- You've heard of Superfoods, but…Superfruits?
- Not every fruit qualifies. Those deemed "super" by
- nutrition scientists are packed with antioxidants,
- fiber, vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients
- that can help you live longer, look better, and
- even prevent disease.
- Best of all, most are widely available, even
- at your local grocery store, promises Keri
- Glassman, R.D., founder of NutritiousLifeMeals.com
- and author of Slim Calm Sexy Diet. One caveat:
- Superfruits are best consumed whole, not
- processed. So if possible, try to buy and eat
- these fruits fresh. Experts estimate that you
- should be eating five to nine portions of fruit or
- vegetables a day, and most of them should be
- Superfruits.
- Blackberries
- These tart and tasty gems rank in the top 10
- for antioxidant power,
- according to the USDA, and they are
- specifically rich in polyphenols, the
- same family of antioxidants found in green
- tea, which may help prevent
- cardiovascular disease, cancers, and
- osteoporosis. Blackberries are also
- number one for fiber: One cup delivers
- one-third of your daily target of 25 to
- 35 grams a day.
- Apples
- Surprise! America's favorite fruit is a
- secret Superfruit, thanks in part to its
- red or green color. Apples are a great fiber
- source, but the skin contains
- quercetin, an antioxidant that packs
- antihistamine and anti-inflammatory
- power, and therefore may help protect you
- from heart disease and possibly
- allergic reactions. A study from St.
- George's Hospital Medical School in
- London found that people who eat five or
- more apples a week have better
- lung function than those who don't. So slip
- an apple into your lunch bag today.
- Cantaloupe
- Consider cantaloupe your secret weapon for
- smooth, younger-looking skin.
- It gets its Superfruit status thanks to
- Vitamin A and its derivatives, which
- boosts cell reproduction, making it a
- natural exfoliator, according to
- Glassman.
- Açaí Berries
- Açaí actually deserves some of the hype it
- gets, thanks to weapons grade
- antioxidant levels that clobber other
- Superfruit rivals like blackberries,
- strawberries, and blueberries. However,
- because this tiny berry hails from
- Brazil, it's not easy to find fresh. "I
- recommend powdered açaí berry, which
- can be added into a smoothie," says
- Glassman. "Not only is this an easy
- way to get super fruits into your diet, but
- it also helps mask the tart,
- sometimes bitter taste."
- Blueberries
- Your go-to Superfruit for brain function and
- memory. Several studies link
- high flavonoid levels in blueberries with a
- better memory, and regular
- consumption may help keep your brain
- functioning well as you age, new
- research suggests. One study found that
- women with the highest intake of
- berries appeared to have a delay in
- cognitive aging by a whopping 2.5
- years. Blueberries are also rich in
- manganese, which plays an important
- role in your metabolism, which can help keep
- you slim and energized.
- Bananas
- Ever grab a snack but then feel hungry again
- 20 minutes later? Next time,
- reach for a banana. This Superfruit is
- loaded with potassium, which can
- lower your blood pressure, and is one of the
- best sources of Resistant
- Starch, a healthy carb that fills you up and
- helps to boost your metabolism.
- Cherries
- Cherries are one of Glassman's unsung heroes
- of the Superfruit world.
- They owe their deep red color to an
- antioxidant called anthocyanin, which
- can reduce inflammation and lower
- triglyceride and cholesterol levels. In a
- recent study, University of Michigan
- researchers found that giving cherries
- to lab rats reduced two common markers of
- blood vessel inflammation by
- up to 50%. The cherry eaters also gained
- less weight and experienced big
- drops in cholesterol.
- Citrus Fruits
- All citrus, from limes to tangerines, are
- chock-full of vitamin C, fiber, and
- small amounts of other nutrients and
- disease-fighting chemicals. It's the C
- that makes citrus a Superfruit, says
- Glassman, because this vitamin
- counters the effects of sun damage,
- regulates oils glands, and can even
- prevent age spots.
- Cranberries
- These tart little berries are Superfruits,
- but especially for women. They may
- prevent urinary-tract infections, and might
- help fight a far scarier disease:
- ovarian cancer. According to a new Rutgers
- University study, cranberries
- can boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy
- drugs used to fight ovarian
- cancer (at least in laboratory culture
- dishes) and may slow the growth of
- some cancer cells. Another study found that
- people who drink a glass of
- unsweetened cranberry juice each day raise
- their HDL, or good cholesterol,
- by 10%.
- Dragon Fruit
- The name and vibrant color of this fruit's
- skin tell you that it's something
- special, even though the taste is actually
- quite mild. Four years ago,
- researchers from Malaysia's Universiti Putra
- analyzed the seeds and found
- there to be a bounty of essential fatty
- acids, which we need but can't be
- made by our body. In fact, 50% of the seeds
- were made up of an essential
- fatty acid, oleic acid, which helps lower
- bad cholesterol and raise good
- cholesterol. While this Superfruit is grown
- mainly in Asia, you might be able
- to find one at your local Chinatown or
- farmer's market.
