What can you tell me about the fruit acai?
Acai - pronunciation "ass-a-EE" - is a dark purple, almost black, tropical fruit about the size and shape of a grape. It grows throughout Central and South America, but is probably most consumed in Brazil. The fruit is often considered a sort of "superfood," as it is rich in nutrients (including fats).
The fruit has high antioxidant activity and, as such, is seen as offering a variety of health benefits. Acai is often eaten in Brazil as an "energizer". The taste is quite strong, almost chocolate-like, and very pleasant to most people. It is also popular in juices and as an ice-cream flavor. It is a major food source to some peoples of the
The high fat content makes it deteriorate rapidly after being picked, so even in countries where it is produced locally, one often buys it in packets of frozen pulp.
Acai grows on a special kind of palm tree that can reach heights of nearly 100 feet. Each fruit has a large hard seed inside which makes up about four fifths of the volume, with the edible flesh just being the part outside.
It's not easy to find in the United States as a fruit, but it's not that hard nowadays to find the frozen fruit pulp, or the juice - often mixed with other fruit juices in unspecified ratios.
Dr. Knowledge is written by physicists Stephen Reucroft and John Swain, both of Northeastern University. E-mail questions to drknowledge@globe.com or write Dr. Knowledge, c/o The Boston Globe, PO Box 55819, Boston, MA 02205-5819. 