The acai nutrition depends greatly on the freshness and quality of the acai and which form of the fruit was analyzed (frozen pulp, juice, powdered supplement, freeze-dried extract, etc.). Brazilian graduate students in agriculture and food science, under the guidance of their mentor, professor Herve Rogez (the world’s leading authority on acai), have done quite a bit of analytical work on the nutritional content of fresh acai fruit. A typical mature cluster of acai fruit weighs just under three and a half pounds and yields about fifteen ounces of juice. The fruit of acai is a rich source of anthocyanins, fiber, enzymes, vitamin E, amino acids, trace minerals, phytosterols, and beneficial fatty acids (twice the content of milk). Because of its complete nutritional profile, acai is considered an excellent energy source. Read more below to find other acai nutrition facts.

Anthocyanins in Acai

As discussed earlier, the main anthocyanins in acai are cyanidin-3-glucoside (C-3-G) and cyanidin-3-rutinoside. However, as many as sixteen other antioxidants known as polyphenols are present in acai fruit pulp. Most of these are probably anthocyanins, which are a type of polyphenol (the active antioxidant in green tea is also a polyphenol). Anthocyanin content was measured in sixty acai samples. The average content was 440 mg/kg of fruit, which means that around 1 percent of the dry matter in acai is made up of these powerful antioxidants. According to other research, acai typically contains 755 to 1,800 mg/kg of anthocyanins. These are very rich quantities oi anthocyanins. Some marketers have claimed that a9ai contains as much as 13,470 mg/kg of anthocyanins, but this figure actually applies to acai’s relative jucara (Euterpe edulis), which itself holds great promise as an antioxidant supplement.

Fatty Acids in Acai

Acai is a good energy source due to its high percentage of fatty acids; quantitatively the main component in acai. Total fats account for more than 50 percent of the dry weight of acai. Acai has an energy value comparable to whole cow’s milk. Acai is especially rich in heart-protective monounsaturated fatty acids. The oil extracted from acai is about 60 percent monounsaturated fat and 13 percent polyunsaturated fat, a composition similar to olive oil. This proportion of fatty acids is considered well-balanced and protective against cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease.

Vitamin E in Acai

One hundred grams (3.5 ounces) of acai juice provide about 7 mg of vitamin E. The pulp contains more than six times as much. This means that acai juice can easily satisfy the body’s requirement for vitamin E. Vitamin E works synergistically with anthocyanins in acai to combat free-radical damage, and to recycle the anthocyanins back to their active form so they can provide heightened antioxidant activity.

Fiber in Acai

Acai is an excellent source of fiber (on average, 25 percent of its dry weight). Fiber is the second largest group of compounds present in acai, after lipids. Fiber plays a critical role in regulating intestinal transit, as well as preventing colon cancer. The recommended daily intake (RDI) for total dietary fibers is 25 grams for adult women and 38 grams for adult men consuming 2,000 calories per day. Consumers of acai easily reach this amount, because 100 grams of acai pulp contains 30 to 35 grams of crude fiber.

Sugar in Acai

The sugar content of acai juice is naturally low, which is one of the reasons the fruit is so perishable. No significant sucrose or fructose is present. Glucose is present, but it only accounts for 1.5 to 6.7 percent of the juice. Most commercially sold acai drinks are sweetened with other juices, or with sugar.

Protein in Acai

Compared to other fruits, acai has a high protein content. One hundred grams of acai (dry weight) contain between 5.7 and 18.2 grams of protein. Assuming a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, this represents about 10 to 33 percent of the RDT for protein for adult men and 12 to 40 percent of the RDI for adult women. The variations in protein content from the published studies are significant and are probably due to the differences in certain palm trees’ ability to make more nitrogen compounds than others under the same growing conditions.

Minerals in Acai

Acai is rich in iron, providing between 1.5 and 5 mg per 3.5 ounces of fruit. Iron from plant sources is not as absorbable as iron from animal sources, and the iron content of acai is certainly not a significant enough source to affect anemia. However, it does represent a substantial portion of the RDI for adults (8 mg per day for men; 18 mg per day for women).

Other nutrients in acai include potassium, the most abundant mineral in acai fruit (990 mg/100 g), balanced with a relatively low amount of sodium (76 mg/100 g). Calcium is the second most abundant mineral in acai (133 to 286 mg/100 g). Magnesium found in fruits comes from the chlorophyll present before maturity. On average, acai is rich in magnesium, providing 178 mg/100 g. Phosphorus (147 mg/100 g), copper (1.4 mg/100 g—a high amount!), manganese, (32.3 mg/100 g), zinc (1.73 mg/100 g), and boron (1.58 mg/100 g) are also present. That will give you and idea of the many vast acai nutrition and nutritional benefits of the acai.