“One of the most thoroughly researched fruits on the market, the North American cranberry, has one of the most solid health claim foundations of all fruits,” says Christina Khoo, principal scientist, research sciences, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Lakeville-Middleboro, MA. Research into cranberries’ health benefits can be traced back to the 1990s when the
New England Journal of Medicine (1991; 324(22):1,599) identified a component in cranberries and blueberries that prevented the adhesion of certain
E. coli bacteria in the gut. The unique A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs) in cranberry help prevent disease-causing bacteria from adhering to cells within the body, flushing them harmlessly away.
Blueberry is another all-American superfruit. A group of researchers led by James A. Joseph, research physiologist, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Boston, developed a series of motor-skills tests for use on animals raised on a special blueberry diet, which revealed that they “did significantly better than those that were not,” he says.
Further, Joseph concluded that “blueberries were actually able to reverse motor deficits in these aging animals.” More remarkably, “when mice that had been genetically altered to express Alzheimer’s were put on the blueberry diet, they did not experience memory loss.”
The latest domestic fruit to gain “super” status is the tart cherry. “Tart cherries contain similar amounts of antioxidants as blueberries,” says Wendy Bazilian, author of “The SuperFoodsRx Diet” and co-owner of Bazilian’s Health Clinic, San Diego. “Cherries get their red color from anthocyanins—powerful antioxidants that studies suggest may reduce inflammation and risk for heart disease. Cherries are also one of the few researched food sources of melatonin, a potent antioxidant that may help improve the body’s natural sleep patterns and aid with jet lag.”
Recent University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, research presented at the 2008 Experimental Biology annual meeting found a cherry-rich diet significantly lowered blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, abdominal fat, and insulin and fasting glucose levels, all major risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, notes Bazilian. “The study also found that the cherry-rich diet reduced inflammation markers in the body up to 50%,” she says. “Scientists believe it’s the anthocyanins that are responsible for this anti-inflammatory benefit. Other studies indicate that anthocyanins may be beneficial for a range of inflammatory-related conditions, including arthritis.”
Dissecting superfruits
Understanding how the compounds in superfruits function in the body, and validating the functionality in clinical trials, is important to keep consumer confidence high.
“Superfruit success requires novelty, validated health benefits, convenience, controlled supply and promotion,” says Karl Crawford, food business leader, HortResearch, Auckland, New Zealand. “Our sensory and consumer science team studies how consumers respond to fruits and foods, providing valuable clues as to what consumers like and dislike—what attracts them to a product and what makes them buy it. Our breeding teams can then access our collection of fruit germplasm and breed from these to create fruits that meet consumer demands for novelty, flavor and health.