Superfruits are one of natural product industry’s current driving forces. But what really defines the category, questioned Paul M. Gross, Ph.D., author of the book “Superfruits,” to be published by McGraw-Hill in October 2009. “Superfruits are an important category for introducing healthful fruit formats to consumers; yet, there is only a vague definition for what qualifies a fruit with ‘super’ status,” he said. “Over the past five years, almost every novel exotic fruit has been called a superfruit, a total now of about 36 called ‘super’ in industry media.”
In general usage, the superfruit category seems to be defined by those fruits with a high level of phytonutrients, particularly antioxidants. Bob Freeze, XanGo, noted the popularity of the category is growing exponentially as consumers learn about the health benefits the fruits offer. “One of the most recognized health benefits is antioxidant potency, which has resonated well with shoppers,” he said. “In fact, superfruits ranked seventh among the Top 20 Hot Trends for 2009 and third among the ‘What’s Hot’ chef survey release by the National Restaurant Association.”
That popularity has been the result of a type of double play by marketers and the media. “Companies are doing a great job promoting these products and the media is also creating awareness and interest,” said Kirsten Van Sickle, director of marketing, Zola Brazilian Superfruits. “Consumers are drawn to superfruits because of their inherent nutritional qualities. Superfruits provide an easy and delicious way to get an exceptional amount of nutrients for your body, more so than more conventional fruits.”
In fact, two defining criteria Gross offered in assessing superfruits are the nutrient and phytochemical diversity the fruit delivers. Among the top fruits on that scale would be common fruits such as mango, oranges and cranberries. “Mango has a broad range of micro- and macronutrients, fiber, carotenoids, polyphenols and the unique xanthone mangiferin,” he noted.