You know how it goes – since childhood, you’ve been told how consuming an apple daily would greatly decrease the chances of a doctor’s visit. Well, that old saying wasn’t lying – fruits are packed with essential minerals, vitamins, fiber, and what we call phytonutrients. You’ll find a lot of these in your favorite top super fruits like berries, avocados, lemon (yes, lemon is a fruit), plums, and others.
What Makes Superfruits, Well, Super?
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…super fruits?
You may be wondering, “what are super fruits, anyway?” A superfruit is like any other fruit, except…it contains a much higher level of antioxidants and is very nutrient dense. They’re very good for your health and will contain the following:
- Fiber
- Vitamin C
- Lots of Antioxidants
Now, keep in mind just how nice the word ‘super’ sounds. Really rolls off the tongue and makes a big statement. In marketing, the term ‘super’ is running rampant. Superfruits, superfoods – these words generally translate into super sales. So be weary when you see these overzealous ads and statements and be sure they’re backed by actual science.
Below, we’re going to cover 7 actually super fruits and tell you what makes them so worthy of a cape.
Phytonutrients
To really be considered a hero, a fruit must contain lots of phytonutrients. Now, antioxidants are phytonutrients – as are flavonoids, carotenoids, phytochemicals, among others. In layman terms, they are very good for you and will help boost immunity, enhance intercellular communication, repair DNA, detoxify, and more.
Antioxidants
We love antioxidants mainly because they help rid our bodies of free radicals. Free radicals are out to damage our cell membranes which can lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer, Parkinson’s, diabetes, and others.
So no one is willingly going to invite free radicals over, right? Wrong!
Smoking, for example, is a big ‘Welcome Home’ sign for free radicals.
Alas, all is not lost – you can fight free radicals with antioxidants, which help to reduce the oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
9 Best Super Fruits to Add to Your Diet
You’re right – fruits are generally known to be nutritious, so how do we come up with a list of super fruits that tops everything else? Well, we’re not saying they top everything else in every way. What we are saying is that these 9 fruits contain enough nutrients and other good stuff to be considered super. So don’t throw your apple and pear fruit bowl out the window just yet – even if the fruit you have on hand isn’t ‘super’, it’s still good for you.
Without further ado – here are 9 super fruits you can rely on to save the day. Disclaimer: It’s important to keep a healthy diet consistent – one serving may not do the trick. Be sure to embed these fruits into your daily regimen.
1) Acai Berries
If you’ve never seen an acai [ ah-sigh-EE] berry, they look like blueberry imposters – there, we said it! They have a deep purple color and look like an overgrown version of their blue cousins. They taste a bit like they have chocolate in their ancestry and leave an earthy taste in your mouth.
Acai berries don’t last too long once picked, which is why it’s hard to find them at your local grocery store – unless they come in powder or frozen form.
Acai Benefits
Dare you ask what benefits these little berries contain? It’s almost immeasurable. They contain an antioxidant called anthocyanins – and it has a powerful punch.
First, it gives plants a rich red, blue, and purple color – which is why you’ll also find it in blueberries, cherries, and other similar fruits and vegetables on the same color spectrum.
Second, it can help battle heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels, blood sugar metabolism, and fight off those pesky free radicals.
Third, you can count on anthocyanins to ward off cancer, but more studies are being done to prove this.
How to Add Acai Berries to Your Diet
As mentioned before, it’s quite difficult to find Acai berries fresh at your grocery store – they have a very short shelf life. Instead, purchase the powder or frozen form and add them into your smoothies, or defrost them and eat them as a snack.
Here’s a quick acai smoothie recipe to add to your mornings – all you need is acai powder, fresh or frozen blueberries and bananas, and some smooth tasting almond milk
2) Avocado
We love avocados. They’re the 007 of superfruits – smooth, charming, and…green.
As much as we love avocados, we do our best to enjoy them with limitations due to the environmental havoc that comes with producing this favorite. So please, enjoy your avocados, but we urge you to be cautious with how often you indulge.
Having said that, let’s talk about why people are so drawn to this green miracle. They pretty much taste good on anything and everything. Spread it on toast – tastes great. Throw into a smoothie – taste great. Cut it up into slices, squeeze some lemon juice on top, and enjoy it with a fork because – it tastes great.
Even the seeds are antioxidant powerhouses. If you have a strong enough blender, throw the seed in with a smoothie for an immune boost.
Avocado Benefits
Avocados are good for your health in so many ways. Here’s a short list of nutrients and minerals avocados carry and why they’re important
- Folate – low levels of folate are linked to depression
- Fiber – aids healthy digestion and acts as a natural detoxifier
- Folate (again) – reduces risk of miscarriage and promotes healthy fetal development
- Carotenoids – fights cancer progression
- Vitamin K – supports bone health
This is just a short list of how beneficial avocados are to human health – clearly an in demand superfruit for good reason.
How to Add Avocado to Your Diet
This one’s easy – avocado’s can literally, in our opinion, be spread on just about anything. They can even be sliced up as is and eaten as a snack, although we prefer to squeeze a little lemon juice for added flavor.
