Properties

The açai palm tree is a very important part of the socioeconomic environment in Amazonia.  Açai offers the use of all of its raw materials.  The main product of the plant is the fruit; the juice is extracted from its pulp. The seeds are used for handcraft work and organic manure. The plant also provides an excellent palm heart, and the leaves are used as roofs for the houses in the Amazon region. The commercial potential for the Açai is in the production of the pure fruit, for the local market it is a low cost activity, with a very high economic margin.

From as far back as the indigenous groups in the Amazon, açai has been a basic part of the diet of the people in the region. It is consumed at any time of the day, as a drink or ice-cream, in jelly, yogurt, liqueurs, sweets, cakes, puddings, and chocolates filled with the fruit’s pulp.  In the morning it is used as a substitute for milk, and given to small children.  During most meals it is prepared thicker with “water flour” or “tapioca flour” as a side-dish, served with fish and dried shrimps, meat, beans and rice, or even pure. The açaí palm tree is the main source of palm hearts in Brazil today; around 95% of the national production comes from the Amazon region.

In other parts of Brazil açai is consumed as an energetic drink usually mixed with guarana syrup and othertropical fruits. It is ideal for athletes and people who burn lots of calories, supplying various nutrients such as lipids and aminoacids.  It also contains antioxidants with high concentrations of minerals.

Rich in lipids and vitamin E açai helps to combat free radicals. The high concentration of fibers improves the intestinal functions, and the presence of vitamin B1 and the high content of antho-cyanins, which are antioxidants, helps the blood circulation. Açai is also very rich in anthocyanins which help to combat cholesterol and free radicals. Another important component is iron, used for the treatment of anemia and to increase muscles strength.