Subscribe to Fig Weekly

Fig Weekly is your digital guide to all things Lancaster. Every Thursday, you’ll receive fresh content including local stories, special features, upcoming events, and city insights, delivered directly to your inbox.

Suggest an Event

The online Fig calendar is a curated list of community events happening in Downtown Lancaster.

  • Contact Us

  • Search

    Oola Bowl’s 5 Favorite Benefits of Açai

    Ever since Oola Bowls hit the Lancaster food scene in Spring of 2018, the word “açai” has been the talk of the town and the star of our hungry, mid-afternoon daydreams. Açai (pronounced “ah-sah-EE”) are delicious purple berries harvested from açai palm trees which grow in South American rainforests. Oola Bowls uses this powerful fruit to create bowls that pack a punch of flavor and a generous scoop of nutrition! 

    An array of Oola’s ingredients, with frosty açai sorbet making up the base of the bowl.

    We always knew açai was a superfood, but we weren’t sure how super this food actually was until we sat down with Brock Snider, co-founder of Oola Bowls, to explore the benefits of açai and the good it can do for your health.  We listed out some of the fabulous benefits of açai below so you can start reading up on its amazing superfood powers and nutritional value!

     

    You’ll Fill Up on Antioxidants and Vitamins: 

    Oola Bowls are filled with a delicious (and customizable) blend of healthy fruits and grains, but the main star is the açai puree. Açai can have six times the amount of antioxidants than that of other fruits. 

     

    Pro tip: Get the most out of your Oola Bowl by going off the menu and creating your own mix of toppings. You can even request specific ingredients that aren’t listed on their menu but are featured in some of their seasonal bowls. It never hurts to ask!

    Get all the essentials:

    Açai is packed with vitamins C, A, E, B1, B2, B3, and amino acids that your body needs to help promote muscle performance, energy levels, and strength. All of these vitamins are crucial to bone health, energy levels, and healthy skin and eyesight. 

     

    It will keep things moving:

    Açai is high in fiber which aids in digestion and keeps things working smoothly. Fiber is also crucial in keeping you feeling fuller longer, lowering cholesterol levels, and helping to control blood sugar level spikes. 

     

    You’ll wake up with more energy:

    Start your day off focusing on wellness and flavor! Oola Bowls are a healthy but still scrumptious alternative to sugary or packaged breakfast foods. Those nutrient-dense açai berries can relieve fatigue and give you a perk up with their high levels of B vitamins. 

     

    It curbs your appetite with all natural sugar:

    The recipe for the organic açai sorbet that Oola Bowls uses is a secret! All we know is that their açai sorbet is not mixed with almond milk, added sugar, or any other filler.  Another fun fact; Brock’s grandmother is the talent behind the granola in the Oola Bowls that sport all natural sugar and other ingredients that keep you feeling fuller, longer. The natural sugars found in Oola Bowls actually have offsetting benefits that can help prevent a blood sugar spike.

    Topping off the açai with fruit, granola, chia seeds, and honey!

    Thought you could only get your Oola fix at Central Market or by catching their food truck? Think again! Oola Bowls has opened up a brand new location on Fruitville Pike in Lancaster Marketplace. Their new place, which Brock also calls their “creative factory,” offers tons of space and a prep kitchen that gives them more room to grow. Additionally, you’ll soon be able to find Oola Bowls in Lititz at the ‘Market At The Wilbur’ Hotel and Bistro—a fresh, new marketplace that will house six different restaurants! That location is expected to open later this year.

    Oola's new stand in Lancaster Marketplace.

    Oola Bowls’ care for the community goes beyond their health-conscious ingredients. Outside of providing our community with a healthy alternative to munch on they’re taking care of Lancaster by working with other local businesses like Barrs Produce, Kegel’s Produce, Maplehofe Dairy, Kauffman’s Fruit Farm, and The Restaurant Store.

     

    Grab an Oola Bowl... or two!

    So now you know—next time you pass by Oola, don’t stop yourself from a little indulgence because their bowls are packed with benefits for your health, your body, and the community.