Açai bowl: what is it and how to prepare the energetic bowl of the moment

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A small fruit similar to blueberry, which is very good for health, is the protagonist of a thick smoothie to be served in a bowl and garnished with lots of healthy and delicious ingredients.

Ready to feel in a New York cafe, in California or on the Miami waterfront? Just a bowl, the shake of a tropical fruit and many delicious (and very healthy) ingredients to decorate and your açai bowl is ready for a rich breakfast or a fresh and light lunch, which follows the trend of the moment. But what is it?

What is açai?

The fundamental ingredient of these bowls – bowl in English – is the açai, a berry from the palm trees of Amazonia to which many health properties are attributed thanks to the fiber content, vitamins (A, B, C, E), salts minerals, phytosterols, antioxidants such as anthocyanins, proteins, metals, and monounsaturated fats.
One of the reasons why the açai bowl is considered a superfood is that it seems to help in slimming diets since it would seem to reduce the feeling of hunger, favor the drainage of liquids and the disposal of toxins, as well as helping intestinal regularity. To date, the scientific literature does not have a concordant opinion on the real value of this tropical fruit and is, therefore, worth the dear, old common sense: there are no miracle foods, to stay healthy and healthy you need to move right, eat healthily, vary often what you bring to the table, rest the right and smile more and more!

How to prepare the açai bowl

The recipe for preparing this delicious bowl is very simple. The first fundamental step is to choose the right bowl: you must like it and put yourself in a good mood, with the right one, neither too wide nor too deep.
Açai berries – small blue fruits similar to blueberries, which are mostly commercially frozen – should be blended with half a banana, a few tablespoons of vegetable milk and possibly honey. For an even richer meal, also add a very cold yogurt (ideally, put it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes). Once you have obtained a thick and smooth cream, pour it into the bowl and … here the fun begins: the arrangement of the toppings. Garnish your açai bowl by arranging the ingredients in an orderly manner – in rows or in concentric circles – or drop them in the rain or find patterns and figures that best satisfy the palate and eyes.
If you want to add even more health virtues to your açai bowl, complete the smoothie with a handful of fresh raw spinach, you won’t taste it, but you’ll fill up on detox foods.

Which topping to choose?

The most traditional trimmings are banana slices, muesli, coconut flakes or chopped nuts, peanut butter, goji berries or other fresh fruit, particularly wild berries.
In reality, the beauty of these delicious small bowls is that they can be composed in their own image and likeness: why not try cocoa beans, cinnamon, pineapple, mango, kiwi, avocado, pollen, chia seeds, spices, and seeds, but even some good dark chocolate?