DIY Acai Bowl [hold the sugar]
Call me crazy - but I have never had an acai bowl.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m both a superfood and smoothie lover - but there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to this trendy bowl of sunshine.
With it’s bright colors, fruity flavors, and beautiful presentation, an acai bowl is sure to please your taste buds (and your IG story). And for most, opting for this superfood packed meal is a very wise choice compared to the breakfast burrito or donut they may have chosen otherwise.
But again, there’s more than meets the eyes when it comes to this mysterious bowl of superfoods. And what I mean by MORE - is more sugar, and more portions than you would likely desire in what is expected to be a light and healthy meal. I’ve learned a lot about nutrition over the years and I am proud to say that I am now a certified precision nutrition coach. With everything I have experienced and learned throughout my time studying nutrition, two of MY personal takeaways have been the importance of 1). portion sizing and 2). mindfulness when it comes to sugar intake.
This is not the case for everyone, but for me, high amounts of sugar leave me feeling groggy and sluggish, oftentimes with a headache, and sometimes even hungry again soon after eating.
So when I first saw the acai bowl trends (probably a few years ago), of course I looked into the ingredients and nutrition facts. Here’s some examples of what I found:
Planet Smoothie Acai Bowl (22oz): 61g sugar
Jamba Juice Acai Bowl: 65g Sugar
QWENCH (Downtown LA): 73g sugar
Robek’s Acai Bowl (14oz): 69g sugar
Seeing these high sugar amounts didn’t exactly turn me onto the trend.
UNTIL I discovered something while casually strolling the aisles of Trader Joes mid quarantine with my make shift bandana mask and all - unsweetened, single serve frozen Acai packets.
I checked out the nutrition label and was pleasantly surprised! With good amounts of healthy fat and fiber, acai would be a great, filling addition to my smoothies.
*adds to cart*
Does anyone else feel like they find something new every time they go to TJ’s?
Soon after purchasing, I did a quick google search to learn more about acai (apart from the photo-worthy, sweet bowl). I was impressed by its naturally low sugar content, and was pleased when I found it’s description to be:
a South American palm tree producing small edible blackish-purple berries.
Acai is a berry - and how special that it comes from a palm tree. Berries are undoubtedly my favorite fruit - they are high in antioxidants and fiber, and are lower in sugar than most other fruits (like bananas and some tropical fruits that are sometimes added to acai bowls). It is no wonder that these trendy bowls are often paired with a “superfood” label - berries definitely pack a punch when it comes to nutrients! Okay, now I’m getting hungry - on my way to pull some frozen berries out of the freezer to munch on while I write.
Anyways, today I lost my Acai bowl virginity. And it was to my very own, lower sugar, protein, fiber, and healthy fat packed bowl of goodness.
Here’s how it went:
So My first two ingredients were… DRUM ROLL….
Frozen blueberries and 1 single serve acai packet.
Next I pulled out some of my staple smoothie ingredients: protein powder, coconut milk, avocado, and an alternative sweetener.
A few notes about these ingredients:
I always go for an unsweetened coconut milk (look for no added sugar). I love the SoDelicious brand.
I use plant based protein powder. My favorite for a while now has been Tone it Up’s Coconut flavor - but unfortunately they JUST changed up their formula so I’ll be on the hunt for a new powder - if you have any recs I’d love to hear them!
For my alternative sweetener, I used a monk-fruit and stevia blend from a brand called HighKey.
Here’s the specifics about what went into the blender:
Once all the ingredients were added, I blended until creamy.
The color came out super pretty and the texture light and airy - check out the jiggle (LOL).
FINALLY came the time to add toppings. The first topping, a no-brainer for me, was unsweetened dried coconut. I used dang brand. Then I thought, why not add some more fresh berries? I added on a few raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, along with two large strawberries, sliced thin. Lastly, for a sweet crunch, I added a small handful of my staple snack - Catalina Crunch. It’s low carb and high protein cereal. I used the cinnamon toast flavor here - and it was a killer addition.
It’s safe to say my first acai bowl was a success! I’m actually in love. I’m excited to make more and experiment with more tasty, superfood toppings like nuts, hemp, chia, and flax.
Shout out to TJ’s for this unexpected find. Shout out to superfoods. Shout out to blenders & smoothies.
Cheers!