I love açaí! I could eat an açaí bowl everyday! It is my favorite pre and post workout food. It is also one of my favorite snacks to eat while I hang out with my friends. My love for açaí is an old one. I have been enjoying açaí since I was a little kid back in Brasil. My favorite Sunday morning routine was to go to the park with my parents and brothers, and play all morning. We played soccer, rode bikes, and read comic books under the tree. Then we walked to the fruit stand in front of the park to drink fresh coconut water and eat an açaí bowl. It was my perfect Sunday morning!
Since then açaí has always being my desired choice of meal, food and snack (I know I shouldn’t substitute an açaí bowl for a meal, but it’s so good!). Once I moved to Hawaii in 2006, I couldn’t find açaí anywhere. I always thought that if someone had the idea of bringing this delicious Brazilian berry to Hawaii it would be a huge success. And that was it! The next year, some company started importing açaí from Brasil and a few places started selling açaí bowls in Hawaii. Today we can find açaí everywhere! Lucky me! So I have been trying açaí bowls from various places in Hawaii. I have to say that the açaí in Hawaii is different from the açaí bowl in Brasil, because, here in Hawaii, they add local ingredients and flavors. But they are delicious too!
What is açaí?
Is a dark purple berry founded on a type of palm tree that is native to the Amazon Rainforest in Brasil.
The benefits?
Because açaí berry is rich in antioxidants, amino acids and omega fatty acids it helps to slow our body’s aging process by boosting our immune and metabolic function and removing destructive free radicals from our bodies.
In sum..
Açaí keep us young!
Few of my favorite açaí places on Oahu:
place |
cost |
why I love it? |
where |
Lanikai Juice |
$7.99 (Acai Colada *) | it’s a tropical açai bowl, in which they add coconut milk and pieces of pineapple. So yummy! | Various locations (Kahala, Kailua, Haleiwa, Kaka’ako, Waikiki) |
Blue Hawaii Lifestyle |
$8.35 (Acai with Jasmine *) | it’s light and refreshing, and the hint of the jasmine tea is delicious. | Ala Moana Mall, Honolulu |
Pupukea Grill |
$7.95 | it’s super thick just like the açai bowl in Brasil, and you can eat while you look at the ocean. | 59-680 Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa (look for the blue food truck) |
Diamond Head Cove Health Bar |
$12.50 (Deluxe Hawaiian Bowl *) | someone had the genius idea of adding bee pollen and pa’i’ai (poi without water) on top of the acai! OMG is so so good! | 3045 Monsarrat Ave #5, Honolulu |
Bogart’s Cafe |
$9.05 | the acai is thick and with the perfect amount of topping & sweetness. | 3045 Monsarrat Ave, Honolulu |
(*) They all have other delicious options of açai bowls, but those are my favorites!
Let’s go have an açai bowl?
Mariane