Can the acai berry really help you lose weight?

The acai berry is the hottest berry around. It's big in Brazil and with tribes in the Amazon.

"It's a berry that like most berries is very healthful," says Dr. John Swartzberg, who heads the editorial board of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter. "It has pulp, it has juice with vitamins in it, so it's a very healthy berry to eat."

But can the acai berry help you lose weight as the ads claim?

"That's of course, all nonsense. It is really a scam," Swartzberg says. "There's nothing special here at all. The only thing special is that it's a way for marketers to make money."

One more thing you should know: Despite the ads, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Oz are not associated with any of these acai berry products. And they do not endorse any of them.

Winfrey and Oz have sued dozens of companies accusing them of "fabricating quotes" and making false statements about their endorsements.

The Bottom Line?

Here's how the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter puts it: "There is no magic berry for weight loss or good healthy." So there is no reason to waste your money on products or supplements containing the acai berry -- in hopes of losing weight.

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AG: Beware of free trial offers for açaí berry