Either way, have you ever heard of grilled avocado? Thank us later, here’s a recipe we found by Love & Lemons called Grilled Avocado with Veggie Ceviche.
3) Blackberries
Yum, blackberries are the ultimate berry snack (don’t tell blueberries we said that). If you’ve never tasted a blackberry fresh off the stem – you’re really missing out. Blackberries are perfect for packing for lunch to take to the office or pack for the kids – they’re best bought in season between May to August. Although, you’ll probably find they taste best in June and July.
Blackberries Benefits
Where to start, blackberries are full of anthocyanins – helping your gut stay healthy and control blood sugar and fat. Packed with antioxidants, blackberries help ward off cancer, autoimmune diseases, and even heart disease. They are packed to the brim with potassium and vitamin C – even more than their blueberry counterparts. Here’s a short list of the benefits of blackberries, what they bring to the table and how that helps boost your health:
- Vitamin C – shortens common cold and helps heal wounds
- Fiber – slows the rate of sugar absorption by the body
- Manganese – important for collagen formation and prevents osteoporosis
- Vitamin K – important for bone metabolism
- Other antioxidants – helps fight memory loss
Blackberries are both a lover and a fighter – they act in your defense against free-radicals to naturally help your body detoxify and they even help support a weight loss regimen by making you feel fuller, longer.
How to Add Blackberries to Your Diet
If you’re looking for a more creative way to gobble down this superfruit than hand to mouth, we have a few ideas for you. Other than your original ‘add to smoothie’ tagline, how about a Blackberry Cobbler?! Yea – are you drooling, yet?
Or maybe a Blackberry Crisp – we’ve heard of apple crisp, but a crisp for blackberries sounds down right appetizing.
But, if you’re on that health tip – you’ll want to stick with these Healthy Berry Streusel Bars by Sally’s Baking Addiction. Now these are both mouth-watering and guilt-free.
4) Blueberries
Blueberries are the number one berry (don’t tell blackberries we said that – hey, we like to keep our options open). These superfruits are accessible, easy to add to any snack, and you gotta love the way they pop in your mouth! You also can’t complain about their shelf life, they can last up to 10 days in the fridge! You can add them to your favorite desserts or simply open up the fridge and grab a handful on your way out the door – they’re a great way to get that antioxidant boost at any time of day.
Blueberries Benefits
You already know all about anthocyanin and blueberries are another carrier of this disease fighting antioxidant. Eating blueberries puts you at an advantage when it comes to decreasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Here’s a short list of the benefits of blueberries:
- Iron – fight off anemia and increase your energy levels
- Calcium – build and maintain healthy bones
- Vitamin C – helps prevent skin damage
- Vitamin A – linked to cancer prevention
- Vitamin B6 – reduces build-up of homocysteine, which can lead to heart problems
Overall, blueberries are a beast when it comes to increasing immunity – just a cup a day will suffice. They’re very similar to blackberries but there’s no competition when it comes to Vitamin B1, B2, and B6 – blueberries take the number one spot.
How to Add Blueberries to Your Diet
Although we highly suggest filling a bowl with fresh blueberries and gobbling them up, there are more creative ways for this fresh snack to be eaten. Blueberry Compote is warm, sweet, and juicy – you can eat it as is or serve it over a slice of cheesecake or tart.
For a less sugary option – try this Blueberry and Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups recipe – they’re a great energizing snack on the go!
5) Cherries
Have you ever bought a pint of cherries, de-seeded them all and placed them in the fridge? So convenient! It also makes it more likely you and the kids are going to hop into the fridge and grab them as a snack. Cherries fall into the same category as blueberries, blackberries, and acai berries – in that they’re chock-full of antioxidants and they’re super juicy.
The best time for ripe cherries falls between April and August. There are two types of cherries, sweet and tart. The major difference here lies in the way they are devoured – sour cherries are best for fresh eating, salads, and baking. Tart cherries are best used for jams and drying.
Cherries Benefits
The benefits of cherries range from everything between aiding in weight loss to relieving insomnia and beyond. Here’s a list of why cherries would make a great addition to your daily food intake regimen:
- Melatonin – helps regulate sleep
- Potassium – eliminates any excess sodium to regulate blood pressure
- Antioxidants – fights free radicals that make skin look dull
- Vitamin C – boosts immunity levels
- Vitamin B6 – aids energy metabolism
There you have it – cherries are valuable not just for providing antioxidants, but their vitamin and mineral range goes beyond the fight against free-radicals. They’re a great addition to a healthy diet and add lots of color to your meals!
How to Add Cherries to Your Diet
Simply pit your cherries all at once and throw them into the fridge – lengthen their shelf life by days and even weeks by washing them with a vinegar-water solution.
If you’re looking to top your dessert with something juicy, try this Cherry Sauce Recipe which goes just as great on pancakes as it does on cheesecake!
6) Dragon Fruit
Can you think of a more exotic name for a fruit? Well, it doesn’t just sound exotic, it looks exotic, too. It almost looks like it’s on fire and the inside flesh looks like polka dots. Here’s a short video on how to eat this tasty superfruit. The peel is off limits but you can simply cut it in half and dive into the pulp with a spoon – yum. That makes this fruit a quick snack full of benefits your body will appreciate.
