ACAI PALM PLANT CHEMICALS
The Acai fruit liquid, called simply acai or vinho de acai (although it’s not alcoholic or fermented) is not really that nutritious in comparison to many other fruit juices. The nutrient content analyzed is 1-4% protein, 7-11% fats, 25% sugar, 0.05% calcium, 0.033% phosphorous, and 0.0009% iron. It also has some sulphur, traces of vitamin B1 and some vitamin A and E. It also delivers 88 to 265 calories per 100 grams, depending on the preparation method.
The dark purple color of the acai fruit is due to the polyphenolic compounds present. One of the main plant chemicals getting a lot of attention in acai, is a compound called anthocyanin. Anthocyanins are a group of flavonoids widely distributed in plants and lending a red to purple color to fruits like grapes, blackberries, and raspberries. As a well known antioxidant, anthocyanin-rich foods and fruits have been marketed as cancer preventative and anti-aging products. Anthocyanins have also been studied as novel sources of natural food colorings and dyes. The anthocyanin in acai however is highly unstable and degrades easily in the presence of heat, humidity, as well as in the presence of enzyme actions of other chemicals in the Acai Fruit. This makes acai fruit highly perishable; it readily changes in color, taste, and anthocyanin content with even short term (12 hours) refrigerated storage.
In addition to the standard vitamins and minerals found in most fruits, the main plant chemicals in acai fruit include epicatechin, p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, gallic acid, (+)-catechin, protocatechuic acid, ellagic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, cyanidin, and pelaronidin 3-glucoside.
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