Acai Juice Taste Test
If you're a fan of the two hottest talk show hosts as I am, you will no doubt have heard about the acai berry. Oprah and Rachel Ray have both raved bout this new superfood, and as I tend to do, I immediately went out to try it out for myself. Well, I bought my first box of juice, tried it right then and there, and was immediately taken aback. I screwed up my face about as much as if someone had played the 'lemon instead of an orange' trick on me.
How disappointing ... I was so looking forward to trying this great new miracle detoxifier and anti-oxidant, I just couldn't understand how Oprah and Rachel Ray could have hidden the 'what is this bitter weird stuff' facial expression so well. I thought a bit harder, and perhaps we weren't quite on the same page with our juices - admittedly I chose the cheapest box on the shelf, but I had the subconcious belief that for $2.39 / 250ml I would be getting something pretty delectable.
So now that there is the possiblity that not all acai berry juice is created equally, and there could be a flavour discrepancy, I decided that what we needed was a taste test ... organized by myself, and all very official. I was convinced that there WOULE be a palatable acai juice option in my town.
The next day I headed out to find a sufficiently varied selection of acai juices available within walking distance of my house. This task took all morning, and I found there were a wide range of options, ranging from the atual real pure acai berry juice at $80 per litre which you are only supposed to have 2 tablespoons of, and which is very bitter, (I did NOT purchse this by the way, are you kidding?), to various colorfully packaged health drinks with different juices and concentrations of acai berry juice. Here's what I found:
1. Nova Acai made in Brazil. Cost: $2.39 for 250ml/8.4oz. The ingredients listed are purified water, naturally organic acai puree, organic evaporated cane juice, citric acid. Nutritionally 120 calories per container, 3.6g of fat 1.3 of which are saturated (6% of your rec. daily intake) and 39% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
2. O.N.E Amazon Acai made in Brazil. Cost: $3.99 for 330ml/11oz. (Note: I think I saw this exact brand at another store for $2.99) The ingredients listed are 100% natural acai, 100% natural acerola, organic evaporated cane juice, citric acid, guarana extract, xantham gum, and lecithine de soya. Nutritionally 157 calories per container, 3g of fat 1 of which are saturated (5% of your rec. daily intake) and 167% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
3. mySmoothie Superfruit Acai made in Sweden. Cost: $2.79 for 250ml/8.4oz. Contains: apple juice, crushed banana, 11% acai berry, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Nutritionally 150 calories per container, 2.25g of fat .03 of which are saturated (less than 1 % of your rec. daily intake) and 39% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
4. Happy Planet extreme purple made in Canada. Cost: $2.99 for 325ml/11 oz. The ingredients listed are pure apple juice, banana puree, peach puree, acai berry puree, blackberry puree, orange bioflavanoids, green tea powder extract, ascorbic acid and beta carotene. Nutritionally 130 calories per container, 0g of fat .0 of which are saturated (less than 1 % of your rec. daily intake) and 150% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
5. Arthur's Acai plus made in Canada. Cost $3.29 for 325ml/11oz. The ingredients listed are berry puree blend (acai, blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cherry) apple juice, banana puree, pear juice, lemon juice. Nutritionally 230 calories per container, 4.5g of fat, 1g of which are saturated (5 % of your rec. daily intake) and 40% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
The test results were remarkable in their consistency. The testers all seemed to like 3 and dislike 2. The 2 juices that were unanimously disliked were both from Brazil (Nova Acai and O.N.E. Amazon Acai) AND appeared to contain the highest content of acai berry (although Arthur's Acai plus might also have the same content). The comments on these 2 Brazilian juices ranged from "bitter weird taste I can't swallow" to "tastes like mud" to "almost a woodsy aroma but not as pleasant" to "yucky taste and smells awful". There was nothing equivocal about these comments! Although later, a judge cut one of these juices with half orange juice and we all agreed that it was much more palatable.
Of the remaining juices it was agreed that all were tasty and palatable. Two judges thought Happy Planet extreme purple was the best in taste, aroma and texture while mySmoothie superfruit acai got the first place nod from one judge. Interestingly, Arthurs's Acai plus was ranked 2nd best by all 3 judges.
