This small, nutritious fruit has many interesting, unknown facts. Want to learn more about the wonders of acai berry? Read on!

Acai berry is eaten almost daily by the people of Brazil, and is a common breakfast food.
  •  The first nutritional studies of acai berry were performed in the 1930s and 1940s. Often of French and Portuguese origin, the studies focused on the major vitamin and mineral content in acai.

  •  The western world did not learn of Acai berry benefits until the 1990s.

  •  Acai berries cannot be eaten in their original form (in which they are plucked). Acai must be properly harvested and processed before consumption.

  •  The berries must be hand picked. They are produced in clusters of up to 900 fruits per branch.

  •  The acai palm is not only useful for its berries; palm hearts can be used for food, and the leaves can be made into mats, baskets, hats, and wood.

  •  “Acai preto” is the most desired form of acai liquid, and is purple in color.

  •  A majority of modern recipes from the Amazon include acai pulp mixed with guarana seeds. This concoction produces the same effect as caffeine, and is famous for mental clarity and stamina benefits.

  •  Acai grows primarily along flood plains, rivers, and swamps in the Amazon.

  •  About 80 percent of acai berry is comprised of seeds. After they are removed from the pulp and skin, the seeds are used as food for livestock.

  •  Most that have tasted acai find it to be scrumptious. It is described as having a very unique flavor, that of berry and chocolate mixture.

  •  Because of the high fat content of acai, the health benefits are only useful for approximately 24 hours. Any longer than that, and the fruit will become rancid.

  •  A study conducted by the University of Florida in 2006 showed that the antioxidants present in acai berry could induce apoptosis (rapid death) of leukemia cells.