Acai Berry - The Health Benefits

The acai berry, until recently, was relatively unknown to most of the modern world. However, people living in Brazil’s rainforest have used this berry as a constant supply of nutrition for centuries.

The Acai Berry Fruit and its special background

The Acai berry (pronounced Ah – SIGH- ee) came from the açaí palm in a variety of palm trees from the genus Euterpe. Its name came from the European adaptation of the Tupian word ïwasa’I that means ‘fruit that cries or expels water.’

There are many species of Acai in which eight are native to Central and South America, from Belize southward to Brazil and Peru. They grow mainly in swamps and floodplains up to 15–30 meters.

The fruit, a deep-purple colored about 1-inch in diameter is similar in appearance and size of a grape. It is produced in branched panicles of 500 to 900 fruits. It has a single large seed that is inedible. It has lesser pulp compared to a grape and its taste is most often described as a blend of mixed berries and dark chocolate.

The Nutrient

Scientists have found that Acai berry contains two particular antioxidants known to be incredibly helpful to overall health. These are called anthocyanins and flavonoids.

Anythocyanin is a substance that helps make fruits turn blue, purple, or red color. Flavonoid, collectively known as Vitamin P and citrin is a class of plant secondary metabolites. Both substances are able to benefit the body by fighting off free radicals that is tagged as responsible to Parkinson’s disease, Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, and the overall aging process.

The Acai Berry Fruit - History

The History

In the early civilization around 8,000 years ago, people wandered across the Bering Strait in Alaska then gradually moving south until they reached the Amazon rainforest where modern day Brazil is located. During this time, it was discovered by the local natives that a particular palm tree that has a tiny, purple berry was “good for a person’s health.”

The natives continued to benefit from this type of berry making up to 40% of their diet for centuries of seclusion. When the Amazon was rediscovered in the 16th century by the West, Acai berry was also revealed but since it is highly perishable and there is still no technology to preserve it, there is no chance that it can be moved out.

When new preservation techniques were used, such as freezing and freeze-drying, the Acai berry began to go all over the world after long era of isolation in the Amazon. In the 20th century, with better refrigeration techniques, the berry began to be shipped fresh to Rio, Brazil. It was quickly preferred as a kind of refreshment there. Acai smoothies also became a favorite through these decades. From health food to a way of life for the population of Rio, many uses for Acai were discovered to the benefit of the residents. The fruit became a staple food for many locals during this period.

Acai Berry Today

When the benefits and good taste of the acai berry began to spread, there was no stopping it. Throughout the 1990s news spread about an Amazon “super fruit”. But just recently, news about Acai berry literally exploded, with demand for the Acai berry and Acai products ballooning.

From being healthy to its delicious taste, Acai berry became a favorite throughout Brazil. With today’s technology, anyone in the world can enjoy its goodness from a range of products like Acai smoothie, juice, and even as pill.