Also called: The Assai palm, euterpe palm, palmito açai, açaí berry, cabbage palm, assaizeiro, pina palm, palmier pinot, and juçara.

The açaí fruit comes from the açaí palm, which is a tall, slender South American (concentrated in Brazil, Guyana, and Suriname) palm grown for its fruit as well as for the "cabbage" (the cluster of new leaves more commonly called the "heart of palm"). It prefers swampy areas, and grows quickly. The fronds were (and still are) used for thatching and weaving.

Each açaí berry palm tree produces small deep purple, almost black, fruit (berries) in groups of 3-8 per bunch. The fruit is edible, and its pulp is used in wines and liqueurs, as a flavoring, as a colorant, and on its own as a juice and, now Amazon Thunder açai.

Açaí fruit contains essential fatty enzymes (omega-3 and omega-6) plus oleic acid (omega-9) which are beneficial in lowering Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Açaí berries also contain high levels of calcium, vitamin E and phosphorous and high concentrations of polyphenols, making it a powerful antioxidant. Amazon Thunder açai and the açaí fruit is used as an:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Antioxidant
• Antimutagenic
• Cardiovascular system supporter

Açaí berry is currently being tested not only for its health properties, but as a dyeing, or contrasting, agent in the human body in preparation for MRI scans of the gastrointestinal tract.