From the waters of the Amazon in Brazil, comes the açaí palm tree.  Though the trees do not actually grow in the water, they do prosper in swampy and floodplain areas.  These trees bear large groups of small berries that are the latest health sensation throughout the world.  The trees flower throughout the entire year and are harvestedd for only part of the year.  Known as “the Tree of Life”, the açaí palm tree offers an abundance of this super berry that is said to be one of the most complete fruits available.  No other fruit offers as much nutritional value without adding other ingredients.

In addition to all of the other benefits, the açaí berry’s antioxidants are double that of blueberries and up to 30 times more than in some types of wine.  The açaí anthocyanins are one of the main benefits of these dark purple berries and are found in plants and berries that have powerful antioxidant properties.  The berry itself is never eaten, which is not a problem since all of the nutrition of the berry is found in its skin. 

In addition to açaí’s anthocyanins, there are several other benefits to this fruit.  Among those benefits are that the fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals.  The açaí berry is also high in fiber, proteins and fatty acids.  To prevent the açaí berry from losing almost 40 percent of its antioxidant levels, the fruit is pulped and frozen after it is harvested during the months of July to December.  It is the hot sun that contributes the most to the depletion of the nutrients in the açaí berry.      

The compound in açaí anthocyanins includes a small group of flavonoids, which are widely distributed in plants.  It is the açaí’s anthocyanins that give the berries their color.  These flavonoids offer other fruits like strawberries, grapes, blackberries, and raspberries their pink, purple and blue color.  For example, one kilogram of blackberry contains approximately 1.15 gram.  Since a blackberry is slightly larger than a blueberry, one can presume that an açaí berry has about the same amount or a little less.    

The açaí, an anthocyanin-rich fruit, has been marketed for its benefits, including preventing cancer.  It has also been bottled as an anti-aging product.  Anthocyanins are also known to be used as a source of natural food colorings and dyes. Açaí’s anthocyanins are responsible, in large part, for the level of antioxidants found in the berries.   These antioxidants help protect the plant from free radicals formed by UV light and during metabolic processes.  The difference in structure that occurs from the changes in pH is why fruits vary from red in acids to blue in bases. 

These berries can be found on the internet and in some health stores.  Each one markets açaí’s anthocyanin, vitamin and mineral advantages.  Try to pick the product that best fits your needs from a company that you can rely on to be honest.  Not all products are the same.  Now that the açaí berry has gotten notoriety, everyone is trying to ride the açaí money market.  Be smart and be healthy!