You Ask, I Answer: Acai

What do you know about the acai palm/fruit?

My light research suggests it is very healthy (i.e.: a lot of mono-unsaturated fats).

Is it just as healthy as something like walnuts or an avacodo or would you regard the acai as being uniquely healthy?

-- Guy Betterbid
New York, NY

The acaí (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee) fruit -- native to Brazil, hailed by many as a "superfood", and known within trendy circles as "the new pomegranate" -- is rich in vitamins and minerals and a great source of fiber.

It also offers a fair amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly in the form of oleic acid) -- the healthy fats found predominantly in olive oil, walnuts, and avocados.

As great as the nutritional profile of acai berries is, remember that all fruits are healthy. There is no fruit equivalent to a bag of Oreos.

While the acai beats out many of its counterparts in terms of antioxidants levels (which should not be the end-all, be-all criteria for selecting any food), other fruits offer more of certain vitamins and minerals.

For instance, an orange contains more Vitamin C than an acai berry.

Is acai nutritious? Absolutely.

Is it a miracle food, as so many acai suppliers want you to believe? No.

It is important to keep supposed "miracle foods" like acai berries in the appropriate context. After all, drinking acai juice while snacking on chips defeats the purpose.

I find that it is better to focus on general eating patterns rather than getting hung up on one specific food.