| rev:text
| - It's a small but gorgeous space, with a few benches on the inside. Acai bowls are the latest health-food craze, and I'm glad a shop opened here in Madison so I could finally see what the hype on Instagram was all about.
It's a little like eating a giant, expensive bowl of ice cream but without the fat, though definitely comparable levels of sugar. It's intended to be "eaten as a meal" which probably helps customers like me justify the price to themselves, but I wish they'd be upfront that this is clearly dessert based on some tropical berry. There's likely way more fiber and vitamin C in here than in ice cream though, so I guess there's that.
Unfortunately, while marketed as a "super food," a quick search will tell you this isn't an FDA approved statement, and there is no scientific evidence that the acai berry has more antioxidants than say pomegranate juice or red wine. It was a little alarming how delicious my bowl was, given that the acai berry isn't naturally sweet. I could feel my glucose levels spiking after the first few bites and decided to freeze the second half of my bowl (regular size, not large) to finish a day later.
However, if you love the idea of a fruit smoothie you can eat, this is one of few options in Madtown. They also offer fresh pressed juices and smoothies you can drink. I'll come back to see if they have less sweet juice options.
I was also given the option to add protein powder to my bowl, but they don't currently know how much protein is in the bowl on its own, and are "working with a nutritionist" for that information. For people tracking their macros/protein intake, likely those who want that added protein, not knowing how much is in the stand-alone product is a little disappointing.
Service? WITH A SMILE! Presentation? INSTAGRAMMABLE! Healthy? NICE TRY!
|