I love so many aspects of Brazil, including the weather, the people, and the deliciousness of acai! My daughter Trula and I look forward to our daily acai smoothies with white crunchy tapioca sprinkled on top almost as much as we do our other incredible adventures in Brazil.
Acai is native to the rainforests of South America. Theses amazing fruits are deep purple, even grape-like in appearance and can be found hanging from the acai palm tree. Harder than grapes, the fruit must be soaked to soften. This superfood is high in antioxidants and has numerous positive health benefits. These range from the ability to decrease inflammation thanks to the acai’s high antioxidant quality, increasing circulation, decreasing neuro-inflammation, lowering the risk of heart attacks, boosting good cholesterol (HDL) and lowering bad cholesterol (LDL). The acai can also assist in weight loss (acting appetite suppressant), help reduce blood sugar levels, and possesses anti-cancerous properties.
Typically, Brazilians prepare acai by putting the berries in a container with warm water for half an hour. The berries are removed once the skin is soft and rolled out leaving a thick juice that is strained and separated from the large seed, pulp, and skin.
Acai can also be purchased frozen, powdered, and encapsulated. Unfortunately, I have never seen acai berries themselves in the US, but I have easily found these other forms at local health food stores.
Contributor
Acupuncturist, herbalist, Maya abdominal practitioner, and reflexologist Christina Morris is the founder of Element Natural Healing Arts. Writing about health and wellness gives her an outlet to express her care and concern for her beloved community. She believes everyone can achieve better health and happiness–emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.