Today we have so many options when it comes to fruit.

Gone are the days of apples, bananas and oranges.

We now have fruits designated as superfruits, however, “what is a super fruit?” and “what makes that fruit super?”

In reality, this term can be used as a marketing and advertising gimmick so you want to make sure you understand a few points.

Here are a few things that you should know about superfruits:

– Superfruit is a general term and could be used by anyone

– Superfruit usually means there are unique nutrients in that fruit – When I hear pomegranates I think of ‘anthocyanins’ or when I hear mangosteen fruit I think of ‘xanthones’ or citrus fruits I think of ‘flavonoids’. Each of these nutrients is different so you want to make sure you are getting different

– You should consume many different fruits as opposed to just one –In the same way you may get bored with eating the same thing every meal, your body may get ‘bored’ getting the same nutrients every meal. Mix it up!

Not every fruit qualifies as a superfruit.

The key is that these fruits will be packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals, along with other nutrients that may support your healthy lifestyle.

For example, a pomegranate is known to have anthocyanins while a manogsteen fruit has xanthones.

Both are ‘antioxidants’ but chemically you can see the structures are very different.

Both are good for your health based on the most recent research available.

Take away message: Antioxidants or polyphenols often give different colors to the fruit, vegetable or plant.  By eating different types of fruits and vegetables you can get different types of polyphenols.  In fact this is why it is recommended to eat different ‘colored’ fruits and vegetables.  Each of the colors can provide different types of fruits and vegetables.

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Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD

Dr. Johnson is a tenured associate Professor and licensed Pharmacist at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.

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Categories: Plant Medicine