Acai Berry Diet Plan Not Endorsed by Oprah Winfrey or Rachael Ray

Posted all over the internet, the Acai Berry food supplement or health food drink has been converted into a miracle diet plan by a slick marketing campaign targeting Oprah as one of it's key endorsers. While making it very clear that this writer has nothing against the Acai Berry product in whatever form it's being sold, the claim that it is either a stand-alone weight loss product, or that it can be combined with Colon Cleanse or Ultra Slim as an effective way to shed pounds is false.

The marketers of the Acai Berry in capsule or pill form claim that it has the support of Oprah Winfrey as a way to lose weight. The following statement is used by the sellers at a web site next to a picture of a cover of Oprah magazine: "It may seem odd to start this list of superfoods with one you've likely never heard of. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Acai (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree" (source: Oprah Winfrey Show). If this statement was made by Oprah on her TV show, it is clear that there is no mention of any weight-loss effects produced by consumption of any acai berry product, and that it is simply thought to be "a nutritious and powerful food."

The reality is that Oprah now has this to say about the Acai Berry, posted on her web site, http://www.oprah.com/article/health/nutrition/20090105_orig_acai, entitled, "The Truth About Oprah and Acai: Consumers should be aware that Oprah Winfrey is not associated with nor does she endorse any acai berry product or online solicitation of such products. Attorneys for Harpo are pursuing any companies that claim such an affiliation." And yet the hucksters pushing the Acai Berry capsules make claims using pictures of Oprah and Rachael Ray, and claiming that "you will flush 10, 20, 30 pounds of toxins from your body," that you will "cleanse your body and lose weight," it "helps eliminate unwanted weight," that you will "lose weight and have a flatter tummy," and that it even "fights cancer cells."

Rachael Ray fans will be interested to learn that she now offers this statement regarding the Acai Berry product:
"Rachael Ray Does Not Endorse Acai Berry Products. Many of you have brought to our attention concerns regarding solicitations involving Açai Berry and Wu Long Tea products that bear Rachael Ray's name or photo. Please note that Rachael Ray has not endorsed any Açai Berry or Wu Long Tea products, and she is not involved with the solicitation of any such products. The use of her name or photo in connection with these solicitations is unauthorized. We want to apologize if you have experienced any confusion or inconvenience pertaining to this matter" (Source: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/message-rachael-ray-fans/)

The Acai Berry deception continues with some of the most absurd claims. Keep in mind the "truth" that Oprah and Rachael now want consumers to know about Acai Berry and yet the venders of Acai Berry at yet another web site make this statement: "Just like Oprah, Rachael Ray has clearly endorsed this product and the health benefits it exhibits" (Source: http://www.berry-acai.org/acai-berry-and-rachel-ray) The web site has been posted for your benefit, but given the way the sellers of Acai Berry disappear in a nanosecond, it's probably not wise to count on this web site to be up and running if you try to verify the statement.

The health claims the Acai Berry sellers make are simply astounding. In addition to "fighting cancer cells," according to a University of Florida study they cite, the Acai Berry also "slows down the aging process, contains the highest antioxidants of any food, enhances sexual desire and performance, and will even promote healthier and younger looking skin." As always, the disclaimer appears at the bottom, "These statements have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration." Apparently, the sellers of Acai Berry want you to believe it can replace your purchases of Oil of Olay or Botox and Viagra with all of their outrageous claims of anti-aging and increased sexual performance!

But if all these bogus health claims aren't enough to persuade you, there are the celebrity endorsements in addition to Oprah and Rachael Ray that get even more absurd. A picture of Brad Pitt is shown, claiming he was told by his personal trainer that he had to "lose 20 lbs. of straight fat and get down to 5% body fat" in order to play his role in Burn after Reading. The statement was made that Brad Pitt's trainer "recommended using Acai Berry to trim off this weight and keep his energy levels high." Through a careful parsing of words here, the Acai Berry sellers may just be able to stay clear of legal trouble. After all, could you define what "20 lbs. of straight fat" is, or what determines a "high energy level?" Next, there are pictures of Angelina Jolie, Lauren Conrad, Heidi and Jennifer who "all enjoy the benefits of Acai Berry." Note no mention of weight loss is claimed here.

The deceptive health claims and the unproven link between celebrity endorsements and the Acai Berry give this product a black eye. There may be nothing wrong with either the Acai Berry drink or food supplements. But about all the promoters of this product haven't promised is that it will pay off the national debt or give the world a lasting peace. The Acai Berry promoters use diet blogs all over the internet such as "Jenny's Diet Blog," or "Jeanie's Diet Blog, " all of whom claim to have gotten the idea to use the Acai Berry product from watching the Oprah show. Apparently, in an effort to spread the risk around, the sellers of Acai Berry are claiming Rachael Ray endorses it, as stated at the web site mentioned earlier, claiming a joint declaration of endorsement with Oprah, who now has her attorneys investigating this abuse of her celebrity status. Don't fall for these homespun blogs which are obviously fakes. There are now web sites all over the internet exposing this fraud. A simple Google search linking Acai Berry with any number of these "diet blogs" showing up as advertisements all over the net tell the same story over and over. The free trials resulted in the initial charges of $3.95 and $5.95 in shipping and handling charges to the purchaser's credit card, with between $67.00 and $90.00 in follow-up amounts charged in ten or fourteen days for enrollment in an auto-ship plan, with recurring charges continuing until the auto-shipment of product is cancelled or the credit card is cancelled.