Where do these superfruits come from anyway? Originally, the Hylocereus Cacti was native to Central America and Mexico, although you can find it growing around the world today. There are many different kinds of dragon fruit, but the most common is the reason why it’s called dragon fruit in the first place – they have red skin and green scales.
Dragon Fruit Benefits
Ok, so we know dragon fruits look cool, but how beneficial are they for our body? Here are a handful of reasons you should be team dragon fruit:
- Batalains – help ward off cancer cells
- Fiber – helps manage type 2 diabetes
- Carotenoids – protects white blood cells from getting damaged
- Magnesium – part of the DNA creation process
- Iron – helps break food down into energy
These are just some of the benefits of dragon fruit and the best one yet is that they taste great. Many describe the taste as a mix between kiwi and pear when perfectly ripe. So make sure you eat them at their most ripe and enjoy the benefits of this superfruit.
How to Add Dragon Fruit to Your Diet
Dragon fruit is best known as an addition to smoothies – aside from eating them straight up, which we highly recommend! Try this Dragon Fruit Smoothie or add cubes of dragon fruit to your favorite fruit salad.
7) Lemons And Limes
Finally, we have lemons and limes – and you’re not alone, not everyone realizes these citrus favorites are fruits, let alone, superfruits. They’re zesty, sour, and perfect for salad dressings, lemon and limes are loved for their juicy flavor.
To get the most out of your lemon and limes, place it on your counter and roll back and forth using your palm to apply pressure. Once it feels nice and tender, you can slice it in half and squeeze out the juice, or use a juicer. Although some people do eat the skin, they’re not a widely loved part of these citrus fruits.
Lemons And Limes Benefits
Only the benefits of lemons and limes can surpass the tangy sour taste of these superfruits. As you probably would have guessed, there are quite a few benefits to eating lemons and limes, here are a few to note:
- Vitamin C – lowers risk of stroke and heart disease
- Citric Acid – helps prevent kidney stones
- Limonene – helps reduce the risk of cancer
- Fiber – helps reduce blood sugar levels
- Eriocitrin – helps with weight loss
These aren’t the only benefits of lemon and limes, but they are powerful.
How to Add Lemons And Limes to Your Diet
There are so many ways to enjoy lemons and limes because you can squeeze the juice onto just about anything – or simply enjoy a glass of lemonade. Try this Lemon Bar Recipe for a tangy flavor or try this if you’re a serious lemon lover:
Slice or cube one lemon – you can choose to peel it first if you’re not a fan of the skin. Turn slices over so that the pulp is facing upwards. Sprinkle with salt and cumin to taste – keep adding to your liking. That’s it, enjoy!
Honorable Mentions
We could write a whole book on superfruits because there’s just so many to mention. Two of our favorites we didn’t get to break down in this post are the Papaya and the Plum.
Papaya benefits include reducing the risk of cancer, warding off heart disease, keeping diabetes at bay, helps with digestion, and so much more. They’re so rich in Vitamin C that one Papaya contains double the recommended daily dose of this immune boosting vitamin.
Next, the benefits of plums are numerous. This deep purplish red superfruit can help with anxiety, bone health, constipation, and more. They can cause bloating and diarrhea but that’s what makes them so good at getting rid of constipation.
Quick Superfruit Recipes to Diversify Your Diet
1. Superfruit Smoothie
If you’re looking for superfruit smoothie recipes, look no further than your imagination! There’s no limit to the mixtures you can make with a handful of different fruits. If you have apples, pears, berries, and bananas on hand – you got yourself a smoothie. How about grapes, dragon fruit, cherries, and pineapple – you got yourself a smoothie.
Seriously, a fruit smoothie can be anything you want it to be. For a bit of inspiration, try this Mango Smoothie, this Ginger Plum Smoothie, and this Blueberry Kale Smoothie.
2. Salad
If you want to make a super fruit salad, you’re going to need super fruits and veggies. That’s right, throw in some strawberries into your green mediterranean salad – sounds weird but tastes great! You already have the power and benefits of chlorophyll when you make a salad using green leafy veggies, but a little bit of superfruits go a long way!
Here’s a Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad you should try!
3. Juices
We love juice – what an easy way to cram a bunch of vitamins and antioxidants into your body. Especially if you’re on the go! Super fruit juices all have one thing in common – superfruits! Try this Dragon Fruit Juice recipe and this Cherry Nectarine Refresher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Benefits of Blueberries Stronger than the Benefits of Blackberries?
The short answer here is no. These two superfruits are not in competition. Blackberries have more potassium and vitamin c, whereas blueberries have more B1, B2, and B6 vitamins – but they’re both overflowing with other vitamins and antioxidants.
What are Super Fruits and What Makes Them Better?
Superfruits are overly packed with antioxidants and other vitamins and that’s exactly what makes them so super. That’s not to say that other fruits are mediocre, because they have benefits we can certainly use. Instead, just think of superfruits as overachievers.
