6 Little-Known Facts About Acai Berries
You may have heard of the acai berry health craze through television, the Internet, and health stores. Manufacturers of acai products promote the berry’s health benefits such as promoting weight loss, detoxification, and enhanced energy. Many of the articles on acai repeat the same information and health benefits over and over (I’m guilty of this as well in some of my articles). Well, to make up for this, here are some interesting facts about acai that you may not have known:
1. You can now buy beers and other alcoholic beverages containing acai.
Beer and alcoholic beverage makers have jumped on the acai bandwagon by adding acai to their brews. So while you’re getting smashed, you can convince yourself that you actually care about your health by drinking acai beer. Some brands include Organic Acai Berry Wheat made by Eel River Brewing Company, Pomegranate Wheat Ale (with acai) by Peak Organic Brewing Company, and Smirnoff Ice Strawberry Acai.
2. Companies are now adding acai to skin care products.
Many new cosmetic products are being produced with acai oil extract as a main ingredient including lotions, make-up, and topical creams. The oil from acai contains vitamins B1, B2, and B3, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. There are also phytosterols that help prevent the superficial layer of the skin from fading away. The oil also contains linoleic acid, Omega-6, and Omega-9, which have proven beneficial for the skin.
3. Acai berry pulp shows some promise as a contrasting agent for MRI scans.
Acai berry pulp has undergone tests as an alternative contrasting agent in preparing patients for MRI exams for the GI tract. I found a summary online through Google called “Euterpe Olerácea (Açaí) as an alternative oral contrast agent in MRI of the gastrointestinal system: preliminary results” where this information probably came from.
4. Among the locals around the Amazon, acai is seen as the “poor man’s juice.”
In river towns and villages around the Amazon, the acai berry juice is seen as a “poor man’s juice.” The locals serve the juice in plastic bags and it only costs about $2.00/liter in many areas. The popularity is so big that there is often an establishment in many of the towns and villages called an acailandia that makes the acai juice.
5. An acai palm normally does not start producing fruit until reaching four to five years old.
The younger acai palm trees do not produce any fruit, so if you decide to sneak into the Amazon and plant some trees, you better wait four or five years to reap the benefits, and that’s assuming the locals or wildlife don’t jack your berries.
6. The word acai is pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE.
I’d estimate that 9 out of 10 people pronounce acai incorrectly. It is pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE, not ah-sigh or ah-cigh. So next time you are around an acai connoisseur or attending an acai conference, you can avoid the severe humiliation of pronouncing it wrong and being laughed out of the room.
By: Tim Roberts
About the Author:
1. You can now buy beers and other alcoholic beverages containing acai.
Beer and alcoholic beverage makers have jumped on the acai bandwagon by adding acai to their brews. So while you’re getting smashed, you can convince yourself that you actually care about your health by drinking acai beer. Some brands include Organic Acai Berry Wheat made by Eel River Brewing Company, Pomegranate Wheat Ale (with acai) by Peak Organic Brewing Company, and Smirnoff Ice Strawberry Acai.
2. Companies are now adding acai to skin care products.
Many new cosmetic products are being produced with acai oil extract as a main ingredient including lotions, make-up, and topical creams. The oil from acai contains vitamins B1, B2, and B3, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. There are also phytosterols that help prevent the superficial layer of the skin from fading away. The oil also contains linoleic acid, Omega-6, and Omega-9, which have proven beneficial for the skin.
3. Acai berry pulp shows some promise as a contrasting agent for MRI scans.
Acai berry pulp has undergone tests as an alternative contrasting agent in preparing patients for MRI exams for the GI tract. I found a summary online through Google called “Euterpe Olerácea (Açaí) as an alternative oral contrast agent in MRI of the gastrointestinal system: preliminary results” where this information probably came from.
4. Among the locals around the Amazon, acai is seen as the “poor man’s juice.”
In river towns and villages around the Amazon, the acai berry juice is seen as a “poor man’s juice.” The locals serve the juice in plastic bags and it only costs about $2.00/liter in many areas. The popularity is so big that there is often an establishment in many of the towns and villages called an acailandia that makes the acai juice.
5. An acai palm normally does not start producing fruit until reaching four to five years old.
The younger acai palm trees do not produce any fruit, so if you decide to sneak into the Amazon and plant some trees, you better wait four or five years to reap the benefits, and that’s assuming the locals or wildlife don’t jack your berries.
6. The word acai is pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE.
I’d estimate that 9 out of 10 people pronounce acai incorrectly. It is pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE, not ah-sigh or ah-cigh. So next time you are around an acai connoisseur or attending an acai conference, you can avoid the severe humiliation of pronouncing it wrong and being laughed out of the room.
By: Tim Roberts
About the Author:
Tim Roberts writes articles on the acai berry and provides quality links to an acai berry extract without any monthly charges. Check out his website for articles, FAQ’s, and videos, all related to the acai berry.
