Here are the facts that you need to know:

- Antioxidants that are also found in high numbers in black raspberries and pomegranates are always attributed to a lowering of the risk of leukemia.

- However the buzz around acai is because the levels of antioxidants in acaiare 20-30 times graeter than red wine.

- The research that created this hype was carried out in Gainsville, Fla. In this study carried out at the university of Florida, the high levels of antioxidants in the berry destroyed cultured human cancer cells. This was the first study to  investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.

- The study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, according to the assistant professor Stephen Talcott. “Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”

- The professor did however lay caution to the claims of a leukemia breakthrough, claiming this was only a cell culture model and not actual human testing, but he did comment that any results in a cell culture model did suggest a positive outcome eventually in humans. He did also warn against any false hope at this stage.He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.

- One of the reasons for the caution is that other fruits with a high level of antioxidants, have also shown similar results in tests, but experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants’ chemical activity.

For now it is recommended that you stick to the known fruits that contain high levels of antioxidants, until more is known about acai, as we have better research statistics on some of the benefits from those fruits such as red grapes, acai in this regard is showing great signs and hopefully in the not to distant future we can have some positive feedback from a comprehensive study.