From Brazil to the Western World

By Michaela Steil

First, let’s address the most common question asked when it comes to this fruit: yes, it’s pronounced ah-sigh-ee.

Most of you have probably already heard of the Açaí berry, whether from all the instagram posts, health blogs, or even the Starbucks Refresher drink. It’s no secret that in recent years there has been a huge increase in the amount of Açaí in America, especially Açaí Bowls. While the berry has been around for hundreds of years, it was not introduced to the western world until the 1990s.

On Google Trends, the popularity of the acai berry did not peak until 2008, and there is a very obvious reason for this. In 2008, Dr. Oz appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and talked about the benefits and properties of the fruit, and the rest is history.

The berry has its roots in the Amazon where indigenous tribes used it as a cure to pretty much everything and anything. It remained only known to these tribes until it started to gain popularity along coastal cities of Brazil where outdoor activities and sports are common. Here, the berry would flourish for its health benefits and as a post workout snack.

One reason it did not spread to the western world until later is that the berry has to be processed within 24 hours of being picked. The fruit was blended and frozen, and that is also why it was popular to just drink it as a smoothie. Nowadays, there are dozens of ways to transport the fruit across oceans so that it can be enjoyed globally.

https://www.amafruits.com/acai

http://www.ehealthamerica.com/discover-the-history-and-benefits-of-the-acai-berry/

http://www.boxingscene.com/nutrition/56195.php