Acai (ah-sigh-ee) is our favorite “new” berry. Okay, it’s not really new; it has been around in the Amazon for centuries and has served as the main component of tribal diets, making it more of a staple food item than a fad fitness berry. Here in the U.S., however, it is still pretty new, but gaining lots of momentum in wellness circles. Why? We love acai because of its high level of antioxidant activity (similar to cranberries, more than blueberries and strawberries). Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC values measure the antioxidant power of fruit pulp/skin and acai has one of the highest ORAC values of fruits and vegetables. It is also full of healthy omegas, a rarity for fruits. More good news is it’s inherently zero sugar value! Even better, you can rest assured that our acai (the frozen and pureed berry blend at Organic Krush) has NO sugar added! This isn’t always the case at other establishments so be sure to inquire when purchasing your acai bowl. Many restaurants use the sugar-added version, which contains 26 grams of sugar; if you are a woman, that is your entire suggested daily allowance of sugar according to the American Heart Association (recommendations from the AHA are no more than 24g for women and 36g for men)! Shops often use the sweetened version because they think customers like it better–Americans tend to have a sweet tooth. However, at Organic Krush we believe that you can sweeten it on your own with nature’s candy (fresh, organic fruit) and the taste is so much richer without any added sugar, not to mention the health benefits of the pure acai with no additional processing beyond the flash-freezing and pureeing.
Acai has a tart, simple flavor–think chocolate and wild berries. And due to the presence of a little healthy fat, it blends or whips up perfectly to create a nourishing sorbet-like bowl without the sugar, fat, processed ingredients or dairy that weighs down ice cream and other store-bought frozen confections. At Organic Krush we spent months developing the perfect recipe in our bowls. While we can’t share the exact secret, we can tell you that when we blend the frozen acai (Sambazon Organic Pure Unsweetened www.sambazon.com/superfruit-packs) we only add a dash of liquid to help it to blend.
The best part is topping your acai bowl with more healthfulness and a creation that is unique to you. Though we have some favorites like the Elvis with bananas, dairy-free chocolate, and peanut butter, you can truly top your bowl with any healthy ingredients you love. And, if you want to continue to keep your sugar in check, it’s easy to select toppings that are not loaded with sugar such as unsweetened coconut flakes; chopped nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, cashews, almonds; organic berries like blackberries and raspberries, blueberries, strawberries; chia seeds; hemp seeds; pumpkin seeds; other nut butters; vegan protein powders; and more.
These bowls are so much fun to decorate and eat, and you can feel good about this snack, summer refreshment, breakfast choice, or mini lunch. Stop by anytime for a sample, and we bet you’ll be hooked just like us. Acai you later, alligator!