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Acai Berry Background
The acai palm is a member of the Euterpre family, which is a species of palm that can be found in the floodplains of South America.
Although the acai is most famous for its dark purple berries, it has many other commercial uses. The heart of the palm leaves is often eaten in salads, for example, and artisans also use acai leaves to make hats, baskets, roof materials and other building material.
The acai berry itself is a small "drupe" roughly the size of a grape. It has a dark purple exocarp skin, and the seed makes up the majority of the berry's mass (over 78%). The pulp of the acai berry is the most valuable part of this fruit. In fact, people living in the Brazilian Amazon region consider the acai as the most important plant species because it makes up the majority of their diet.
The acai berry has two crops a year, and are harvested for a variety of uses, including food, pulp, juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and even ice cream. Locals often eat the acai pulp with honey for a sweet acai taste, or with salt for a more savory experience.
Traditionally, the acai is eaten quickly after harvest or frozen, as it does not preserve well. However, some companies are beginning to blend the juice with other fruit juices and using other means of creating a fresh acai product.
The acai has a rich and deep cultural history in its native South America. In North America, we are only now becoming aware of this amazing fruit!
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