Acai (Ah-sigh-ee!)

Acai is the berry of a Palm Tree grown primarily in the Brazilian Amazon. It’s a small, round, black-purple fruit about 1 inch in diameter. The acai berry has a large seed in its center, and is visually similar to a grape in size and appearance.  It is argued to be one of the healthiest foods our planet has to offer, and is the star ingredient in a good portion of our menu. 

At Backyard Bowls we use the frozen pulp of the Acai berry. But why not fresh? One of the freak attributes of the berry is its amazingly low sugar levels. Without significant sugar to preserve the berry, it perishes within about a day of harvest! That’s why you will never see fresh Acai berries in the supermarket, they can’t survive the trip! Also, being that much of each berry is inedible pit, transporting the whole frozen fruit would be an inefficient option. Therefore the best option for consuming Acai is the frozen pulp, which is what is generally used even down in Brazil!

Acai has developed the reputation as one of the healthiest foods our planet has to offer.  The rich purple pigmentation of Acai is testament to its possessing among the most potent Antioxidant contents in the world, as well as being a nice source of healthy omega fatty acids.  Whats more important than this humble fruits' nutritional boasts however is the product it has given birth to in the "Acai Bowl", and now even better in our signature "Backyard Bowls", where Acai is blended with an assortment of other fruits and vegetables and topped with granola, more fresh fruits, and a touch of honey.  The resultant meal is one that is sure to leave you feeling like a prize fighter, and ready to take on whatever your day may bring!