- Grapes
- What makes grapes a Superfruit? A powerful
- antioxidant called resveratrol,
- which promotes a healthy heart. Researchers
- have also found that
- compounds found in grape seed extract seem
- to help slow Alzheimer's
- disease (at least in mice) and can clobber
- head and neck cancer cells
- grown in the laboratory. Oh, and forget
- bleaching your teeth. "The malic acid
- in grapes naturally breaks down stains and
- discolorations on teeth," says
- Elisa Mello, DDS, assistant clinical
- professor at New York University. Snack
- on grapes that are just ripe, because the
- acid declines as the fruit ripens.
- Grapefruit
- Remember The Grapefruit Diet? Grapefruit is
- a Superfruit, but more for your
- heart than your weight. A grapefruit a
- day—particularly the ruby variety—can
- help keep heart disease at bay by lowering
- cholesterol, according to
- several studies. The redder your fruit the
- better; they contain higher levels of
- antioxidants.
- Kiwi
- If you've got digestive gripes, then kiwi is
- your Superfuit. In one study, 41
- people who had irritable bowel syndrome
- (IBS) consumed two kiwis a day
- for six weeks and reported a reduction of
- symptoms compared to those
- who didn't. One theory: Kiwi, especially the
- skin, is high in fiber and pre-
- biotic complex carbohydrates.
- Oranges
- If you manage to eat just one medium orange,
- then you'll already have your
- reached recommended daily intake of vitamin
- C, which keeps your immune
- system humming. This familiar sweet fruit is
- also a great source of fiber,
- potassium, calcium, folate, and other B
- vitamins, so take one with your
- everywhere you go.
- Plums
- Plums are yum—and they may help keep anxiety
- at bay. Plums contain an
- antioxidant called chlorogenic acid, which,
- according to French
- researchers, is linked to decrease in
- anxiety-related behaviors in mice.
- Pomegranate
- Pomegranates deserve their Superfruit
- status. The juice from this
- gorgeous fruit beat red wine to win first
- place in a list of beverages ranked
- by antioxidant levels in a University of
- California, Los Angeles study.
- However, if you are set on fresh pomegranate
- over juice, wait for winter; the
- fruit is at its best between September and
- February.
- Strawberries
- Strawberries are bursting with vitamin C;
- just a cup full and you've already
- reached your recommended daily intake. They
- are also an excellent source
- of folic acid, which can help protect your
- heart. Easiest of all, they whiten
- your teeth naturally! Crush a strawberry to
- a pulp, then mix with baking
- soda until blended. Spread the mixture onto
- your teeth and leave on for 5
- minutes. Reapply once a week.
- Avocados
- Yup, these are a Superfruit (remember,
- fruits have seeds, vegetables
- don't). Packed with monounsaturated fat and
- fatty acids, avocados can help
- lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels while
- raising the amount of good
- cholesterol in your body. The healthy fats
- in avocados also promote the
- absorption of other carotenoids—especially
- beta-carotene and lycopene—
- which are essential for heart health.
- Tomatoes
- The tomato pretty much tops our list of
- Superfruits (even though some
- people still think it's a vegetable).
- Tomatoes pack a sought-after antioxidant
- called lycopene, which is rarely found in
- other Superfruits, and they're high
- in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, and
- super-low in calories.
- Papayas
- Summer colds are the worst, so have some
- papaya! This tropical fruit is
- bursting with vitamin C – just one cup gives
- you more than you need each
- day. On top of this, papaya is also a good
- source of vitamins A and E, two
- powerful antioxidants that may help protect
- against heart disease and
- colon cancer.
- Raspberries
- Fiber is not something that these berries
- are lacking; just half a cup would
- give you 4 grams. You'd also get 25% of your
- recommended intake for
- vitamin C and manganese too!
- Pumpkin & Pumpkin Seeds
- Yes pumpkin is actually a fruit! This squash
- is overflowing with beta-
- carotene, which combined with potassium may
- help to prevent high blood
- pressure. If making homemade pumpkin pie is
- too much trouble, try
- tossing the seeds into salads, soups, etc.
- Watermelon
- Watermelon is packed with lycopene; in fact
- just one cup of the stuff has
- more than twice as much compared to fresh
- tomato. At just 40 calories
- per cup, it's also a source of vitamins A
- and C. You needn't limit yourself
- to eating watermelon alone; grill and then
- toss with feta and fresh mint.
- Pineapple
- Not only does pineapple add juicy sweetness
- to your meals but it also
- contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that
- helps break down food to
- reduce bloating.