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Acai Berry Fruit

The Acai Berry, which is commonly pronounced a-sigh-ee, is a rather small, round, and black-looking purple. It resembles a grape or a blueberry, but is yet smaller and darker. This fruit has a large seed and minimum amount of pulp. The acai fruit berry is now broadly used in energy juices, ice cream, certain energy bars with granola.

Acai has been used for many generations by the natives of Brazil. Acai boasts 10 times the antioxidant benefits of grapes and twice that of blueberries.

Health Benefits of Taking Acai Berry

One of the newest health foods is acai juice (from the acai palm fruit). This deep purple juice has a number of health benefits, and can be used in a variety of ways, from syrups to flavoring and colorant in wines and liqueurs.

The acai berries are an excellent source of essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6) plus oleic acid (Omega-9) and phytosterols (compounds of plant cell membranes), which, combined, reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. The berries also contain amino acids and vital trace elements vital to muscle contraction and regeneration, as well provide a source of dietary fiber (excellent for dietary tract health). They possess high levels of calcium, vitamins a and e, and phosphorus, as well as high concentrations of polyphenols, making it an excellent source of antioxidants. In fact, it's a much better source of antioxidants than foods such as blueberries, oranges, and even red wine.

Comparing acai berries to milk, the berries provide four times as much energy, 3 times as many lipids, seven times as many carbohydrates, 118 times more iron, nine times as much Vitamin B1, and eight times as much Vitamin C. They have the same amount of protein and calcium, but only half as much phosphorus as milk.

Keep in mind that acai should be kept cold in order to maintain its nutritional value. The anthocyanins in the juice (that provide the antioxidants) are unstable and degrade quickly, especially when exposed to heat. Thus, for maximum value, acai juice (and pulp) should not be cooked, and should be served as part of something cold (such as in smoothies or on top of ice cream). This also means that a number of recipes in which you would normally use berry pulp and juice (cobblers and pies, for example) are of debatable value when using acai juice due the possible degrading of its nutritional value. Keep in mind that this applies to jams and marmalades as well, as part of the jarring process involves heating the filled jars to ensure that the seals are tight.

Recipe: Energy Bowl

8 oz. Acai puree
8 whole strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granola
1/2 cup fresh berries or seasonal fruit

In a blender, puree acai, strawberries, yogurt, soy milk, and vanilla for 1 minute, until smooth.
Pour into a bowl and top with granola and fruit. Serve chilled.
Variants: Crumbled cookies may exchanged for granola. Other fruit (such as bananas or mangoes) may be substituted in like amount for strawberries.
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