an extremely popular suco in rio, and now world wide, is made from the berry of the açai palm, native to the rain forests of the brazilian tropics and amazon.

the dark purple berry, harvested mostly by hand and pressed into juice or refined into a powder, is recognized as a 'superfood', containing a vast quantity of antioxidants and health-promoting nutrients.     in popular lore, it is said to encourage weight loss, give an energy boost and even aid in sexual potency and stamina.