What being a 'superfruit' actually means

Did you add blueberries to your cereal this morning? Apparently consumer awareness of the benefits of fruit and high-antioxidant superfruits has never been greater.

You can find them everywhere in drinks, yogurts, cereals and little bagged snacks of dried fruits. Is this the next stage in dietary evolution?

It certainly looks as if our need to stay fit and work for longer, along with greater communication and knowledge of scientific studies across the globe, is promoting a greater interest in our health and encouraging self-imposed, personalised nutrition programmes.

Science has yet to provide a clear definition of what a superfruit is, but in general it's defined by:

• the density of the nutrients provided
• the antioxidant power offered
• the health benefit potential
• the ability of the particular fruit to affect cell and molecular structures.

Fruits with a particularly high ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) include:

• acai
• pomegranate
• blackcurrant
• blueberry
• blackberry
• cranberry
• raspberry
• strawberry
• lingonberry
• yumberry
• goji – and numerous others, too many to name here.

I will be speaking at the 10th International Vaccinium & other Superfruits Symposium and Exhibition in June. I've been surprised by the substantial coverage of drinks containing such superfruits in Beverage Innovation magazine over the past year. I'm also compiling a report on 'Superfruits in Beverages' for the March issue of Beverage Innovation, with contributions from experts around the globe.

If you're interested, either come along to the conference for a visual feast of commercialised superfruits, or subscribe to our magazines.

Have a healthy weekend!

Claire Phoenix is managing editor of Beverage Innovation magazine. Subscribe here.