Acai Berry - 6 Insider Tips to Avoid a Scam

by Jenny Clarke
(North Carolina)

Have you seen all the advertisements lately about acai berry? With the increasing popularity of the acai berry, there has been a proliferation of acai product ads and information. Many of these ads are outright scams. They promise detox, weight loss, and state they have Oprah's endorsement. Many show an enviable picture of a skinny girl's waist and some show a picture of Oprah. They always offer a free month's trial for the mere cost of shipping and handling.

Too good to be true? YES.

I've personally received about 25 of these ads in my e-mail box in the last month and I've received more than two dozen reader complaints wanting to know how they can get their money back. The names may be different, such as 'Acai Pure' or 'Acai Extreme' or 'Acai Cleanse', but they are all the same. Watch out for these ads.

Here's the scam: they get your credit card info for the shipping and handling and then automatically send you the next months' supply without your approval and charge your credit card an exorbitant price. I paid $89.00 for a 30 capsule bottle of poor quality acai berry. A 30 capsule bottle of good quality freeze-dried acai costs about $29.00. They make it very difficult to contact them or cancel future orders prior to the next shipment.

The acai berry is a small dark purple fruit that can only be grown in the Amazon rainforest. It has been called a top superfood because of it's nutrient-dense and high antioxidant properties. Because of its powerful and rich nutritional qualities, it provides many health benefits and has become a popular product to market.

There are many top quality acai products that you will want to add to your nutritional guard. And, unfortunately, with the growing popularity of the acai berry, many poor quality acai products have popped up, too.

Here's how to tell the difference:

1. Products made from freeze-dried acai provide the most nutritionally potent form of acai. Other drying or processing methods wash away the nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants that make acai so powerful. The product label will state if it is from pure, organic freeze-dried acai.

2. Ads that don't provide a contact number or web site to contact to ask questions about the product are a scam.

3. Ads that offer free trials where you must provide a credit card number to participate are a scam.

4. Ads that offer 'too good to be true' weight loss promises are a scam. Acai can be beneficial in an overall weight loss program because it provides maximum nutrition per calorie. But on its own, it is not a miracle weight loss substance.

5. Just because Dr. Perricone touted the benefits of acai on the Oprah show does not mean that Oprah is endorsing a particular product. Watch out for ads that use her picture.

6. Don't buy products where you cannot see the nutritional label to determine the form of acai, the ingredients, and see if other preservatives or chemicals are added to the product. The 'Acai Extreme' product that I got contained many artificial chemicals and ingredients that I would not put in my body.

In summary, do your research before buying anything, including acai. Pure acai concentrates, powders, capsules, and juices that come from organic freeze-dried acai are found through many quality acai providers.

Jenny Clarke is a registered nurse who is passionate about helping others achieve optimum health through nutrient-rich super foods. To read more on acai scams, visit http://www.acai-berry-resource.com/acai-scam.html
and to learn more about the nutrition and health benefits of acai, visit http://www.acai-berry-resource.com