Want to Know about Acai Berry?

Acai berry is one of the newly known tropical fruits that have attracted so many attentions nowadays. Want to know more about it? Check this out.

Acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry grows in the Amazon Rainforest on acai palm tree, a tall, slender palm with pinnate leaves. It is a member of the genus Euterpe, which is native to tropical Central and South America, growing mainly in floodplains and swamps. The genus is named after the muse Euterpe of Greek mythology, while the name acai is the European derivation of the Tupian word ïwasa'i, 'fruit that cries or expels water'.

Acai palms are fast growing, and cultivated for both their fruits and their superior hearts (the soft inner growing tip) which is often consumed in salads. Recent rapid increase in global demand for the fruits makes acai now cultivated primarily for them.

The fruit is a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch in diameter and looks like a purple grape, but with less pulp and a single large seed which makes up about 80% of the fruit. The exocarp of the ripe fruits is deep purple or green, depending on the kind of acai and its maturity; the mesocarp is pulpy and thin; the endocarp is voluminous and hard containing a seed with a diminutive embryo and abundant endosperm.

The berries are harvested as food. They make up such a major component of diet and are economically valuable in the Amazon region of Brazil. The seeds, which are a source of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, may be ground for livestock food or as a component of organic soil for plants. Planted seeds are used for new palm tree stock.

The acai berry must be carefully handled before it can be consumed. As the high fat content of acai makes it deteriorate rapidly after harvest, its raw material is generally available only as juice or fruit pulp that has been frozen or processed as a pulp powder or freeze-dried powder. Several companies now manufacture juices, health drinks, yogurts, and sorbets of acai berries. The juice and pulp of acai fruits (Euterpe oleracea) are frequently used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, acai is traditionally served in gourds called cuias with tapioca and can be consumed either salty or sweet. Acai has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as acai na tigela (‘acai in the bowl’), mostly mixed with granola —in which acai is considered an energizer. Acai is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice. The juice has also been used in a flavored liqueur.

In recent news in the United States, the use of acai berry supplements has been promoted in weight loss diets, boosting energy and for its anti-oxidant properties. However, these supplement products have not been evaluated by the FDA and efficacy is questionable in weight loss.