Acai Smoothie Bowl

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Acai Smoothie Bowl

Yield: 1

Author: Danielle Mach

Ingredients

• 1 Trader Joe’s packet of Acai Puree, frozen
• ½ cup mixed berries, frozen
• ½ banana, frozen
• 1 cup Fairlife milk or vanilla almond milk
• 1.5 Tbsp almond butter

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add to a bowl and top with anything you like. I did 1 banana sliced, some fresh blueberries, shredded coconut, chia seeds, cinnamon and agave

Notes

Equipment needed 

• Blender 
• Measuring cups and spoons

Nutrition Facts

Calories

553

Fat

26 g

Sat. Fat

5.5 g

Carbs

69 g

Protein

22 g

Potassium = 1258mg 

Calcium = 516mg 

Iron = 3mg 

Vitamin C = 12mg

Do you ever wonder why acai smoothie bowls became so popular or if they’re really some kind of miracle berry with the way they are marketed?

I’ve wondered this ever since I visited San Diego for a conference back in 2014 when I first was introduced to the “acai bowl.” My first thought was "what the heck is acai?” and then “why is it being marketed as some kind of miracle berry?” Along with the very popular “how do you pronounce it correctly? Is it ah-sai-ee or a-keye?” 

To clear the air a bit, acai (pronounced Ah-sai-ee) is a berry that has become very popular in the health world most regularly used in the form of smoothie bowls. This berry has been touted for its high antioxidant values due to the darkness of the berry however the scientific evidence is still weak to fully support the nutritional benefits that are reported. So what’s so great about this smoothie bowl and why did I choose to share this recipe with you? 

My purpose in creating a recipe such as this is to approach it like a new adventure! I saw the frozen acai puree packets in Trader Joe’s and was curious about them so I bought it to experiment with in my kitchen. I was excited to take my taste buds on a new sensory journey while using this product and getting creative with other ingredients to pair with it. I recipe tested to my heart’s desire until I landed on a recipe that fed my soul. I hope that those who try this smoothie bowl will have a similar experience although we are all different so it’s understandable if this flavor profile does not suit you. I highly encourage you to find a flavor combination that does create an experience that feeds your inner soul. 

Overall, even though there is no solid research that can strongly verify the acai berries nutritional benefits, there is some preliminary research showcasing the potential for this berry to have beneficial nutritional effects but research is lacking. Bottom line, this is not a “miracle” berry that you should be having all the time to better your health however it can be a fun way to add a new flavor profile to your smoothie every once in a while as it still provides some nutrients and antioxidants similar to other berries such as blackberries and blueberries as long as you are consuming the food form. There is poor regulation on acai supplements and no known benefit from consuming acai in supplemental form. Nutritional benefits are stronger when eaten through whole food products.