Originating from Brazil, acai bowls started spreading all over the world relatively recently. It started as a healthy food for athletes, martial arts professionals, and surfers in particular. But it did not take much time for it to become a popular health food for everyone.

Acai bowls have made quite a buzz recently. People call it the superfood – something great for your health and body. But are acai bowls healthy? What is an acai bowl? How can you buy an acai bowl or make one at home? We are here to explain all of this to you today.

What is Acai Bowl

Let’s first understand acai itself. Acai is a small berry native to South America. It is best known as a Brazilian berry, however, you can find it in the rainforests of Peru and Suriname as well. So, the definition of acai bowl becomes apparent as well. It is a bowl of acai puree with various ingredients and toppings added. A popular recipe calls for blending the puree with bananas and topping it with your choice of berries. You will still get the acai taste in this recipe, but banana and berries will make it vastly tastier.

What are Acai Bowls Made Of?

The short answer would be – lots of tastiness. But you probably already know that, so let’s get to the long answer. The good news is that there is no one recipe for acai bowls. You have the freedom to play with the ingredients and find the one that matches your taste buds the best. Unfortunately, it will be hard to buy or make a bowl with fresh acai, as it has a brief shelf life.

What you will find, however, is the powder or the puree. Don’t worry, it still keeps the acai taste and you will still get all the acai bowl benefits from it. Your common ingredients would be fruits, berries, granola, and various types of nuts added to the puree, but people say that an acai bowl with shrimp is equally good.

What Does Acai Taste Like?

The acai taste is unique. It has a distinct earthy taste and a slight resemblance to the taste of raspberry and pomegranate. This berry is acidic, too. That is why it pairs well with sweet ingredients, such as honey and sweet berries. Some people feel the slight taste of cocoa beans and blackberry when eating acai. This is because of polyphenols present in it, which are antioxidants with lots of health benefits.

Are Acai Bowls Healthy?

What is acai bowl? It is a combo of healthy foods! You have the acai itself, fruits, berries, and nuts mixed together in a single bowl. The exact benefits are depending on the fruits and nuts you choose. For instance, if you opt for a recipe that calls for adding blueberries, granola, and mangos, here are the health benefits you get:

• Mangos will be an excellent source of vitamin C and A for you.
• Granola has high fiber content, contributing to the health of your digestion.
• Blueberries are known for decreasing cardiovascular disease risk with anthocyanins

So, are acai bowls healthy? The answer is a definite yes!

The Benefits of Acai Bowl

Now that we know how healthy other ingredients are, let’s discuss the main hero responsible for acai bowl benefits – the acai itself. In its homeland, acai is also called the beautyberry, as it has little sugar in it and is instead full of healthy fats. Acai is also high in antioxidants, fiber, and amino acids, protecting you from heart disease, aging, and cancer. It is not a surprise that sometimes the definition of acai is a superfood.

Where Can You Buy Acai Bowl?

Acai bowls have become quite popular, you can find them on the menus of many restaurants. In Hawaii and California, specialized acai bowl bars have emerged as well. You can also enjoy the acai bowl benefits at home by making it yourself. It does not take too much time. You simply buy the necessary ingredients and mix them together. That’s all, not a lot of time is needed for preparation and cooking, just mix and you are good to go. After all, it is simply a mix of acai puree with fruits, nuts, and berries. You can find acai powder and puree in lots of shops and big supermarkets now, it is not as hard to find as you would think it is. Also, you can find it in our juice bar as well.

Conclusion

Now we know what an acai bowl is and how to make or buy one. Easy to make and tasty, acai bowls give you the freedom to choose your own ingredients, from sweet to savory, from fruity to fishy, anything you want. You will still enjoy all the benefits of acai itself as well as the benefits of the ingredients you have chosen to add to it.

Enjoy your acai today and stay healthy.