Acai bowls are generally a bowl containing a smoothie made of acai berries. These berries are widely renowned for their health benefits, from aiding in weight loss to promoting good cardiovascular health.

Acai bowls make for the perfect breakfast food, since the main constituent happens to be acai berries, which are a super food.

These bowls are quite simple to prepare; you can easily make a smoothie of acai berries, put it in a bowl, and top it with oatmeal or fresh fruits, or just a dollop of peanut butter.

Acai berries are fruits from the acai palm trees. These trees are mostly grown Brazil’s amazon rain forest. These berries are small and dark purple color. They are a rich source of various nutrients, amino acids, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. It has been known to benefit the body both from the inside as well as outside.

It increases the levels of the immune system, promotes metabolic function and enhances the beauty of the skin and hair. It is known as the superfood which is not only good for healthy but also has a good taste. Acai berry is mostly consumed in the form of acai bowl where the acai berries are pureed and garnished with various fruit toppings such as strawberries, granola and bananas. Since these are easily perishable, they are also available in pulped and frozen form.

Acai berries are indigenous to the Amazon basin and are well-known for their ability to stimulate the immune system, as well as boost energy and increase metabolism. These are some of the key benefits of the acai berry and why it is considered one of the super foods:

• Increases heart health: Acai berries are rich in Anthocyanins, a form of antioxidant that actually helps regulate cholesterol levels in the body. They also come loaded with various plant steroids, which help keep cholesterol levels down and improve cardiovascular health. These berries are also known to improve circulation in the body, which only serves to further boost one’s cardiovascular health.

• Aids in weight loss: Consuming acai berry extract can increase the body’s metabolism, which will help burn off extra fat. Moreover, studies have proved conclusively that this berry not only decreases overall weight, but actually helps maintain regular weight. The berry can be consumed as a smoothie or in its raw form, but either should still lead to substantial weight loss.

• Skin: Eating acai berries regularly can improve your skin tone and even make it glow due to the antioxidants loading the berries. Consuming these should also help eliminate free radicals from the body while repairing damage to the skin. Moreover, even the acai oil is prized widely for its antioxidant properties, so much so that various beauty products use it as one of their main ingredients.

• Aids digestion: Consuming acai berries in their raw form or having them in a smoothie bowl at breakfast is a good idea, as they are loaded with dietary fiber and antioxidants, which serve to aid good digestion. Moreover, these berries should help effectively detox the body and aid in the removal of toxins from the system. Apart from this, since these berries are a rich source of dietary fiber, they should also help the body absorb nutrients better and prevent various digestive issues from occurring, like constipation.

• Lungs: Acai berries have long been known for their medical properties, chief among them being their ability to reduce irritation in the lungs as a result of respiratory distress and impaired lung function due to various health issues. So, eating acai berries can actually help soothe the throat while ensuring that the inner lining of the lungs is not irritated, thereby alleviating some of the painful symptoms associated with most respiratory health conditions.

• Cells: Acai berries are a rich source of Anthocyanins, which is an antioxidant that helps eliminate free radicals. The Anthocyanins also help repair damaged cells and prevent further damage.

• Immune system:  Acai berries contain polyphenolic compounds, which help eliminate malfunctioning cells and reduce cell mutation by as much as 80%. While this aspect of acai berries is still being studied, nevertheless, it is clear that acai berries serve to boost one’s immune system. By eliminating malfunctioning cells, these berries enable the immune system to function seamlessly and effectively.

• Reduces oxidative damage: Acai berries are extremely rich in various forms of phytochemicals, and these in turn help limit and reverse the aging process, to an extent. Acai berries are not the fountain of youth, but, at the moment, they can well be considered one given the effect they have on the aging process, and their ability to repair cells and skin damage. In short, these berries reduce oxidative damage to the rest of the body.

• Energy: Acai berries have long been known for their energy-giving properties, and as such, they have been used to provide sports people with required vitamins, higher endurance levels, and the staying power they need. These berries come loaded with various nutrients and vitamins, which only serve to increase endurance levels and help boost metabolism and energy levels.

• Blood circulation: Acai berries are known to increase blood circulation, which aids good cardio health. They also help clean the blood of various toxins while enabling effective circulation. One of the side effects of more efficient circulation is an increased libido in men; while the berry does not actively increase libido in men, it helps regulate blood flow, enabling better circulation, and this leads to the increased libido.

• Cognitive functions: Acai berries are known to help stimulate the brain, leading to better cognitive functioning. Currently, studies are being conducted to examine the impact of this berry on Alzheimer patients. But, these berries are known to increase cognitive functioning in the long run, so, consuming them regularly can actually help you to think and function better than before.

These are some of the main benefits of acai berries, and with acai bowls being featured regularly at your dining table, you should be able to enjoy the various health benefits that come from consuming the berries. Moreover, these berries can be eaten in raw form or prepared in a smoothie and topped with other ingredients for more flavor.

Acai berries do not come with any side effects other than it is highly recommended you consume them in moderation and not overdo it. These berries have long been tagged as a super food, and for good reason. So, make it a point to prep an acai bowl as you sit down for breakfast.

How to make an Acai Bowl?

First prepare acai puree in a blender (the puree can be prepared with half a size banana, half a cup strawberry, blueberries and unsweetened vanilla milk, 1100 grams frozen acai berry pulp).

The process of adding it in a blender should be with softer items should go in first which would make the blender blades move smoothly followed by other items. Blend on low until the larger chunks of the ingredients break down then you can gradually increase the speed of the blender.

Add some milk in small quantities. In between stop to scrape down the sides of the blender if there are any. Once all ingredients have come together along with milk, increase the speed too high for another 15 to 20 seconds.

Now remove the puree from the blender and pour in a bowl and start to arrange the toppings in stripes. You can add strawberries, banana, kiwi, pineapple, blueberries. Also sprinkle some granola and drizzle on top with honey if required.