For those wondering, Acai is a supposed superfood that can give various health and energy boosts to those who consume it. Its origins are in South America and it was eaten by Brazilian farmer communities for hundreds of years as it grew near swamplands. Whilst superfoods are fairly commonplace these days, it could be said that Acai was the original superfood that became massively popular in Brazil during the 1990’s.
Not only this but because of its association with Brazil, it also became popular with BJJ practitioners and as a result, Acai bowls can often be commonly found at BJJ competitions throughout the world. Here, we will explore the origins and history of Acai.
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Acai and the Gracie family
The Gracie family had a large influence in the growth of Acai and have promoted its use ever since they started using it. In brief, they spoke highly of its benefits whilst BJJ was still mostly known in Brazil with less popularity elsewhere. As well, the Gracie diet often features lots of fruits and similar ingredients that can be found in Acai bowls. As Acai is itself a berry, it was lauded by the family and was still not known compared to other fruits such as strawberries and apples. Remember, this was the early 90’s back in Brazil where the internet and spread of information was less common compared to today.
As the Gracie family’s influence rose, so did Acai. It eventually spread to more urban areas of Brazil instead of its more rural beginnings. To this day, various members of the Gracie family will still talk highly about the benefits of Acai and how it is a good part of a healthy lifestyle.
Acai recipes
Although it is harvested as a berry, Acai is typically eaten in the form of a paste. This paste is usually a bright, purple, thick substance which means it’s eaten from a bowl with a spoon. The rest of the recipe is down to the taste of the individual. For instance, typical Acai bowls also contain oats, nuts, chopped bananas, blueberries, cream and peanut butter.
Because of its sweet taste, it’s enjoyed by many and unlike processed sugary foods is still healthy. In brief, it’s up to you with how you want to supplement your Acai bowl.
What are the health benefits of Acai?
Acai is naturally high in carbohydrates and natural fats. It also has some protein too. The main benefit of Acai is that it’s full of fiber and antioxidants. Some scientists say that per berry, it has more antioxidants than most other forms of fruit and can contain up to 10 times more antioxidants than blue berries. Antioxidants are very good for your body in fighting off illnesses and keeping your body healthy. Fiber is also beneficial as it helps flush out toxins from your body too. Because of this, it has also linked with being anti-inflammatory.
Imagine you crave a sugary treat. Instead of having an unhealthy chocolate bar, you could have a bowl of Acai instead which would be equally as sweet but more healthy as a result. This is one of the reasons why it is so popular.
Why is Acai so expensive?
One of the issues with Acai is cost. For instance, a typical bowl may cost around $10 at a competition. As previously mentioned, this bowl may be healthy but $10 for a snack is still expensive, especially if you compare it to a protein bar which would be closer to $2 and is something also used by BJJ practitioners. So, why is Acai so expensive?
One reason for the cost of Acai is supply and demand. It only became popular in Brazil during the 90’s and still hasn’t exploded onto the rest of the world outside of BJJ, unlike avocado for instance which has become more mainstream. Because of this, in many countries actually buying Acai is not cheap, especially when you factor in import costs from South America. Not only this, but Acai cafes and competition stalls will also have to pay for their spot. Let’s face it, most things in BJJ aren’t cheap.
Lastly, when you add to the labor costs such as other ingredients like oats and berries, the cost grows. Whilst it may be cheaper in Brazil, you have to take these factors into account. Let’s face it, Acai is a niche food in most parts of the world, so it still demands a niche price.
Acai contains a lot of sugar
It’s no secret that stuff like orange juice contains lots of sugar. Whilst this is debatable as to how bad or good these sugars are for you – the point still stands. Acai is no different and according to Wikipedia a typical Acai bowl has more than 50g of sugar, the equivalent of 12 table spoons. With this said, it may not be wise to eat Acai daily, but as a treat it is fine.
This is often due to the added ingredients in bowls such as sweeteners. It is important to note that many native Brazilians will eat Acai in a more pure form such as the berry, which typically includes far less sugar. This principle applies to most processed fruits and generally, it’s more healthy to eat them as raw as possible.
Acai health scams
In 2009, the American Federal Trade Commission (FTC) listed Acai scams as number one on their list. This eventually resulted in declining Acai sales over the next few years. Apparently, many companies selling Acai used fake testimonials and sold Acai in supplement form. For instance, one company was ordered to pay $1.5 million in the form of a settlement. Some companies even claimed their supplements prevented colon cancer, which is medically untrue.
Acai memes
As Acai has become a large part of BJJ culture, it has also inherited its fair share of memes. Popular internet sites like Instagram and Reddit often involve Acai memes which are part of the culture. It is also joked that certain Brazilian athletes using steroids are “on the Acai”. Another meme is that athletes bulk up due to “prayers on Acai”, once more poking fun at Brazilian culture.
Final thoughts
Most BJJ people eat Acai because it tastes nice. For those craving a sweet treat, it can be a bit of a novelty, especially when compared to typical candy. Although Acai bowls are high in sugar, they also have benefited from the berries which have been discussed above.
Whilst the ‘superfood’ claim is highly debatable, the fact is that culturally, Acai is linked heavily with BJJ and will probably be staying for a long time. With this said, it’s best to make your own mind up on Acai, for sure, it has some health benefits and is nice to eat, but at the same time, its mystique and benefits are probably overhyped.
Fancy trying Acai for yourself? We’ve found a great deal on organic Acai, so it’s less processed unlike other forms of Acai previously mentioned in this article.
