The Acai berry is a sensational fruit that originated in the Rainforests of Northern Brazil. It is packed with cell protecting antioxidants, which give it cancer fighting and anti-aging properties. It is a natural energy booster, and is known as a natural way to help lower bad cholesterol. The natives have used the Acai berry for hundreds of years, and can make up as much as 50% of their daily diet.

Since the Acai berry is a very unstable fruit (meaning it falls apart during transport) it was not until refrigerated trucks were available for transport in the 1980s that Acai was introduced to the people of Rio. It quickly gained popularity there because the acai health benefits are easily noticeable after consuming it for only a few weeks.

The most popular way it was consumed is called the “Acai Bowl Rio Style”. In this dish frozen Acai berries are mixed with guarana, fresh bananas and strawberries (or any fruit you prefer), and topped with organic granola. This quick and easy bowl is very popular for breakfast because it gives you a healthy boost of energy and is refreshingly delicious.

The rest of the world really started taking notice of Acai berries when it was revealed that Brazilian surfers used Acai berry juice before competitions to gain an edge over their opponents. The Gracie ju-jitsu school also took notice of the benefits Acai juice has for athletes and encouraged all their students to drink it.

In 2005 Todd and Jeanette Reum introduced their Amazon Thunder Acai products to the western world. They are one the few companies that make 100% certified organic Acai products available to people around the world. This was a huge step in growing Acai’s popularity and introduced it to millions of people who would never have the opportunity to try it otherwise.

In 2006 the University of Florida published an acai cancer study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that claimed Acai berries triggered a self-destruct response in leukemia cells.

The fruit really started gaining momentum in the health food industry when Oprah Winfrey and Rachel Ray (neither specifically endorsed a product) both listed Acai fruit juice as their #1 Superfoods during broadcasts of their shows. When Oprah talks people listen, especially when the product is as amazing as Acai berry juice is.

Acai has become so popular that farmers must work extremely hard to keep up with the high level of demand. It has even been speculated that the immense popularity of Acai is having a huge effect on saving the Rainforests. Whether it be for personal health or saving the environment this small purple berry never ceases to amaze.