Fresh açaí has been consumed as a dietary staple in the region around the
Amazon river delta for centuries. The fruit is processed into pulp for
supply to food product manufacturers or retailers, sold as frozen pulp,
juice, or an ingredient in various products from beverages, including
grain alcohol, smoothies, foods, cosmetics and supplements. In Brazil, it
is commonly eaten as açaí na tigela.
In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the
Brazilian Amazon, açaí palm was described as the most
important plant species because the fruit makes up a major component of
their diet, up to 42% of the total food intake by weight.
