The Nutritional Value From Acai Bowls
Acai berries are native to the Amazon region and are considered a staple food in South America. It is even considered a super fruit. Acai has a dark purple color, looks like a blueberry, and is known to have an abundance of nutritional value and antioxidant properties.
What are Acai Berries?
Contrary to its name, acai berries are not exactly berries. Acai berries have pits similar to olives and apricots. So technically speaking; they are drupes. Nevertheless, most people still refer to them as berries.
Typically, to prepare acai berries, you have to soak them to help their outer skin soften. The common preparation of acai is turning it into a dark purple paste. The taste of pure acai is described as having an earthy flavor. In fact, the flavor it produces is comparable with a cross between unsweetened chocolate and blackberries.
Benefits of Acai Berries
Rich in Antioxidants
Acai berries possess high levels of antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals, which prevent possible damages to the body’s cells. In addition, research even suggests that acai has properties that effectively lower cholesterol levels. Thus, even brain health is optimized with acai.
Boost Immune System
In the studies conducted on acai berries, it was discovered that it possesses polyphenolic compounds, which aid in reducing the malfunction of cells. Even though it is not exactly used as a cure, it is showing some promising potential. The latest studies show how the polyphenolic compounds extracted from acai berries are showing astounding results in reducing tumor growth.
Promote Healthy Skin
Since acai berries are rich in antioxidants, it also translates to overall skin health. The oil that can be extracted from acai can actually be used both as a cleanser and moisturizer to the skin instead of chemical-based products,
Help in Weight Loss
The process of losing weight can be very difficult. There are some people who may need to let go of food items rich in processed sugar like chocolates and other processed food. However, most people are not as enthusiastic about losing weight because there are some flavors that may be lost in the process. However, what’s great with acai berries is how they are not only healthy but delicious. Imagine eating a fruit that almost tastes like unsweetened chocolates and blackberries. You’re probably going to look forward to your next acai fix every morning.
Control Blood Sugar Levels
Typically, people with diabetes would have to let go of food items that possess high levels of sugar. However, there are still instances that their taste buds may miss the taste of sweetness. What’s truly amazing with acai berries is how it has a low rating of the glycemic index. In addition, it also has significantly low lipid levels. This means that people with diabetes can enjoy acai berries and even turn them into their own healthy desserts.
What are Acai Bowls?
There are dozens of food trends circulating the market, and some did not exactly live up to the hype. On the other hand, the popularity of acai bowls is well-deserved. Eating acai bowls does not necessarily include acai berries alone. In fact, people are combining a variety of food items that may range from fruits, oatmeal, and peanut butter.
Typically, an acai bowl closely resembles ice cream, and others even claim that it tastes like ice cream. Acai bowls are usually eaten during breakfast since a bowl can possess most of the nutritional requirements a person needs. Just imagine waking up in the morning and eating such a refreshing snack option. During the summer, acai bowls are also widely popular because of how refreshing it is. In fact, there are food stands that sell acai bowls near the beach.
For the health-conscious, your might be wondering what the acai bowl calories are? The calorie count of an acai bowl can be as low as 211 calories for every 6-ounce serving. However, the calorie count in an acai bowl can greatly vary depending on the other components of your acai bowl. In fact, the calorie count of some commercial acai bowls can reach as high as 600 calories. Ultimately, acai berries have a relatively low-calorie count, but once combined with other fruits and food items in a bowl, their calorie count will most definitely increase.
How to make an Acai Bowl?
Making an acai bowl for breakfast is probably the best decision you’ll ever make. There is virtually zero food preparation for an acai bowl. Instead, you’re practically throwing in a variety of fruits of your choice into the bowl. But for beginners, here is a simple recipe for Sweetberry Acai Bowls.
The first step in making your acai bowl is to freeze your fruits. You have the option to slice up your bananas during the night and place it in a small container lined with parchment paper. You can also include blueberries, strawberries, and sweet berries in the container. Next, place all your fruits in the freezer and wait until all of them are frozen. You also have the option of buying store-bought frozen fruits which will also work perfectly.
Once all your fruits have been frozen, you will need a blender. In the blender, add a base such as yogurt, coconut milk, or almond milk. You can even use water or regular milk, it is your preference. Next, add the frozen fruits. Your frozen blend should preferably have only acai and frozen bananas. Check to see until it has achieved the smoothness you want. You also have the option to add more liquid to achieve your desired texture. To get the best results, you can opt to use almond milk with the least amount of milk.
Once you’re done with your smoothie base, you can place it in a bowl and top it with additional fruits, oatmeal, or even peanut butter. If you are looking for other acai bowl recipes, there are many options on the internet. But you can also experiment with your favorite fruits. Perhaps you can include some nuts or granola in your bowl.
