superfruits3

Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon L.), the only superfruit

with a health claim (but only in France)

[follow the Wikipedia links]

While visiting the grocery store or shopping online,

let's keep 5 things in mind

before buying superfruit products

choose whole foods if possible (processed foods and juices diminish nutrient contents)
buy using color as a guide (richer colors = richer nutrient and phytochemical content)
superfruits have richer contents of dietary (especially prebiotic) fiber and vitamin C (buy foods with edible skins and seeds, and chew them! -- like berries)
buy fruits with good research foundation (consult authoritative sources)
make sure they have freshness and appealing taste to assure continuing use by your family members

Synopsis of what you'll find in this essay

summary from Part 1 about what a superfruit is
4 key nutrients/phytochemicals contained in superfruits -- combined high levels of dietary (prebiotic) fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolics
from Part 2, disease targets possibly affected by these nutrients, with links to medical research abstracts
what is significant scientific agreement?

link to the FDA website displaying health claims for fruits and vegetables

Superfruit is simply a marketing term used by any manufacturer wishing to give its product advertising glow. You won't find this word in any scientific report.

If used under "best possible scientific" definition, it would mean a given fruit has

1. extraordinary nutrient richness and diverse range of nutrients

2. high content of antioxidant phytochemicals (mostly pigments, so the fruit has rich color)

3. sufficient medical research evidence pointing toward eventual proof of human health benefits

4. performance in the market showing that consumer interest is high

5. appealing taste, fragrance and appearance ... or consumers will not be repeat buyers.

** Children's preferences are important market indicators because

there is evidence for increasing favor by children

toward fruits for snacks, click!

These definitions, however, do not help a typical shopper

while choosing products in the grocery store.

Spoon yourself some color!

Let color be your guide for putting superfruits into your diet.

The more color, the better the possible benefit.

What medical research backs up use of

superfruits as healthy for my family?

You won't find the word superfruit in medical literature or in doctor's office literature.

It's a new marketing term started around 2005 and used often in the manufacturing industry for functional foods and nutraceuticals where marketers are trying to create an edge for selling their products.

Read the Wikipedia article on superfruits, click!

Part 3

The Path to Health Claims

If fruits really are "super", shouldn't they be farthest along in the rigorous process that ends with a health claim?

Scientists would want it this way, knowing that years of research and discovery have defined a fruit well enough to qualify it for clinical trials which, upon conclusive results, would demonstrate a fruit (or a fruit component) effective against a specific disease -- earning it health claim status by the FDA.

That whole process is called significant scientific agreement (SSA) which convinces regulatory authorities of confirmation among scientists about health effects of taking a food, supplement or drug.

If you're really into understanding this process, click the link for an extensive FDA document.

Where do superfruits stand in gathering SSA on the path to health claims? Have a look at this table, a subjective summary.

Progress of superfruits toward SSA and health claims

(numbers are ranks from 0 for no progress to 5 for near health claim approval)

Fruit	Basic research status*	Clinical trial status*	Total current SSA*	Projected year of health claim approval
Açaí	1	0	1	> 2018
Blueberry	3	2	3	2014
Cranberry	4	4	4	2013
Red Grape	4	3	4	2012
Goji (wolfberry)	2	0	1	> 2018
Mango	3	0	2	> 2018
Papaya	3	0	2	> 2018
Pomegranate	2	3	3	2013
Seaberry	2	0	1	> 2018

* subjective ranks, 0 = low, 4-5 = high

Summarizing in simple words

blueberry, cranberry, red grape and pomegranate have sufficient SSA and current clinical trial activity to estimate that each will earn a health claim within the next 6 years
all the rest need 10+ years of more research to gain significant scientific agreement before reaching health claim evaluation

Meanwhile, there are hints from granted FDA health claims of what nutrients are needed.

Such as these two familiar statements (bold italics) appearing on product labels and health advisories

Health claims: fruits, vegetables, and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and risk of coronary heart disease. Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in fruits, vegetables, and grain products that contain some types of dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce the risk of heart disease, a disease associated with many factors.

Health claims: fruits and vegetables and cancer. Low fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables (foods that are low in fat and may contain dietary fiber, Vitamin A, or Vitamin C) may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors. Broccoli is high in vitamin A and C, and it is a good source of ditary fiber.

What plants have nutrient criteria

to qualify as superfruits?

Not many.

Here's a partial list based on available nutrient and antioxidant analyses and sufficient amount of published research

[follow the Wikipedia links]

mango

kiwifruit

guava (rare in most grocery stores)

papaya

seaberry (not found in grocery stores)

wolfberry (goji) (rare in most grocery stores -- dried whole fruit preferred)

red raspberries