By Leandro Lutz
Many may have heard of the Brazilian purple fruit that is a fever among athletes from around the world, but has anyone in the Nordic skiing community ever tried or made use of this Brazilian exotic fruit?
Açai (pronounced ah-sah-hee) is a palm tree native to the Amazon region and produces a purple fruit widely used in food and beverages such as juices, pulps, ice creams, creams and bowls.
It is considered one of the most powerful anti-aging foods and is a true arsenal of nutrients like vitamins (A, E, D, K, B1, B2, C), minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron), amino acids, antioxidants and essential oils.
Açai has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and other benefits are:
- Strengthens the immune system
- Improves the cardiovascular system
- Provides energy
And what are the benefits and effects of açai for athletes?
We all know that to be a top level athlete just training is not enough. The tripod training, rest and nutrition is fundamental for the training period and also for the competitions.
In that sense, açai is seen as a great choice in healthy eating routine and this exotic fruit helps you regain energy and improve performance.
Açai can be used into the pre or post workout diet. For those who want to maintain high levels of energy, the ideal is to consume in the pre workout to improve the performance in aerobic exercises like Nordic skiing, roller-skiing, running with poles, cycling and also in anaerobic exercises like strength training.
For the post workout, açai can aid in the muscle build, for having a great amount of proteins as well as aid in the recovery of essential nutrients lost during the workout.
And for those who do not know açai, what are the ways of preparation?
Açai is usually used in the form of juice or pulp in the famous bowls. In Brazil it is easy to find the fruit, but for those who live in Europe or the United States, it is possible to find the frozen pulp or even the dehydrated açai powder.
Here are some açai berry recipes to improve your health and fuel your energy for a long skiing workout.
Açai bowl with granola
Ingredients:
200g of açai pulp
100ml guarana syrup
100ml of water
1 banana
1 tablespoon of granola
Preparation:
Blend the açai, guarana and the banana until obtaining a homogeneous consistency, use granola as a topper when it’s done.
Açai with yogurt
Ingredients:
150g of açaí pulp
45ml of guarana syrup
1 banana
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon natural yogurt
Preparation:
Blend all the ingredients until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Açai Smoothie
Ingredients:
250g of açai pulp
1 glass of milk or almond milk or 200g of Greek yogurt
Preparation:
Blend everything together and drink.
For sure açai is a great option for sports nutrition and highly recommended for all kind of athletes and all weather conditions. It is considered a true natural energy fruit, with easy-to-prepare, practical and quick recipes.
Açai, certainly worth a try!
