Açaí, (pronounced ah-sah-ee) Açaí are long reddish-purple berries that come from the açaí palm tree, native to Central and South America. Throughout the Amazon, cultures have touted the berries for centuries as healing, energy boosting fruit filled with vitamins, healthy fats, and minerals. Açaí is delicious in smoothies, desserts, or Açaí berry bowls.

• Once picked, acai berries go rancid quite quickly. For this reason, we can only consume açaí in the form of frozen pulp or dried powder.
• Açaí is labeled a “superfood” due to its high concentration of vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Those include a wide variety of amino acids and Vitamins B2, C, A, E, & K.
• Like all berries, acai berries are thought to be loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients – vital for protection against cell damaging free radicals. Antioxidants in our diet are thought to neutralize the damage of free radicals to our lovely cells, therefore are incredibly important in fighting off diseases and inflammation.
• Other (not widely studied, so take these claims with a grain-of-salt) health claims note acai berries to aid in weight loss, digestion, improved cellular health, anti-aging effects, and better circulation.

Vegukate Tips:

You can purchase Açaí at health food stores (in frozen pulp packages in the freezer section or dried powers in the superfoods section) or online. Store powdered acai in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, and frozen acai in the freezer for up to 12 months.