All Acai Facts

Native to South America, the acai berry is a blackberry-looking fruit blossoming from panicles of the acai palm thriving in swamps and floodplains of Brazil, mostly. Its initial role after harvesting, of course, was that of food. Acai berries are popularly served with tapioca as pudding, ice cream, and as smoothies and shakes, because they’re a very versatile produce.

Then along came marketing geniuses who recognized the health benefits of the acai berry, and nobody can look at the it the same way again. Foremost among the promised advantages of introducing acai as a health supplement would be weight loss, because of the berry’s high fiber content. With that come all the other sought-after “fringe benefits” such as improved skin complexion, better cholesterol, and an overall felling of well-being. One claim, which has yet to be fully researched, has to do with the supposed improvement of sexual performance among men and women. While arguments are rampant with regard to proof of this (including apparent penis enlargement), people who swear by the acai berry can attribute it to the aforementioned general well-being by virtue of the berry being a proven antioxidant, as is the case of most fruit and berries in one’s daily diet.

Now, what makes the acai berry unique from other berries is where it gets its rich color. Grapes and black- and blueberries have it too, and it’s called anthocyanin, which is responsible for the purplish and reddish tones some fruits and berries have. The stronger the color, the more anthocyanin is present in the fruit. Anthoycanin fights free radicals the same way flavonoids and other antioxidants present in other food do. And, judging by the very purple color of the acai berry, it’s practically swimming in anthocyanin, which is a huge antioxidant treasure trove if you’re on the hunt for it!