Seen At 11: The Truth About Acai

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Acai.

You've probably seen the ads or the pop-ups on your computer. It's the latest super food.

But what's the truth behind this exotic berry? The purple pulp makes a lot of promises, but CBS 2 HD has the truth.

You won't find this super berry in your local produce section but look closer and you'll discover acai products are everywhere. The juice is blended into drinks and smoothies, infused in teas and it's even found in beauty products.

So what is it?

"An Amazon fruit?" one New Yorker mused.

"It's like the new pomegranate, acai berry, so like everything has it in it," another said.

"It's a grape-sized dark purple berry that grows in Brazil. But you won't actually see it in supermarkets here in the United States for a couple of reasons," said Carin Gorrell of Self magazine.

Acai grows in the Amazon but it's so fragile it's only sold here in purees and juices. It's also a dietary supplement that promises it can help you lose weight and stay looking young.

"I like the whole idea of it coming form an actual tree and the whole berry concept, so it's not made in some type of lab," one person said.

Self magazine looked into whether the health claims about acai products were actually true.

"A lot of acai berry manufactures are making health claims about their products that they help prevent all sorts of chronic diseases, but there is actually no research to back it and there doesn't have to be," Gorrell said. "Supplement companies aren't required to study their products."

There's no doubt that the acai berry is packed with heart healthy and cancer fighting antioxidants. But the question is whether it's better to get those nutrients from an acai supplemented product or from other antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries.

"The berry itself is really, really bitter. It doesn't taste good, so the products add … the companies add a lot of sugar into the products to make it taste good," Gorrell said.

Watch out for acai products high in sugar. Read labels closely and check for stimulants and laxatives that could be included in supplements to boost weight loss.

The bottom line?

"If you're taking acai supplements to get those antioxidant benefits we recommend that you get them in other natural food sources," Gorrell said.

Naturally sweet colorful fruits may make a much tastier -- and ultimately more healthful -- choice.

Acai oil is being used in beauty products because the antioxidant levels remain high even after processing and extend products shelf life.

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