Acai berries are rich in antioxidants and offer full vitamin power. Reason enough to eat them for breakfast, isn't it?
Since US presenter Oprah Winfrey praised the benefits of the acai berry (pronounced: Essai berry) as a slimming and anti-aging "miracle berry" in her show, a worldwide hype has broken out around them. But do acai berries really deliver what they promise? We took a closer look at the little powerhouses and were inspired by English food stars Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley for a breakfast recipe.
Acai berries: Superfood or cheat pack?
Acai berries originate in South America. From Brazil to Panama, they grow on the cabbage palm. The berries consist of 90 percent of seed, only their skin is edible. Therefore, after harvesting, they are seeded, pureed, and then consumed as a smoothie, in breakfast yogurt, or in desserts. Acai berries offer full vitamin power, contain valuable minerals and essential fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acid. They have a satiating effect and boost our metabolism - especially in the morning they get us going!
But it is above all their high antioxidant content that makes the hearts of anti-aging fans beat faster. Antioxidants are free radical scavengers - and they can slow down the aging process. But if you take a closer look, you'll see: Acai berries contain more antioxidants than cranberries and oranges, but they don't outrun local blueberries or sour cherries!
Acai berries have a lot of healthy ingredients, but they are not slimming "miracle berries". They can indeed get our metabolism going. Nevertheless, our body only burns fat when it uses more energy than is supplied to it. Acai berries are nevertheless a very healthy alternative to our local berries and are perfect for a culinary start to the day - breakfast.
The healthiest breakfast recipe in the world
When the temperatures rise and we need something refreshing in the morning, rich purple acai berries are part of the crème de la crème. The Hemsley sisters agree and provide us with the perfect recipe to start the day.
Ingredients and preparation for 2 people
2 tablespoons freeze-dried acai berry powder (available in well-stocked organic stores) 1? 2 frozen banana 1 small avocado 2 tablespoons coconut oil 150 g frozen berries 1 date, pitted 200 ml coconut water or water
Put all the ingredients in a blender or puree them finely with a hand blender. You can then enrich the resulting cream with flax seeds, seasonal berries, or other fruits to your heart's content.
In their book "Hemsley and Hemsley: Naturally Good Food", the two food stars from England present creative recipes for well-being. All recipes are made from natural ingredients, without gluten and industrial sugar. Because what we eat has a direct influence on our well-being.
And that starts with breakfast!