ACAI (Ah-sigh-ee) Berry Drink

Since I'm on a liquid kick these days, I decided to shake things up a little by trying this SUPERFRUIT drink, manufactured by BOSSA NOVA (which is Portuguese for "new trend"). I tried the Acai juice with mango - it was excellent ! My husband was so pleasantly surprised by the taste (he gave a thumbs down to Dr Oz's drink) that he suggested making a vodka cocktail with it ! Great idea, but not at 7 am in the morning.

Some Facts:

The Acai berry is a deep purple, grape-sized berry, that grows in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil.

It is rich in phytonutrients (biologically active compounds heavily concentrated in the skin of the berry).

It has more than 30 times the antioxidant power of red wine.

It contains omega fatty acids (healthy fats).

It is a rich source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.

And last but not least

The locals in Brazil call this Acai berry the “Viagra of the Amazon"!

OK those are the facts about the Acai berry .... now lets switch focus and talk about the beverage.

First, their labeling is good !! Some real selling points listed...

Taste: Lush, tropical dark berry with a blueberry note.
I concur with this statement.

Superpower: Highest antioxidant fruit.
True and a nice graph included on the bottle to illustrate this point.

Benefit: Reduces free radicals linked to premature aging, heart disease, Alzheimer's and certain cancers; anti-inflammatory benefits; supports recovery after exercise. So I'd guess they've captured the attention of at least 60% of Americans with this selling point.

(Intersting, no mention of it being a good 'mixer'!)

Nutrition Facts (Mango flavor): The first thing to note is that there is 1.2 servings in the bottle and so while they list 90 calories on the label, if you drink the bottle, you'll actually be consuming more calories. It has 18g of sugar (natural sugar found in the fruit), 0 g dietary fiber and some vitamin C and A.

My opinion: It tastes good but it is expensive. I paid $3.29 cents for this 10 fl oz drink! I have to admit, I'd much rather eat my calories than drink them, unless of course its in the form of a cocktail! So, I'm going to keep an eye out for the real deal - the actual Acai berry. I'll keep you posted should I find it - I'm thinking Whole Foods might carry it.