A typical acai bowl contains puréed berries

and lots of fruit.

^{Courtesy photo}

If Oprah calls something a “superfood,” it must be good. A couple years ago, the television host talked on her show about a berry that not many people had heard of yet. Because of its astounding amounts of antioxidants, açai, the fruit of a palm tree native to Brazil, has been advertised as helping immune systems, boosting energy levels, fighting signs of aging and even assisting in weight loss.

Many smoothie bars and cafés in San Diego began making açai bowls, the base of which is açai puree mixed with either soymilk or apple juice. Granola and various fruits, such as sliced banana and fresh strawberries, are then added. Different cafés have slightly different toppings, but each advertises the açai bowl as very nutritious.

A poster in O.B. Smoothie Bar & Subs in Ocean Beach boasts of açai’s high Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity score. This means that açai fights off more free radicals (harmful molecules found everywhere in the environment) than other high-antioxidant foods like blueberries and pomegranates. The Rum Jungle Café’s website boasts their açai bowl as “a perfect healthy choice” due to the amount of antioxidants in açai, nearly 30 times that of blueberries.

Lately, there has been debate about how healthy açai berries really are. Many distributors of açai-based products promise results that they do not have adequate research to prove. It turns out that there is not scientific proof that açai helps with weight loss, anti-aging, or countless other things that some have claimed it to be the miracle cure for.

Although this berry may not be a miracle worker, there is no debate about the fact that it is healthy. Açai is an excellent source of antioxidants and a tasty way to get one of your daily servings of fruit.

Even though they may not have all of the healthful qualities that some originally thought, açai bowls are still a big market in San Diego. Dozens of places all over San Diego County sell them, and they are generally one of the best-selling items on the menu. If you are in the mood for a healthy snack, here are some places in San Diego that specialize in açai bowls:

• O.B. Smoothie Bar & Subs (5001 Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach) They will substitute pineapple or mango for the usual bananas, strawberries, and blueberries.

• San Diego Blenders (6663 El Cajon Boulevard, Rolando) Sells its own variation of the classic açai bowl called the “Brazilian Bowl.”

• Rum Jungle Café (4150 Mission Boulevard, Pacific Beach) Home of the original açai bowl.

• The Big Squeeze (1826 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach) Sells two sizes, 16 ounce and 24 ounce, so you can go for a snack or a meal.

• Robeks Juice (8750 Genesee Avenue, University City) Additional locations in San Diego, use the website’s location finder to find one near you.

• Chronic Smoothies (841 Turquoise Street, La Jolla) Açai bowls here are a good value: 32 ounces for $5.20. They also contain coconut.