitus perception, anxiety, and oxidative metabolism biomarkers.
Compositional analysis Schauss 2006 ✓ PubMed
Phytochemical/nutrient analysis of freeze-dried acai pulp: high in fat (oleic acid ~54% of fatty acids), fibre, and anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside/rutinoside); low vitamin C.
RCT Kim 2018 ✓ PubMed
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 37 adults with metabolic syndrome: 12 wk acai beverage (325 mL twice/day) lowered plasma IFN-gamma and urinary 8-isoprostane but did not improve glucose or lipid metabolism.
RCT Alqurashi 2016 ✓ PubMed
Randomized crossover in 23 healthy overweight men: an acai smoothie (694 mg phenolics) with a high-fat meal acutely improved postprandial flow-mediated dilation and reduced total oxidative status.
In vitro Pirozzi 2020 ✓ Full text
In-vitro study (hepatocyte and adipocyte models): acai extract counteracts oxidative stress and inhibits lipid accumulation, with a proposed PPAR-alpha-mediated mechanism; effects were dose-dependent and hormetic.
7 sources cited · 7 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Acai Berry

What is Acai Berry used for?

Acai Berry is most often taken for May lower oxidative-stress markers (e.g. 8-isoprostane, plasma peroxides) in small trials, May acutely improve endothelial/vascular function after a high-fat meal, May modestly reduce some inflammatory biomarkers (e.g. IFN-gamma), High polyphenol/anthocyanin antioxidant capacity in vitro. Antioxidant Amazonian palm berry, eaten as pulp

Does Acai Berry work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Acai is consumed not as a raw whole berry (which is mostly inedible seed) but as unsweetened pulp or puree, which is unusually high in fat and polyphenols and low in sugar for a fruit. Human evidence is preliminary: small randomized trials show acai can lower oxidative-stress markers and acutely improve postprandial flow-mediated dilation, and one RCT in metabolic syndrome reduced an inflammation marker (IFN-gamma) and urinary 8-isoprostane but did not improve glucose or lipid metabolism. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 8 studies (411 participants) found no significant effect on LDL-C, HDL-C, total cholesterol, or triglycerides (only total lipids fell modestly), rating the evidence low-to-very-low certainty. Much of the enthusiasm rests on in-vitro antioxidant capacity and cell models rather than clinical outcomes. There are no large prospective cohorts or hard-endpoint trials, so claims of weight loss, detox, or disease prevention are unsupported. Overall, acai is a nutritious, antioxidant-rich food with plausible but unproven health benefits in humans.

What is the typical dose of Acai Berry?

Commonly eaten as 100 g (about half a 200 g pack) of unsweetened frozen pulp or puree in a bowl or smoothie. Trials used roughly 150-200 g pulp/day or a beverage/smoothie delivering about 700 mg total phenolics; no established therapeutic dose.

Is Acai Berry safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Generally well tolerated as a food. Commercial acai bowls and sweetened juices often add large amounts of sugar and calories, negating the fruit's low-sugar advantage. Pollen-food allergy is possible. The pulp is high in fat, so portions are calorie-dense. Unpasteurized acai pulp has caused documented foodborne outbreaks of acute Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi) in the Brazilian Amazon, and freezing does not reliably kill the parasite; pasteurized/commercial products carry far lower risk. Theoretical interactions: polyphenols may affect drug metabolism, so patients on warfarin should consult a clinician. A claimed interference with MRI/imaging studies is anecdotal and not well established. No specific grapefruit-type CYP3A4 interaction is established.

How many studies support Acai Berry?

NutriDex cites 7 sources for Acai Berry, graded "Preliminary".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/acai-berry

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_acai_berry,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/acai-berry},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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