The Acai Berry - Grow Your Own Acai Palm Tree

From pomegranates to green tea, from Oprah Winfrey to Rachel Ray, the new health crazes and their proponents are delighting dieters everywhere. Praised by celebrities, these healthy alternatives to fat-filled fry feasts are causing people to lose weight just by trying to keep up. And Acai is now THE winning weight loss product in the race to burn fat, boost metabolism, increase energy levels, and flatten the tummy.

While most dieters agree that green tea, rooibos, Hoodia gordonii, and the acai berry benefit our bodies, the cost of these healthy foods and supplements is sometimes exorbitant. Acai (three syllables, soft "c") comes in various forms from capsules to juices to berries. With so many Acai products available, from what form do health conscious individuals most benefit? Apparently, from all of them.

WHY IS THIS BERRY GETTING SO MUCH MEDIA ATTENTION AND WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE ACAI?

Simply put, the answer lies in its antioxidant properties - Polyphenols, Phytochemicals, and Anthocyanins contribute to overall health - and, not surprisingly, in its weight loss claims. This berry also may have the ability to fight cholesterol. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, nutrition guru and author of numerous health-related books, considers the Acai Berry to be number one on his top ten Superfoods list.

Grown in the floodplains of tropical Central and South America, the Acai Palm tree requires humidity and swampy conditions to grow well. From the time the berry is picked, though, the healing properties of the berry have, according to some sites, only a 24-hour life span. Other sites claim that Acai berries are most potent only 2-3 days after harvesting. What this means for consumers living a thousand miles away from the tropics, though, is that they won't find them with their local grocer. Finding the acai berry in its virgin state, chemically unaltered, is difficult as well.

Companies that produce the product in capsule form promise buyers that their acai is pure. Though they cannot prove their claims and though none of their products are federally approved, most of them include photos of Oprah and/or Rachel Ray that act as endorsements to prove their product's effectiveness.

If handled improperly or if frozen or stored after their potency level has decreased, however, the berries can lose their effectiveness.

So how do you get fresh and pure Acai?

GROW YOUR OWN ACAI TREE.

One place to start is http://www.acaifarms.com/ - the grow-your-own web site.

Why not? Many people grow their own herb and vegetable gardens to maintain their health. But how would a New York City dweller grow an Acai Palm in a tiny apartment?

The first recommendation from acaifarms.com is that you have to make a commitment to properly care for the tree. They offer a plethora of information and help. But you will need to replicate the environment that is most conducive to growing the tree. Does that mean you have to place a swamp in your living room? And what happens when the tree grows to your ceiling? Again, acaifarms.com offers help.

The Acai palm produces fruit approximately three years from the time it is planted. Acai Farms jump-starts your wait by sending two-year old palms.

Afraid that your environment will not produce the desired results?

BUILD YOUR OWN GREENHOUSE.

Keeping in mind that the cost of the greenhouse could be in the tens of thousands of dollars if you decide to grow more than one tree and allow them to grow to their fullest height - the Acai Palm can grow to 100 feet tall - it might cost only a few thousand dollars if you can keep the tree at 5 to 6 feet tall. To tenderly care for your palm, you must also be able to control the environment to mimic that of the tropics. In addition to accommodating the future height of your tree, you will also need to control the temperature, ventilation, circulation, and watering systems of your greenhouse.

A southern exposure for the Acai is a must. If you live in a freeze zone, you will need to build the foundation below the frost line. Your location determines the foundation and materials you use. The county agriculture department in your area will help you determine exactly what you need to build the most effective greenhouse. Acai Farms offers a booklet explaining growing instructions for your Acai tree and building instructions for your greenhouse.

Because demand for the acai has skyrocketed, supplying the berries could financially benefit the grower, thereby helping to offset the cost of the greenhouse. Because you can maintain a tree in the five- to six-foot range, though, having an Acai Palm Tree in your home is not only possible, but also a good investment. You'll save money by growing your own berries, you'll have plenty of berries to share or sell, and you'll benefit from the nutrients the acai berries supply.

As they say at Acai Farms, "Happy Growing."