My Mother-in-Law is into her supplements, herbal remedies and generally looking for ways to support and improve herself and keep well through diet, exercise and the use of vitamins and such like. So when she told me about the Acai berry and how she was taking a supplement and also drinking it as a juice occasionally with successful outcomes I thought I would give it a try.

The Acai Berry comes from central and south America and has formed part of their diet for years, it has in recent years become more popular across Europe do to its perceived health benefits. The Acai berry has a high level of antioxidants that are supposed to help boost the immune system and help to protect your bodies cells from illnesses forming, though many scientific studies have been undertaken, this is yet to be fully proven or really understood, but many people have reported health benefits.

Acai Berries are also supposed to help with weight loss, though this is not something I am taking the supplement for, I have read of it actually working for some, along side a healthy diet and regular exercise.

I purchase my Acai Berries from Holland and Barrett when they had their 'buy one full price and get a second item for a penny deal' so this way it works out more economical over the long term, provided you take them and do not let sit in the cupboard and also if you think they are worth taking after a while. A bottle 120 tablets costs can currently be purchased from Holland and Barrett for £15.79 (February 2013). The tablets are oval and fairly large, though they are easy to swallow, they have no taste and are smooth to the touch. The bottle is plastic with a screw top lid that is easy to use, the tablets are covered by a protective seal the first time you open them and this is also easy to remove. The bottle is dark green and this will help to protect the tablet from sunlight and exposure, therefore maintaining its life span.

It recommended that you take 2 to 3 of the 500mg tablets each day with water and before food. I take 2 tablets per day. There is nt recommend daily intake of the Acai berries. As with all supplements they are not recommended for those who are pregnant, those under 18 or people who take regular medicine, a doctor should be consulted first to check for any incompatibility.

The tablets contain the following ingredients Soya Bean Oil, Thickener (Yellow beeswax), Acai Extract, Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), Anti-Caking Agent (Silicon Dioxide), and contain No Artificial Flavours, Sweeteners, Preservatives, Milk, Lactose, Gluten, Wheat, Yeast, Fish, Porcine, and they are suitable for vegetarians.

I have been taking the supplement for around 3 months now and to be honest I am not really seeing any great difference in my health and I have not lost any weight, I am generally fit and stick to a varied vegetarian diet that is healthy and I am not over weight, my Mother-in-law believes they have helped her feel a bit better all round, so opinion here is split. I think that overall there are other supplements that are cheaper and probably offer greater benefits that these, I will finish off the bottle, as they do not seem to be doing me any harm but I will not be buying any more. In conclusion, I would not recommend these to others, as they are expensive and I have not seen any real health benefits as a result of taking them.