5 Ways to Enjoy the Benefits of Acai

Acai is a small, dark purple berry native to the Amazon Region of South America. This little but mighty berry has earned a reputation for its antioxidant makeup and health-promoting properties. The Brazilian acai berry if filled with fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids that help boost energy levels, support a healthy weight, promote healthy ageing and overall vitality.

Within the last decade, acai berries have rapidly gained recognition and praise for their complex nutritional makeup, along with rich, berry flavour with notes of dark chocolate. The exotic acai berry has even received credit for instilling the recognizable health and vitality in the Amazon dwellers.

Acai does a great deal of good for the body, and there are many ways to gain the nutritious benefits acai offers. Here are five effective ways to enjoy acai:

Acai Capsules
Possibly the easiest and most convenient way to gain the acai benefits, acai capsules are packed with all the good-for-you acai ingredients in a small, easy to consume pill. Many individuals take acai supplements for its antioxidant makeup, along with rich fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that support energy levels, weight management, immunity and overall wellbeing.

Acai supplements, like acai capsules, provide the body with the exotic nutrients without having to prepare a dish or beverage with acai.

Acai Bowls
Acai bowls are a popular food trend that deserves all the hype it’s receiving. Acai bowls are like ice cream, if ice cream was packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and helped slim your waste line. They’re made up of frozen acai, blended up into a smooth, frozen yogurt-type consistency with added toppings like coconut or granola. The bowls are bursting with flavor, decadent, and loaded with energy and metabolism boosting nutrients.

You can easily make your own acai bowls at home by blending frozen acai, almond or coconut milk, and adding your favorite fruit or spices on top as flavorful additions. Acai bowls are also a popular dish at healthy, fresh restaurants. Try out an acai bowl for breakfast or as a sweet snack, and reap all the benefits acai has to offer. Your body and taste buds will thank you.

Acai Smoothie
Smoothies are a breakfast staple, a sweet snack, or a nutrient-packed meal replacement. Most people love smoothies for their convenient, delicious, refreshing, and not to mention healthy qualities. But acai takes smoothies to another level of health and deliciousness.

First, acai berries have a distinct taste that’s different from most berries. With a strong citrus flavour with chocolate undertones, acai adds a sweet, dynamic flavour to a smoothie recipe. But even better, acai adds a whole lot of nutrients and antioxidants to the acai smoothie.

Acai berries can be added to nearly any smoothie with similar citrus flavours, but one antioxidant-filled, delicious acai recipe is:

• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ cup acai berries
• ½ banana
• 1 teaspoon spirulina
• 2 teaspoons agave inulin powder
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 scoop hemp protein
• ½ cup water
• 3 to 5 ice cubes

This antioxidant-filled smoothie will give you both the taste and health benefits of acai, along with many other nutritious ingredients, for an energy-boosting, delicious smoothie.

Acai Juice
Acai juice is believed to have been utilized by Amazon natives for hundreds of years, not only for its distinct, pleasant taste, but also for its ability to make individuals look and feel better. Today, most grocery stores have acai juice readily available.

A study conduced by A&M University’s “Agricultural Communications” observed that antioxidants from acai pulp and juice are both successfully absorbed by our bodies. [1] These antioxidants may not only boost immunity, but they may also support healthy ageing and support overall vitality.

Dried Acai Powder
Dried acai powder is becoming more popular because of its whole, nourishing makeup and convenience. This popular addition to smoothies, drinks, and recipes contains all the nutrients and antioxidants that come from fresh acai berries

Many individuals enjoy adding dried acai powder to their oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, or creating an acai bowl out of the powder. Acai powder tends to have a slightly milder taste than fresh acai, with all the nutrients and antioxidants in tact.

References:
Bryan, D. (2014, March 01). Acai Berry Juice Benefits. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from Livestrong