Acai contains antioxidants, amino acids, essential omegas, fiber, and protein.
Acai bowls are like a smoothie in a bowl with toppings. Some people go to 16 Handles and load up with froyo and toppings, others go to Pure Green and get a healthier but equally tasty acai bowl. They’re similar concepts — both are refreshing frozen treats. Acai bowls get their name from their base, which is usually a combination of frozen acai, banana, some sort of liquid like coconut water or almond milk, and sometimes other fruits or nut butters. These ingredients all get blended together like they would in a smoothie, and the frosty deliciousness is then poured into a bowl, ready to be topped.
The toppings are where things get really interesting. You can pretty much top an acai bowl with whatever strikes your fancy: granola, peanut butter, toasted coconut chips, chia seeds, sliced fruits, and the list goes on. Possibilities are endless!
WHAT MAKES ACAI SO SPECIAL?
Yes, you’ve seen it all over Instagram and on menus in smoothie shops and juice bars far and wide. Do you even know what acai is though? What makes acai so beloved? Is it really that healthy? Is it a superfood? Don’t worry, acai does live up to the hype.
The acai berry is most famous for its insane amount of antioxidants. In fact, acai has 10 times more antioxidants than blueberries-- pretty crazy, huh? People love antioxidants because they fight all the nasty free radicals that get into our system on a daily basis. So with every bite of your acai bowl, you busting up all the damage pollution and toxins have wreaked on your system over time.
Acai is also super high in vitamin C, making it great for your skin and your immune system. You can skip juicing your oranges and grapefruits when you’ve got that acai bowl lined up for lunch.
ACAI BENEFITS: WORLD’S HEALTHIEST BERRY
Antioxidants
One of the most celebrated benefits of the acai berry is its superb level of antioxidants. Seriously, this little purple berry is so jampacked with antioxidants it’s practically an edible wrinkle cream. Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals in the body and help prevent cell damage. Free radicals are dangerous compounds that can attach and bind themselves to normal cells, thus damaging them. They are often caused by harmful external sources, like smoking, toxins, and pollution. When we ingest foods bursting with antioxidants -- like the acai berry -- their antioxidants are released through digestion and travel through the bloodstream and into our cells.
Acai berries actually boast more antioxidants than blueberries or strawberries and ten times more antioxidants than red grapes. They are extremely high in anthocyanin (antioxidant compounds like resveratrol and ferulic acid), which helps lower cholesterol and fight those nasty free radicals. Acai berries are so powerful that they actually contain more anthocyanin than red wine, 10 to 30 times more in fact. One the best acai benefits is its antiaging properties. Because the acai berry is full of antioxidants, it’s very beneficial to skin care and wrinkle prevention by slowing and sometimes even reversing aging caused by oxidative damage.
Illness Fighter
The acai berry is super high in Vitamin C, which we all know is the best flu fighter around. Is your cubicle mate constantly coughing and sniffling?
Are you taking the train to work with thousands of germ infested commuters? Skip the glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and go for an acai bowl instead. Stop reaching for the airborne; acai is the new immune booster to beat. Acai berries may even fight cancer. A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that acai’s polyphenolic compounds reduced cancer cell proliferation by 56-86%.
They believe that the acai’s potent phytochemicals penetrated cells on a molecular level, halting the spread of cancer by killing off the tumorous cells before they could multiply.
Weight Loss
Are you feeling the dread of bikini season fastly approaching? Feeling less than stellar about your weight? Are you hitting the gym every day and still not seeing the number on the scale drop? Then your favorite acai benefit might be its abilities to aid weight
The UCLA School of Medicine found that taking acai berry supplements could reduce the risks of high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure in adults that were overweight. Another study found that after thirty days, subjects had major reductions in fasting glucose, insulin, and total cholesterol. Pretty incredible, huh? Acai berries are also bursting with fiber, and fiber gets your system rocking and rolling. The more fiber you eat, the more your bowels move. You’ll feel fuller longer too, so you’ll eat less. You’ll also poop more, getting rid of disgusting waste that can accumulate in your colon and digestive tract. So load up on the acai now!
EAT YOUR ACAI BOWLS ON THE WAY TO A TINIER WAISTLINE
So, at the end of all this, are acai bowls good for weight loss? Yes! Just follow Casa do acai. Watch the sugar content of your bowl, make sure you include a good amount of protein, and don’t over serve yourself! Make them at home by yourself or head to your local Casa do Acai and pick one up today!
