Not all aCAI is created equal
With the popularity of açai growing daily, many start up companies and large national brands are trying to capitalize on this category. We are not here to tell you these other companies are bad, but rather point out the difference so you can make an educated choice when choosing where to grab an açai bowl.
First thing you should ask yourself is “Why am I eating açai?”
Do I want to eat something healthy?
Do I want to eat something sweet?
Do I not care, I just heard açai was popular and want to try it?
Once you can answer the above questions, then you can decide what kind of açai you should seek out.
We know a thing or two about what makes a good açai bowl.
Açai Powder
Açaí Powder is served at many popular chains because it's cheap, shelf stable, and doesn’t need to be frozen. Powder is created when they dry out the açaí berry and grind it down leaving a powder-like substance that can be used to flavor smoothies, bowls or liquids. Anything that isn’t served in its original raw form is inferior and will lose many of its nutrients when it goes through the drying out process. Powders should be used to color and flavor items, not be the star ingredient.
Açai Soft Serve
Many ice cream shops and juice bars are adding açaí flavored soft serve mixes to their lineup up offerings hoping the unsuspecting person will think its “healthy” because it has açaí in it. In reality, it's just açaí flavored ice cream.
Açai Sorbet
This is the most popular offering you will find out there, but also the most deceptive. It's easy to scoop and gets directly shipped from large companies like Sambazon right to the restaurant so it’s easy to manage. This açaí is typically very low quality with very little nutritional value and is laden with sugar. One serving, a 2/3rd cup scoop, has nearly 20 grams of sugar in it. Don’t get us wrong, this product will taste good, but don’t choose this option because you want to eat something “healthy”.
Açai Pulp
Açaí pulp is typically found in the frozen fruit aisle sold as a 4 pack of 3.5 ounce rectangle frozen packs (Sambazon is the most popular to the consumer). This is the purest most beneficial form of açaí but as you are learning, not all açaí is created equal. There is different levels of açaí pulp available to the consumer, all of which contain different amounts of açaí pulp. Açaí fino is lowest grade which contains at least 8% açaí pulp, açaí medio is the medium grade which contains at least 11% pulp and açaí especial is the highest grade and contains at least 14% grade a açaí pulp. The more açaí pulp, the more superfood benefits you will get. Most company’s don’t offer açaí especial because it is the most expensive açaí out there. However, here at Don Miguel’s, we only offer Grade A açaí especial.
If you are interested in getting an açaí bowl that actually has health benefits, you should be asking these questions when you visit an açaí establishment:
What kind of açaí do you use?
Powder, soft serve, sherbet or açaí pulp.
What grade is your açaí?
A (especial) B (medio) or C (fino)
What percentage of pulp does your açaí have?
14%, 11%, 8%
What else is in your açaí blend?
We use banana and cold pressed sugarcane juice (low glycemic, packed with essential minerals and vitamins)
Trust us, if you are at a place that serves good açaí, they will be able to answer these questions... if they can’t, you aren’t getting a good product.
Grade A Organic açaí is expensive so you bet a company that is selling it is going to make it known they are serving it and training their staff to talk about.
At Don Miguel’s we only use organic grade A açaí with a pulp level of 14% or greater. We make all of our smoothie bases from scratch daily.
Ask questions. You’ll be surprised to find out what you are eating.
We look forward to serving you.