What is Acai Palm?

The acai palm is a palm tree that bears one of the most incredibly nutritious berries in the world; the berry, pronounced “ah-sigh-ee,” this little berry has had a huge impact on the world of health and nutrition, and the health industry is simply abuzz with the tremendous potential the berry holds.

While acai berry research is still in its preliminary stages, one thing is for certain: the health benefits could be limitless. Some people believe this berry might help with everything from weight loss to better sleep, from increased energy to preventing cancer and other diseases. Of course, none of this has been proven and many more years of research is needed before making conclusions; but so far, there is great promise.

There is one benefit to this surging interest in these berries that not even the most aggressive of acai entrepreneurs could have predicted; the preservation of the Amazon rainforest. Until this berry hit the market, there was little economic incentive for Brazilians to save the rainforest.  The acai palm tree has been used for everything from clothing to building material; and of course is well-known for its popular hearts of palm.

But no one could have predicted the popularity of the berry, and the resulting consequences for the acai palm and the Amazon rainforest. For the first time in history, the acai palm is more valuable alive than dead; and this has had a profound impact on the Brazilian interest in rainforest preservation.

However, there is a catch about this nearly perfect fruit. The acai berry is extremely perishable, and is only good for about 24 hours from the time it was picked. This means that anyone other than the local Brazilians (or those lucky enough to visit their beautiful country) will never see a true berry itself. The berry must be treated and turned into any number of products that ship well and can have a long enough shelf life to cross the globe.

Some of the more popular forms of the berry include  fruit juice,  powder, berry extract, and acai supplements. The craze doesn't end there; the trendier bars and night clubs now boast acai berry martinis and other mixed drinks. There are even chocolate bars that contain acai, and an sorbet.

Of course, where there's a demand, there are always creative entrepreneurs. Not only can you buy this berry in just about any form, you can also buy your own acai palm plant too. Many “farmers” or growers are jumping on this trend; however the plant needs a moist, warm climate of at least 70 degrees, so it's difficult to grow the tree unless you have a greenhouse.

However the tree grows quickly and grows to be very tall; so it will mostly outgrow your greenhouse in a number of years. Perhaps this special plant only grows in one part of the world for a reason.

So, when you consume acai berry products and supplements, you are not only helping your own nutrition, but saving the rainforest one berry at a time.

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