Açaí Powder is served at many popular chains because it's cheap, shelf stable, and doesn’t need to be frozen. Powder is created when they dry out the açaí berry and grind it down leaving a powder-like substance that can be used to flavor smoothies, bowls or liquids. Anything that isn’t served in its original raw form is inferior and will lose many of its nutrients when it goes through the drying out process. Powders should be used to color and flavor items, not be the star ingredient.

Many ice cream shops are adding açaí flavored soft serve mixes to their lineup up offerings hoping the unsuspecting person will think its “healthy” because it has açaí in it. In reality, it's just açaí flavored ice cream.

This is the most popular offering you will find out there, but also the most deceptive. It's easy to scoop and gets directly shipped from large companies like Sambazon right to the restaurant so it’s easy to manage. This açaí is typically very low quality with very little nutritional value and is laden with sugar. One serving, a 2/3rd cup scoop, has nearly 20 grams of sugar in it. Don’t get us wrong, this product will taste good, but don’t choose this option because you want to eat something “healthy”.

Açaí pulp is typically found in the frozen fruit aisle sold as a 4 pack of 3.5 ounce rectangle frozen packs (Sambazon is the most popular to the consumer). This is the purest most beneficial form of açaí but as you are learning, not all açaí is created equal. There is different levels of açaí pulp available to the consumer, all of which contain different amounts of açaí pulp. Açaí fino is lowest grade which contains at least 8% açaí pulp, açaí medio is the medium grade which contains at least 11% pulp and açaí especial is the highest grade and contains at least 14% grade a açaí pulp. The more açaí pulp, the more superfood benefits you will get. Most company’s don’t offer açaí especial because it is the most expensive açaí out there. However, here at Soho, we only offer Grade A açaí especial.