In this article, we will explore two popular forms of this Amazonian superfruit: frozen pulp and açai powder. With the valuable help of Julie Lioré, an independent science writer, we will discover the nutritional differences and benefits of each form. Ready to learn more about this superfruit with its many benefits?
Which açai should you choose?
Açai: powder or frozen pulp?
Açai is a superfruit native to the Amazon. In Brazilian markets, it is mainly found in two forms:
- Frozen pulp, which offers a perfect and delicious texture once blended.
- Açai powder, obtained by grinding and cold-drying the fruit.
Nutrition insight
Researchers, including Anthony Fardet of INRAE (Human Nutrition Unit), have reported that two foods with exactly the same composition do not have the same impact on the body, and by extension on health, when they have a different matrix.
By matrix, we mean “the complex interaction or assembly between the different constituents”, namely, the nutrients in a food (water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.).
Within this matrix, the various compounds assembled together provide health benefits, particularly through their synergistic and complementary action, as well as optimized metabolic activity (digestion and nutrient absorption).
Açai’s benefits depend on how it is processed
As for açai berries, which are rich in fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, manganese, and copper, the interaction between these various bioactive compounds is only slightly disrupted, and the matrix is only minimally altered, when the berries are processed into pulp. The additional processing required to turn the pulp into powder has a much greater impact on this interaction. In this case, the matrix is severely degraded, the synergistic effect is reduced, the nutrients become disconnected from one another, and the health benefits are diminished.
Açai, rich in fiber
The fiber, having also been broken down, does not provide the same feeling of satiety as when it remains intact, which can lead to eating more than necessary.
Açai, a source of nutrients
Furthermore, the structure of the food matrix plays an essential role in the bioavailability of nutrients. They can then have a higher-quality metabolic effect, providing the body with what it needs.
If the matrix is preserved, the various nutrients interact with one another during the nutrient absorption process. Chewing and digestion serve, in fact, to break down food matrices. Thus, foods whose matrix has been degraded before consumption tend to disrupt these processes.
These are the reasons why frozen açai pulp remains a much better option if you want to enjoy the major health benefits of açai berries!
A creamier, higher-quality açai bowl!
Powder maximizes açai’s contact with air and oxygen, considerably accelerating its oxidation. The taste becomes rancid and the color turns brown as the polyphenols degrade.
Furthermore, it is impossible to recreate the creamy texture of a Brazilian açai bowl with powder. It does not allow the lipids present in açai to emulsify. The texture achieved in a blender is much creamier with açai pulp. So, when making your açai bowls, we recommend using frozen açai pulp!
Based on an article by Julie Lioré, independent science writer