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Goji berries

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The first known saskatoon bush in the United States was planted at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, according to Dr. Rodney Voisine, who is growing the berries on his Cape Elizabeth property.

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Saskatoon berries were used by the Blackfoot peoples of the Canadian prairies for both food and medicine. Saskatoons have joined the ranks of the “super fruits” that are rich in antioxidants and may help fight heart disease, cancer and other illnesses.

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Pomegranates

THE MORE EXOTIC super fruits appearing on grocery-store shelves are not only hard to pronounce, they can be confusing, too. Here's a short guide to some of the more popular fruits believed to have health benefits:

ACAI – Acai berries come from the Acai palm tree, which grows in the South American rain forests. Acai berries contain anthocyanins, B vitamins, minerals, fiber, proteins and essential fatty acids. Proponents say it has anti-aging properties, cleanses toxins from the body, and aids weight loss.

GOJI – Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are red berries that grow on vines in Asia and have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. The berries contain carotenoids such as beta carotene and lycopene, amino acids, vitamins and essential fatty acids. They are believed to have anti-cancer and anti-aging properties, and to support the immune system and weight loss.

NONI – Noni is native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and is known for its unpleasant odor and bitter taste. Noni juice is believed to boost the immune system, increase energy, and have anti-cancer and anti-aging properties.

MANGOSTEEN – This tropical fruit from Southeast Asia and India contains antioxidants known as xanthones that support the immune system and help to neutralize the free radicals that damage cells.

SEA BUCKTHORN – This plant, which grows mostly in China, Russia and Mongolia, contains high levels of antioxidants and more vitamin C than oranges. It is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and to fight cancer and possibly heart disease.

POMEGRANATE – Chock full of antioxidants that fight cancer and heart disease, pomegranates have been cultivated since ancient times. They grow wild from Iran to India.

– Meredith Goad

Remember when pomegranates seemed really exotic?

Now, thanks to their purported health benefits, they are in everything from iced coffee to martinis. And there are scores of other fruits – some familiar, some unpronounceable – joining pomegranate on the shelves.

Acai is everywhere, as are goji berries, noni, mangosteen, blueberries, cranberries and other so-called "super fruits" that contain compounds called antioxidants that may help fight against heart disease, cancer, arthritis and other diseases.

Food manufacturers are adding super fruits to juice, granola, cereals, teas and scores of other products. Even Dunkin' Donuts has gotten in on the act, introducing a "Superfruit Coolatta" that is a blend of blueberries, pomegranate and acai berries.

"Americans want a magic pill, so the concept of a super fruit is one way to address that need," says Mary Ellen Camire, a professor in the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine. "People don't want to follow a good diet. 'Let me eat a super fruit and I'll be good.' "

Convenience and taste also play roles in this super-fruit mania. Some of the more exotic fruits have such strong or unusual flavors it's unlikely consumers would embrace them if they had to eat them "straight."

"Pomegranate is a pain to eat," Camire said. "It's messy. But pomegranate juice is easy. And things like acai juice and noni are things that you normally would not eat, either, but processing them into juice makes them more palatable and easier for consumers to get down."

MOSTLY A MARKETING TERM

Lots of super fruits are credited with an amazing number of health benefits, with some being afforded almost mystical properties. Pomegranate was the symbol of eternal life in ancient Persia. The acai berry, which comes from a palm tree Brazilians call "the tree of life," is said to be good for everything from wrinkles to weight loss.

"The lore of sea buckthorn is that it's such a potent antioxidant that supposedly Genghis Khan used it for energy with his troops," says Dr. Rodney Voisine, an anesthesiologist who is growing another super fruit, saskatoon berries, at his Cape Elizabeth home.

Those back stories are a big part of what consumers are paying for when they throw down $4 for a 12-ounce bottle of acai juice.

Voisine said the phrase "super fruit" is mostly a marketing term, because most of the products have not been studied to determine their actual nutrient content and the health benefits of those nutrients on humans.

"There are very few clinical studies documenting that the acai berry is going to do much for you, other than provide fiber," he said.

Generally, a fruit is considered a super fruit if it is high in antioxidants and other nutrients, and is believed to have benefits that go beyond supporting basic health. Even though orange juice has lots of vitamin C and is good for you, for example, it's not yet considered a super fruit.

The best-studied super fruits are those that have big industry groups that can afford to fund clinical research in humans in addition to the usual studies using lab animals. Pomegranates and Maine's own blueberries are among the best-studied super fruits on the market.

As blueberries began gaining a reputation as a super fruit, Camire said, the pomegranate industry saw what was happening, "and they jumped right in and started funding studies – and funding studies in humans so they could make the health claims – whereas the wild blueberry industry has been a little reticent about that. It's easier to show effects with rats."

BIG BLUE

Blueberries are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits available. At the University of Maine, Camire is studying the links between blueberries and blood sugar to see if the fruit could help control diabetes.

Another researcher is looking at...