A new study in the online nutrition journal PLOS One indicates that acai, a purple berry native to South America can help fight body fat. In the study conducted in Brazil, animals were given a high-fat hypercaloric diet and then one group supplemented their food with acai extract. Obviously the high-fat diet increased bodyweight of the subjects, but the group who was fed acai only gained half of the weight of the other group despite eating the same number of calories.
Scientists hypothesize that acai somehow activates the AMPK enzyme, which tells the body to release stored energy from fats instead of holding onto it. Acai is loaded with valuable vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber, and especially antioxidants. However, it is not a low-calorie food (and often comes stacked with high-calorie toppings like granola), so eat it judiciously if you’re seeking its fat-loss benefits.
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