An Introduction to Acai Berry Plant
Acai berry is the fruit of Acai palm tree that is extensively planted in the countries of South America. The fruit is originated in Portugal. The Acai fruit is known for its extremely high nutritional value and water content. The fruit is also rich in fibrous content. Due to these qualities, the demand for this fruit has been increased all over the world. There are many other species in the fruit’s family, and they are considered to be natives in the countries of Central America and South America. Furthermore, it is estimated that there are eight species of the Acai palm plant that contain important scientific and medical values.
The plant is usually planted in the marshy plains and swamps. The plant flourishes well in the flood plains of countries in Peru, Portugal and Brazil. Therefore it is no surprise that these countries are the biggest producers and exporters of Acai berry. The berry tree is tall and its stem is thin. The main trunk of the plant can reach the height of around 15 to 30 meters, and large leaves, stems and fruit can be found high in the crown of the tree. The leaves of the plant are pinnate in shape, just like those of the coconut tree. The leaf of a mature plant can measure up to 3 meters in length.
The fruit of Acai berry is a blackish purple color. It is round and small. The circumference of the fruit is around 25 millimeters. It may look like a grape on the outside, but in the inside, its texture is different from that of a grape; it is also less pulpy and less juicy. Usually the fruit grows in a large bunches on the top branches of the acai tree. There can be as few as 500 or as many as 900 fruit growing at the same time on the panicles of the tree. Depending on the kind of acai plant the appearance of the fruit also varies.
In some plants the exocarp of the acai berry is purple in color while in another the exocarp is in green color. Internally the fruit has a pulpy texture and there is a single large seed in the middle of the fruit. The seed is large, and it is also hard in texture. On average the size of the seed is within the range of 7 to 10 mm in diameter. A single fruit tree can produced Acai berry for two times a year, therefore it can be harvested twice a year.
The fruit of acai plant makes up the major portion of the diet of the Brazilian population; approximately half of their diet constitutes acai berry. According to estimation, 42 % of the diet of an ordinary Brazilian people consists of acai berry fruit. There are many ways to eat the fruit. Sometimes it is eaten raw, but in most cases, it is used to produce a kind of pulpy juice in the gourds and serve as a drink. In the Northern areas of Brazil, this drink is offered in the gourds and is called Cuias.
The fruit is consumed in its native countries in various forms; sometimes it is produced and marketed in the form of beverages. Presently there are more than a half dozen of brands in the business of producing products with the Acai berry fruit. Nowadays, apart from the natural vegetation of the acai plant, there are many other ways of growing the plant under controlled conditions. The development has enabled the production and growing of the acai plants in areas outside the native regions. However, normally, to grow Acai berry trees on large scale in areas outside the native regions, one would need to obtain a certification first, it is required to ensure the fair and legal plantation of the acai plant.
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