What does Acai Fruit look like?

The Acai berry fruit has found recent fame in the western world. Today, practically everyone wants to include the Acai berry in their diet for help in reducing weight and for the many health benefits associated with the fruit.

If you are one of the many few who hasn’t heard about the Acai berry so far, it is quite natural for you to wonder what is Acai fruit, or what does acai taste like. The next question that is bound to arise in your mind is what does Acai fruit look like and where does Acai come from.

The Acai berry is a fruit found in the Amazon region of Brazil. Though the western world consider this to be a superfood, and have come to know about this only recently, the locals of the Amazon region have been eating this fruit for many centuries for its medicinal and health benefits.

It looks like a grape

The Acai berry resembles the grape in color and size. It has a dark purplish skin, is round in shape and is small in size. While the grape has more of pulp and less of seed, the Acai berry has about 90% seed and 10% pulp.

However this 10% of pulp has the highest levels of antioxidants in the fruit family. In addition to this, the Acai berry is a rich reserve of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fiber, which all contribute to the medicinal advantages of the fruit. Not only is the fruit so healthy to the body, its taste is also enlightening as it resembles numerous fruits with a tinge of chocolate.

The Acai berry is a is a highly perishable fruit that perishes within 24 hours of its harvesting. This is attributed to the high levels of fatty acids in the fruit. Moreover, as the fruit has minimal flesh in each berry, this fruit has to be harvested carefully. Wide harvesting will lead to the extinction of this nutritious fruit. However it is not easy to grow the fruit as its growing conditions have to be just like that of the Amazon region.

Helpful with weight loss

Acai berry is famous for its high amounts of antioxidants that helps fight free radicals in the body. This in turn leads to the reduction of sugar, pressure and cholesterol levels while increasing the immunity of the body. The antioxidants are also helpful in preventing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

The fiber in Acai berry is responsible for helping in the detoxification of the body, providing relief from constipation and in helping with weight loss. It helps with weight loss by acting as an appetite suppressant. It creates a feeling of fullness in the stomach, so that you don’t feel like over-eating.

As the fruit is highly perishable, it is not possible for the western world to eat fresh Acai berry. The only alternative they have is to eat Acai berry products made by freeze drying the berries. The most famous forms of Acai berry you find in the market today are Acai berry juice, pills, capsules, powder and supplements. More rare forms include the entire acai berry plant.