Say hello to açaí (ah-sigh-ee), the fruit that’s making believers out of world-class athletes and health-conscious people everywhere. Found atop 50 foot palm trees along the banks of the the Amazon, açaí is truly a gift from Mother Nature. It’s packed with powerful antioxidants, healthy omegas and delicious powers.

Laboratory tests show that açaí is a rich source of antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are the same phytochemicals that provide the healthy benefits of red wine. Analysis also shows that açaí is packed with unsaturated healthy fats that have a fatty acid ratio similar to olive oil, which is considered to be a contributing factor to the low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean populations.
Anthocyanins are part of a group of phytochemicals in red wine thought to contribute to the French paradox, i.e. France has one of the lowest incidences of heart disease of any westernized society despite a prevalence of smoking and a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol (5).

Açaí is rich in Essential Fatty acids — that aid in the transport and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins i.e. Vitamins A, E, D, and K (3). The fatty acid ratio of açaí resembles that of olive oil, thought to be a contributing factor to the low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean populations (1, 5).

  • 60% Oleic (Omega 9), a monounsaturated, essential fatty acid, helps lower LDL (harmful cholesterol) while maintaining HDL (beneficial cholesterol) levels (5).
  • 12% Linoleic (Omega 6), a polyunsaturated, essential fatty acid, has been found to lower both LDL and HDL levels (5).

So simply put, açaí combines the best of the Mediterranean and French diets by having more antioxidants than red wine and an essential fatty acid profile similar to olive oil. To learn more about specific studies done on açaí check out our Science page.