So what to make of these results? The Brazilian juices tested simply can't be drunk without being mixed with another juice and frankly, who needs saturated fat in their juice! Arthur's Acai plus has an excellent flavor but gets a thumbs down for also having saturated fat. I would have to say that Happy Planet extreme purple is the winner of this tasting session with mySmoothie superfruit acai coming in a respectable 2nd place. - 17269
How disappointing ... I was so looking forward to trying this great new miracle detoxifier and anti-oxidant, I just couldn't understand how Oprah and Rachel Ray could have hidden the 'what is this bitter weird stuff' facial expression so well. I thought a bit harder, and perhaps we weren't quite on the same page with our juices - admittedly I chose the cheapest box on the shelf, but I had the subconcious belief that for $2.39 / 250ml I would be getting something pretty delectable.
So now that there is the possiblity that not all acai berry juice is created equally, and there could be a flavour discrepancy, I decided that what we needed was a taste test ... organized by myself, and all very official. I was convinced that there WOULE be a palatable acai juice option in my town.
The next day I headed out to find a sufficiently varied selection of acai juices available within walking distance of my house. This task took all morning, and I found there were a wide range of options, ranging from the atual real pure acai berry juice at $80 per litre which you are only supposed to have 2 tablespoons of, and which is very bitter, (I did NOT purchse this by the way, are you kidding?), to various colorfully packaged health drinks with different juices and concentrations of acai berry juice. Here's what I found:
1. Nova Acai made in Brazil. Cost: $2.39 for 250ml/8.4oz. The ingredients listed are purified water, naturally organic acai puree, organic evaporated cane juice, citric acid. Nutritionally 120 calories per container, 3.6g of fat 1.3 of which are saturated (6% of your rec. daily intake) and 39% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
2. O.N.E Amazon Acai made in Brazil. Cost: $3.99 for 330ml/11oz. (Note: I think I saw this exact brand at another store for $2.99) The ingredients listed are 100% natural acai, 100% natural acerola, organic evaporated cane juice, citric acid, guarana extract, xantham gum, and lecithine de soya. Nutritionally 157 calories per container, 3g of fat 1 of which are saturated (5% of your rec. daily intake) and 167% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
3. mySmoothie Superfruit Acai made in Sweden. Cost: $2.79 for 250ml/8.4oz. Contains: apple juice, crushed banana, 11% acai berry, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Nutritionally 150 calories per container, 2.25g of fat .03 of which are saturated (less than 1 % of your rec. daily intake) and 39% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
4. Happy Planet extreme purple made in Canada. Cost: $2.99 for 325ml/11 oz. The ingredients listed are pure apple juice, banana puree, peach puree, acai berry puree, blackberry puree, orange bioflavanoids, green tea powder extract, ascorbic acid and beta carotene. Nutritionally 130 calories per container, 0g of fat .0 of which are saturated (less than 1 % of your rec. daily intake) and 150% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
5. Arthur's Acai plus made in Canada. Cost $3.29 for 325ml/11oz. The ingredients listed are berry puree blend (acai, blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cherry) apple juice, banana puree, pear juice, lemon juice. Nutritionally 230 calories per container, 4.5g of fat, 1g of which are saturated (5 % of your rec. daily intake) and 40% of rec. daily intake of Vitamin C.
The test results were remarkable in their consistency. The testers all seemed to like 3 and dislike 2. The 2 juices that were unanimously disliked were both from Brazil (Nova Acai and O.N.E. Amazon Acai) AND appeared to contain the highest content of acai berry (although Arthur's Acai plus might also have the same content). The comments on these 2 Brazilian juices ranged from "bitter weird taste I can't swallow" to "tastes like mud" to "almost a woodsy aroma but not as pleasant" to "yucky taste and smells awful". There was nothing equivocal about these comments! Although later, a judge cut one of these juices with half orange juice and we all agreed that it was much more palatable.
Of the remaining juices it was agreed that all were tasty and palatable. Two judges thought Happy Planet extreme purple was the best in taste, aroma and texture while mySmoothie superfruit acai got the first place nod from one judge. Interestingly, Arthurs's Acai plus was ranked 2nd best by all 3 judges.
So what to make of these results? The Brazilian juices tested simply can't be drunk without being mixed with another juice and frankly, who needs saturated fat in their juice! Arthur's Acai plus has an excellent flavor but gets a thumbs down for also having saturated fat. I would have to say that Happy Planet extreme purple is the winner of this tasting session with mySmoothie superfruit acai coming in a respectable 2nd place. - 17269
posted by X - Men at
6:04 AM
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