Açaí Powder vs Frozen Açaí

Slofoodgroup Team August 08, 2022

We are big proponents of the “fresh is best” mentality when it comes to most of our culinary excursions, but fresh isn’t always possible for every ingredient. Due to seasonality, required travel time, and other factors beyond the control of humankind, there will be many times when you need to opt for preserved versions of a specific ingredient.

Unless you live in Brazil or surrounding Amazonian regions, açaí is absolutely one of those ingredients. Preservation comes in many forms though, so you’ll need to determine how you want to incorporate that deep açaí taste and all of the beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants into your dish, beverage, or other application.

Is Frozen or Freeze-Dried Açaí Powder Better?

The most common types of preserved açaí are frozen—typically as a puree rather than in whole form—and freeze-dried powders. Only you can determine which one will be best for your designated use but we’ve answered the most frequently asked questions to help you make that decision.

Is frozen açaí pulp or açaí powder more nutritious?

We love the taste of açaí, but most folks choose to incorporate açaí into their diets solely based on the nutritional value.  Açaí is commonly known as one of the world’s top superfoods. That said, the beneficial omega fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidants begin to deteriorate quickly once these drupes are harvested and since they are primarily grown on the banks of the Amazon, the rest of the world would miss out on such benefits if they were not preserved immediately, but which preserved version boasts the higher nutritional content?

Açaí powder is pure açaí pulp, but with all moisture removed—meaning, it is incredibly nutrient-dense, much more so than the frozen purées, which contain the pulp of the açaí, juices and all. The juice of açaí is not void of nutrition, but it does contain water, diluting the fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. So pound-for-pound, the açaí in powder-form contains far more beneficial properties than the frozen counterpart.

Is there a difference in flavor between dried açaí powder and frozen açaí? 

While both versions of preserved açaí fruit do maintain the unique açaí flavor in their preservation process, some of the sweetness does escape when the liquid is extracted. So with the freeze-dried version of açaí, although that earthy, cacaoesque flavor remains, it might be more savory than expected from a fruit.

That said, açaí is not an intensely sweet fruit to begin with. It has been traditionally sweetened separately using guarana syrup and more recently, maple syrup, coconut nectar, or agave syrup. We actually prefer unsweetened açaí powder in most instances because we have more control over sweetness and flavor adjustments, but some folks swear by the frozen variety for their bowls. 

The choice is yours and entirely subjective.