Even though the acai berry was commonly utilized by the natives of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil for hundreds of years, this valuable fruit was only recently introduced to the rest of the world. It was frequently used by the medicine men in the villages as a treatment for several ailments. The acai berry is usually called “içá-çai”, by the natives, when interpreted means, “fruit that cries”. There is even a legend about the fruit.

A long time ago there lived an Amazon girl named Iaca; she was the daughter of Itaki, who was a chief in an Indian tribe. Now there was a shortage of food so the chief created a rule that all of the newborn children but be killed. Unfortunately, Iaca also had a baby and was forced to abide by the rule, thus causing her to grieve night and day. Then one night, when the moon was full, she heard a child crying. So she stepped out the house only to discover her daughter under a gorgeous palm tree coated in dark purple fruit, and she rushed to hug her child. However, the following morning her lifeless corpse was seen clutching the tree. Itaki commanded the people to pick the fruit and surprisingly enough it eradicated the famine, thus causing the chief to remove his cruel orders. Then he decided to name the fruit in honour of his daughter by reversing her name, can from that day the strange fruit was known as the acai berry.

With the Amazon being the largest rainforest in the world and the acai being grown for the most part in this area, it is easily grown and harvested. Though it is among thousands of different fruits and plants found it the Amazon, it is one of the more prized fruits with its recent discovery of being a great antioxidant and numerous other benefits.

When the acai berry was discovered, tribes throughout the Amazon tested its properties and found out those which are most powerful in today’s society such as lowering bad cholesterol, fighting infection, controlling prostate and even promoting a healthy heart. Not only this, but they also revealed that the berry increased energy and even fought off certain diseases that were plaguing Brazilians such as Staphylococcus and Schistosomosis, a disease transmitted by snails.

Many tribes throughout and around the Amazon have used the acai berry for both medicinal and sustenance purposes. One of the more prominent tribes, the Shuar, have been using the berry for centuries and are known for their traditions of using the berry for medicine. Shuar tribes have a ‘healer’ or medicine man or woman known as ‘uwishin’s who are very knowledgeable about the forest and its secrets. They have learned the different purposes of the plants in the rainforest through experimentation and learning from each other. They’ve even discovered a plant that removes snake venom from the body.

How did a berry so secluded and very little-known become so famous? It started when sufers along the Brazilian beaches started adding it to drinks and smoothies to help boost their energy when surfing. Soon enough, it became a trend and word started to spread. Researchers and scientists heard of it’s energy-sustaining property and immediately took it in for experimentation. It was from then on that they realized the acai berry’s true potential. With many antioxidants, vitamins and soon-to-be-discovered cancer fighting characteristics, the acai berry became more sought-after by not only the populous, but also other scientists across the world.

As popularity had spread, companies had incorporated the berry into dishes in restaurants, smoothies just as the Brazilians used them, and in shakes. Companies requested to start using it in products such as bars and health snacks due to not only it’s energy-boosting property, but also the fact that it contained many vitamins and minerals. Not only this, but more recently the acai berry has been capsulated and sold as a diet supplement in drug stores and pharmacies all across the world. Its complete potential may not have been yet discovered, as the acai berry is a relatively new discovery. Rest assured that in the future it might cause some changes in the way people think and eat, ensuring a healthier society and possibly new, natural drugs to help fight off cancer and illness.