FOOD NEWS
Here's What's Happening In An Açaí Bowl
By Elaina Friedman
When a morning smoothie isn’t enough to satisfy your cravings for fresh fruit, an açaí bowl is a perfect alternative that’s been a favorite in the U.S. since the early 2000s.
The açaí berry, a so-called superfood that grows on a palm tree native to the Brazilian Amazon, serves as the vibrant, purple base of this elevated smoothie bowl.
Its tart, earthy flavor is usually tempered by other fresh or frozen fruits before it’s blended into a consistency thicker than a smoothie and topped with nutritious add-ins.
Fresh berries and sliced fruit such as strawberries, bananas, and mango might be flanked by nuts, seeds, and coconut flakes. Açaí bowl chains let you choose your own toppings.
For instance, Frutta Bowls’ build-your-own-bowl option includes one of two granolas, three fruits, and two extra toppings, such as cacao nibs and hemp seeds.
There aren’t fresh açaí berries in American supermarkets since they’re highly perishable and hard to grow outside Brazil. They’re pitted, pulped, puréed, and shipped abroad.