The Acai  (pronounced ah-sah-ee) berry is the fruit of the Acai palm tree that is native to South and Central America.  The Acai tree grows in swamps and floodplains, reaching heights of up to  30 meters (100 feet).

Picture of acai palm trees in South America

In addition to the popular fruit that the Acai tree produces, it’s stems, or “heart of palm” are used in salads and other vegetable dishes.

Hats, thatched roofs, mats, brooms, and baskets are made from the leaves. The wood of the trunks are resistant to pests and used for construction.

The fruit matures in branched clusters containing an average of 800 berries.  Trees produce 2 crops each year.

An Acai palm can be grown just about any place that can be maintained at a temperature above 50 degrees, preferably around 70 degrees.  It will start producing berries after the second year of growth.

So What About The Acai Berry?

The fruit, a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter, is similar in appearance and size to a grape but with less pulp.  The skin of the ripe fruits is a deep purple color, or green, depending on the kind of açaí and its maturity. Each berry contains one seed, which makes up approximately 80% of the fruit.

The berries are harvested as food. In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm was described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up such a major component of diet (up to 42% of the total food intake by weight) and is economically valuable in the region.

The juice and pulp of açaí fruits (Euterpe oleracea) are used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, açaí is traditionally served in gourds called “cuias” with tapioca and, depending on the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet (sugar, rapadura, and honey are known to be used in the mix).  Açaí has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as açaí na tigela (”açaí in the bowl”), mostly mixed with granola.  Açaí is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice.  The juice has also been used in a flavored liqueur.

Acai Berry as a dietary supplement

Recently, the açaí “berry” has been marketed as a dietary supplement. Companies sell açaí berry products in the form of tablets, juice, smoothies, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.

Marketers of these products will make claims that açaí provides increased energy levels, improved sexual performance, improved digestion, detoxification, high fiber content, improved skin appearance, improved heart health, improved sleep, and reduction of cholesterol levels.

Studies have shown that Açaí has higher levels of antioxidants, which are claimed to promote health, more than cranberry, orange, and apple juices, but less than Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry juices.