Acai Berry

Also Known As : Assai palm, Cabbage palm, Acai, Euterpe Palm, Acai palm, Jussara, Para palm, Asai, Naidi, Pinot, Pina palm, Palmito acai, Palmiteiro, Pina, Ucai, Manaka, Acai-do-para, Jucara, Wasei, Pina, Prasara, Acai, Asaí, Assai palm, Açaizeiro, Açaí, Açaí-do-pará, Cabbage palm, Euterpe, Jussara, Kohlpalme, Palmiteiro, Palmito-açaí, Para-assaipalm, Pinot, Uaçaí

Vegetarian

Taste Profile

Acai berries have a bitter and earthy taste that's often similar to a blend of wild berries and unsweetened chocolate.

Usage Tips

Acai berries are commonly used to flavor food products like ice-cream, smoothies, candies and jelly beans.
Due to its high antioxidant properties, it is widely available in supplement form which can be added to shakes, smoothies and cereal bowls.

Common names and forms

Acai
Acai berry Puree

Description

Acai berries are small round fruits that grow on acai palm trees. These trees are native to the rainforests of Central and South America. They are most abundant in the Amazon river basin area. Since they contain a pit or seed they are not actually berries but drupes. They possess a dark purple skin with a yellow flesh surrounding a large seed. They are 8 varieties of acai berries of which the purple kind is the most nutritious. These fruits are very perishable due to their high-fat content, hence they are not exported as fresh fruits rather as fruit purée in frozen form, dried powder or pressed juice. They are found in health food stores, speciality ingredient shops and in big supermarkets throughout the world. Acai berries are mostly consumed by the local people of the Amazon. They soak these fruits to soften the tough outer skin and then mash to form a dark purple paste. They use the paste or pulp of the fresh fruit in different kinds of sweets and beverages. These fruits are harvested twice a year, one between January and June, while the other between August and December.

Health benefits

Acai berries are extremely rich in antioxidants, in fact they are the only fruits with the highest antioxidant load. Thus they prevent the damaging effects of free radicals in the body, thereby lowering the risk of a number of diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease.⁽¹⁾
They contain compounds called plant sterols, which relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure, this greatly improves the circulation and oxygenation of the blood and prevents blood clots that may cause strokes and heart attacks.⁽¹⁾
The pulp of acai berry can help in weight loss along with reducing the negative impact of high-fat diets.⁽¹⁾
Acai berry extract is an effective supplement to boost energy. It helps reduce fatigue and mental exhaustion.⁽¹⁾

Note

People allergic to pollen may be allergic to acai berry. Acai berry supplements may have harmful additives and preservatives in them that may be harmful to health. Its puree and juice may be quite high in sugar and calories, which can be dangerous for diabetics.⁽²⁾

Resource & Links

(1,2) https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-acai-berries.html

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