About Acai Berries

The açaí berry is a small, round, black-purple fruit similar in appearance to a blueberry. It grows in branched panicles of 500 to 900 fruits on açaí palm trees in Brazil, Belize and Peru. Since the 1990s, açaí juice, freeze-dried açaí and açaí extracts have been marketed globally for use in juice blends, smoothies and other beverages and as a dietary supplement. The açaí berry is high in nutirents important for optimal health.

Basic Nutritional Information

Açaí berries are one of the fruits with the highest antioxidant content, even more than blueberries. The açaí berry offers approximately 247 calories per 100-gram serving. A 50-gram serving of powdered, freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin provides about 265 calories, 26 g of carbohydrates, 4 g of protein and 16 g of fat (mostly oleic acid or monounsaturated fat). The powder is particularly rich in calcium and vitamin A.

A Fiber-Rich Fruit

Açaí berries must be harvested carefully because they are highly perishable and their nutritious properties are only active for 24 hours after harvesting. In the United States, the largest market is for freeze-dried açaí berry pulp, juice or dietary supplements. A 50 g serving of powdered, freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp offers about 26 g of dietary fiber, which is nearly 100 percent of the Recommended Daily Value (DV). Fiber comes from plant foods, is essential for a healthy digestive system and, according to a review published in "Current Atherosclerosis Reports" in December 2008, helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. Foods rich in dietary fiber enhance satiety and help keep you feeling fuller longer, which assists in weight control.

Beneficial Nutrients

Açaí berry powder is particularly rich in calcium and vitamin A. Calcium is an important bone-building mineral that helps regulate blood pressure, and vitamin A is important for growth and development as well as for healthy eyesight.
A 50 g seving of freeze-dried açaí berry pulp offers 16 g of fat, mostly heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (similar to that of another fruit, the avocado). According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), you should control your fat intake, but the fat you choose should be from foods rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fats, for optimum health.
In addition, açaí berry powder is protein-rich. Protein is essential for building body cells, tissues and muscles.

Healthy Phytochemicals

The açaí fruit offers the highest phytochemical content of any fruit or vegetable. According to an article published in "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research" in February 2010, phytochemicals are plant compounds that offer disease-fighting properties and may benefit health in other ways. Powdered, freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin is rich in two classes of phytochemcials: anthocyanins and phenolics. According to an article published in the "Journal of Biomedical Technology" in December 2004, anthocyanins are found in red/purple produce; they help maintain a healthy circulatory system, ensure proper nerve function and may offer anti-cancer benefits. Phenolics offer similar benefits and can be found in other foods like grapes and red wine. According to the National Cancer Institute, phenolics help protect body cells from damage causes by free radicals (from such sources as pollution, tobacco and other toxins).

Caution Regarding Açaí Supplements

The açaí berry has been marketed as a dietary supplement. Claims have been made that preparations made with açaí extract increase energy, enhance weight loss, improve sexual function, improve digestion, help to detoxify the body and improve sleep and skin appearance. According to the website Quackwatch, açaí juice offers only mid-level amounts of antioxidants. The extent to which the compounds in this fruit benefit health, beyond providing antioxidant benefits, warrants further research, but thus far there is no credible scientific evidence that açaí extract consumption affects body weight, sexual performance, sleep or energy levels.