Nestled deep in the flood plains of the Amazon rainforest, where the land is rich in nutrients and oxygen is plentiful, is the supermodel of fruit, the Brazilian Acai (AH-sci-EE).
While the small pulpy fruit wasn’t introduced to the western world until the 1990’s, the Acai fruit has been used for over 2,000 years. Historically, it has been used in Brazilian herbal medicine, in a variety of forms to treat any number of ailments. For instance, the oil from the fruit has been used to treat diarrhea; an infusion of the root was used to treat jaundice and to build the blood; an infusion of the grated fruit rind was used as a topical wash for skin ulcers; and the fruit seeds were crushed and prepared in an infusion for fevers.
It’s the Acai fruit’s nutritional profile that has gotten national attention, including Oprah, NBC, and Sports Illustrated. High in fiber, vitamins (B1, B2 B3, C and E), minerals (calcium, potassium, and phosphorous), essential fatty acids, phytosterols, and anthocyanins (33 times the anthocyanins content of grapes) the Acai berry has been called nature’s most nutritious fruit.