Health Benefits of Acai Berry And Its Nutrition Facts

Acai berry is one of the popular berries packed with essential minerals, vitamins, and many antioxidants. This berry fruit has recently attracted the attention of fitness enthusiasts and food scientists for its significant nutritive value. The benefits of Acai Berries are helpful for a variety of health concerns, including brain, heart, weight loss, and overall health.

Acai-berry has the most superb levels of antioxidant levels than the common superfruits like orange, cranberries, raspberries, maqui berries, or strawberries. 100 g acai frozen pulp has a 15,405 ORAC score, whereas blueberries have 4,669. (study)

What Are Acai Berries?

Acai berries are a small, round, reddish-purple Brazilian “superfruit. They are a species of a palm tree, which is native to the (Amazon rainforest) rainforests of South America. Botanically it is known as Euterpe oleracea Mart, which belongs to the palm or Arecaceae family. Other common names are Asai Palm, Cabbage Palm, Palma Manaca.

Fresh acai berries have a short shelf life, so people living in the Amazon rainforest consume them in good quantities. As an export, acai berries are available in the form of puree, dried powder, or juice.

Technically, the fruit is a “drupe” with purple skin and yellow edible pulp (mesocarp) surrounding a large seed. The edible pulp accounts for about 10-15% of the berry’s weight.

Before eating they are soaked to soften and then processed into pulp. They have an earthy taste.

Acai Berries Nutritional Profile

These tiny round dark-purple berries have long been attributed to longevity and well-being, as acai berries are very low in sugar and acid.

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, 100 grams of frozen fruit pulp contains:

Calories: 70
Fat: 5 grams
Saturated fat: 1.5 grams
Carbs: 4 grams
Sugar: 2 grams
Fiber 2 grams
Vitamin A: 15% of the RDI
Calcium: 2% of the RDI

Unlike other berries and fruits, Acai berries also contain the most powerful plant compounds, including anthocyanins and some other traces of minerals-

Chromium
zinc
iron
copper
manganese
magnesium
potassium
phosphorus

These health nutrition make acai a well-rounded, particularly good choice.

What are the health benefits of acai berries?

Acai berries are a wonderful gift of nature to mankind, not only because of their color and taste but also because of their unique nutritional profile.

Unlike other berries and fruits, Acai has also loaded vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fibers, and plant compounds that are essential for optimum health.

Acai berries are very high caloric values and fats.100 g provides just 80-250 calories. However, its calories depending upon the preparation and serving methods. In fact, fresh acai is a staple nutritious diet of the Amazon rainforest.

Acai berries compose significantly high amounts of polyphenolic anthocyanin compounds such as resveratrol, ferulic acid, cyanidin-3-galactoside, and astringent pro-anthocyanidin tannins like protocatechuic acid, and ellagic acid. Several studies suggest that these antioxidant compounds may have potential health benefits against aging, inflammation, and certain type of cancer disease. (study) Although no nutrient is a magic shield against cancer, some nutrients inhibit the spread and disintegration of cancer cells.

Acai berry is also rich in anthocyanins flavonoid plant compounds as well fatty acids like oleic acid (omega-9) and linoleic acid (omega-6). The studies on various animal models have suggested that these compounds are known for their positive effect on cholesterol levels. And it is possible that it may have a similar effect on the human body. (study)

Oxidative stress of acai berry eliminates the signs of ageing. Nourishes, regenerates and beautifies the skin provides smoother skin. Additionally, As we read above that acai berries are high in fats that prevent dryness and maintaining adequate moisture in the skin.

Furthermore, acai is rich in several other health-promoting B-complex vitamins and vitamin-K. These vitamins may help metabolism as well as in the production of white and red blood cells.