Being a self-proclaimed Açaí-holic, I am often found trying all sorts of Açaí bowls in Singapore. It burns a hole in my pocket though, so nowadays I try to make my own Açaí bowl at home because it's so much cheaper, quick, delicious, healthy and the best part? Able to choose whatever toppings I want and adding in as much as my heart desires ;)
I met up with Kevin, co-founder of Poppy & Co and learnt so much about acai! I have been eating so much of this amazing superfood and it's nice to understand the complete natural profile of Açaí as well as its benefits :)
They have kindly sponsored me a box of their organic frozen Açaí pulp and I wasn't required to blog about it. However I felt inclined to share the knowledge from the passionate co-founder himself and to address some questions regarding Açaí :)
All comments/opinions regarding the product remains 100% honest and true :)
1. What is Açaí and where do they come from?
Açaí berries are one of the most nutritious super-berries that comes only from the Amazon Forest.
Poppy & Co's Organic Açaí is wild harvested, hand-picked straight from the Acai Palm trees, Euterpe oleracea, from the Amazon by the Ribeirinhos (The River People living by the Amazon). They grow in branches that resemble a "broom".
2. What are the benefits of Açaí?
Açaí berries contains a high concentration of anthocyanins, a form of plant anti-oxidants that helps lower blood cholesterol levels and has anti-aging purposes. Plant sterols also helps improve our overall blood circulation and heart-health.
Other than that, they are also rich in essential fatty acids, dietary fibre, protein, vitamins (vit B-complex, Vitamin K) and over 50 essential minerals such as potassium, iron and magnesium and those unique to the Amazonian soil.
3. Can we eat Açaí berries directly? Why do we only see them in pulp?
I learnt from Kevin that Açaí berries are not your usual soft, juicy berries. Smaller than red grapes and bigger than a blueberry, think of an acai berry as a round white seed that's surrounded by a thin purplish skin where all its nutrients are. Between the seed and skin lies a layer of essential fatty acids!
That's amazing because medium chain fatty acids like linoleic acid (omega-6) and oleic acid (omega-9) are usually found in olive oils and coconut oils, and rarely found in fruits. These fatty acids help reduce LDL-cholesterol and raise the levels of HDL cholesterol which in turn reduce your risk for stroke and heart disease :) Moreover, essential fatty acids are vital in maintaining brain functions, ensuring adequate moisture in your skin and prevent dryness.
Another reason why we don't see Açaí berries out of the Amazon is because they are highly perishable upon harvesting them off the trees. They start fermenting and losing nutrients in less than 24 hours!
The picture above shows the difference between fresh berries (right) and berries that have dried up and perished (left) within days.
Hence in order to preserve all its wonders, it is necessary to retrieve the skin of Açaí berries as soon as possible and frozen pulp it. The best way to enjoy all the benefits of Açaí is to consume it in the frozen pulp form as compared to the powder form.
In Poppy & Co, their facilities are located right at Amazon forest, therefore no time was wasted and the precious organic Açaí berries are processed as soon as possible to retain all its nutrients :)
Beware of companies that do not process their Açaí berries straight away as they need to transport these berries to their factories outside of the Amazon forest. As a result, certain additives or chemicals may be added in order to make up for the lost nutrients and color.
4. What's the taste of Açaí berries?
The original taste of Açaí can be described as rich, grainy and almost bitter with deep earthy tones; akin to unsweetened chocolate.
Hence it isn't surprising to know that Açaí bowls sold outside are usually sweetened, either with natural sweeteners such as honey/maple/agave syrup, medjool dates, fruits and (hopefully not) sugar.
Frozen Açaí pulps that are sweet may contain frightening amount of sweeteners/sugar, so do take note! Poppy & Co's organic Açaí comes in an unsweetened form hence you can take control of the sweetener used and customized your own desired sweetness level :)
5. Are Açaí berries expensive?
As compared to other common berries (i.e. blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries) Açaí berries rank highest in terms of its nutrition profile. The concentration of anti-oxidants, protein, vitamins and minerals found in Açaí berries can be up to 10x the amount found in other berries!
A box containing 4 x 100g Poppy & Co's organic frozen Açaí is sold for a price of $12.90. Upon comparing the price per 100g, the price of organic Açaí is surprisingly the cheapest amongst other berries (non-organic or organic) despite it's tremendous benefits!
Look at this chart below:
More about Poppy and Co.'s Organic Pasteurised Frozen Açaí:
100% Organic - No pesticides
100% Pure - No additives, preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, emulsifiers
Fresh - Harvested, de-pulped and frozen within 24 hours
Vegan Friendly - GMO-free, gluten-free, dairy-free
Flash Pasteurised - Removing thermo-sensitive bacteria. Suitable for all consumers above the age of 2, including expectant mothers.
Allergen Free - No soy lecithin
Halal Certified
Poppy & Co's organic frozen Açaí pulp is now available at all NTUC Fairprice Finest outlets, NTUC hypermarkets at JEM & Singapore Sports Hub (the frozen organic section).
To find out more, do visit their website! :)
Basic Acai Bowl Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 packet of Poppy and Co.'s Frozen Açaí
1 frozen banana
1 frozen mango
1/2 cup coconut water/water/soy milk
2 tbsp honey (you can also any preferred sweetener e.g. dates, maple syrup, agave, stevia)
Optional: Any frozen fruit, greens e.g. spinach, kale, etc!
METHOD
1. Blend all ingredients in a high-power blender. Add more liquid to your desired consistency.
2. Top with your favourite toppings e.g. fresh fruits (e.g. raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, figs, ....), superfoods e.g. chia/pumpkin/sunflower/hemp seeds, cacao nibs, granola, dessicated coconut, chopped nuts, ...
Top your acai smoothie with yogurt and granola for an ultimate breakfast treat :)
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