What is a Super Fruit?
Superfruit, a marketing term first used in the food and beverage industry in 2005, refers to a fruit having exceptional nutrient richness and antioxidant quality with appealing taste.
To date, superfruits have been developed mainly as juices, but began in 2007 to appear as ingredients for functional food products, confectioneries and cosmetics. Current industry development includes applications for creating novel consumer products, such as energy drinks, dietary supplements, and flavors with nutrient qualities, e.g., fortified water.
Super Fruit #1 Mangosteen
Xanthones are a class of
polyphenolic compounds that commonly occur in plants and have been shown to
have extensive biological and pharmacological activities. Recently, the
pharmacological properties of xanthones in the cardiovascular system have
attracted great interest.
Xanthones
and xanthone derivatives have been shown to have beneficial effects on some
cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis,
hypertension and thrombosis. The protective effects of xanthones in the
cardiovascular system may be due to their antioxidant, anti inflammatory,
platelet aggregation inhibitory, anti thrombotic and/or vasorelaxant activities.
In particular, the antagonism of endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitors by
xanthones may represent the basis for improved endothelial function and for
reduction of events associated with atherosclerosis. Xanthones may also have
anti-tumor activity. Science has identified approximately 200 different
Xanthones. The Mangosteen has an amazing 43 different xanthones by itself,
including some of the most dynamic Xanthones studied. There are other herbs and
plants, such as St. John's
Wort, which might contain one or two Xanthones... however, nothing compares
with the quantity of Xanthones in Mangosteen. The two most studied xanthones
are the Alpha Mangostin and the Gamma Mangostin. Xanthones represent the very
latest that nutritional science has to offer. Much more than a great
antioxidant, xanthones are a class of multi-functional phytonutrients poised to
raise the bar in the nutritional arena!
Super Fruit #2 Acai
Berry
A special palm tree in Brazils Amazon rainforest produces one of the most
powerful and nutritious foods in the world - the high-energy Acai berry. It is
widely acknowledged to be one of the richest sources of antioxidants of any
fruit known to man.
Underlying its deep purple color are
antioxidants, essential fatty acids and amino acids that your body hungers for.
The berry has 10 times more antioxidant power than red grapes which are
believed to help combat premature aging. The berries also contain other
elements that promote better cardiovascular and digestive health.
These berries contain large amounts of
protein and fiber, and also have omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. These omega
fatty acids have been studied for years as a way to protect the heart from
damage, and they may be able to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood,
providing possible protection from heart attacks, strokes and other common
cardiovascular complications.
In addition to promoting better
cardiovascular health, this super food promotes greater stamina, improved
digestion, sharper mental focus, better sleep, improved sex drive, stronger
immune system, fights cancer cells, attacks premature aging and promotes
younger and healthier looking skin.
Super Fruit #3 GAC
Meet
the GAC fruit. Known as "mubiezi' in traditional Chinese medicine. Colorful
and covered in spines, the GAC is no wallflower. This climbing vine can be
found in Southeast Asia; it grows in the wild
and graces the entrances of rural homes. In Vietnam, the flavor is highly
prized. GAC is used to season a rice dish called xoi gac, served only at
special occasions such as weddings. GAC is consumed as a fruit, but is also a
healthy tradition. GAC seeds are milled and refined for a wide variety of internal
and external uses. In Vietnam,
the seed membranes are used to address dry eyes and support healthy vision. They
are considered a gift from God. While
the vine is abundant and hardy, the GAC only fruits once a year. But we thought
she was worth stocking up on. The GAC fruit is another powerful super fruit
added to Asantae, making Asantae a cut above the rest once again.
Super Fruit #4 Wolfberry
The wolfberry is a deciduous perennial plant, growing in high altitude. The
thorny stems bare green lance shaped leaves. Wolfberry blooms with small purple
flowers. The ripe wolfberry fruits turn orange red, have an oblong shape. Mainly
the wolfberry fruits are harvested and eaten raw or dried. Young wolfberry
shoots and leaves are also grown commercially and eaten as leaf vegetable.The
beneficial agents in wolfberry are Polysaccharides (LBP), Betaine, Zeaxanthin,
Physalien, Cyptoxanthin, Sesquiterpenoids, Triterpenes, Bet-Sitosterol. These
Polysaccharides are direct contributors to Cancer Prevention. Studies suggest
that wolfberry extracts could inhibit DNA mutation and stop the growth of
cancer cells. Cao GW et all showed in his study (Observation of the Effects of
LAK/IL-2 Therapy Combined with Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides in the Treatment
of 75 Cancer Patients, Chunghua Chung Liu Tsa Chih, 1994) that regression of
many types of cancer could be obtained with patients, treated with LAK/IL-2 and
LBP.The Liver is also cleansed. The
phytochemical zeaxanthin dipalmitate showed a hepaprotective effect on liver
cells treated with carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity (Kim HP et al,
Zeaxanthin Dipalmitate from Lycium Barbarum has Hepatoprotective Activity, Res.
Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 1997Laboratory studies have shown wolfberry fruit
improve lymphocyte transformation rate and macrophage phagocytic function.
Wolfberry fruits contain phytochemicals with antioxidant activity and could
slow the ageing process. A study by Li Wei et al (Active Lymphocyte Effects
Observed after Taking Lycium Barbarum Fruits, Zhong Cao Yao, 1991) showed that
wolfberry fruit phytochemicals help to prevent oxidation of DNA and helps to
restore damaged DNA.This also make the wolfberry a leader Immune defense and
the Anit-Aging fight we all face.
Super Fruit #5 Noni
Over the last 20 years, a growing number of people
have become interested in the medicinal uses of noni juice, made from the fruit
of the Indian mulberry of the South Pacific Islands
of Tahiti, and more recently from Hawaii.
Noni has been used in folk remedies by Polynesians for over 2000 years, and is
reported to have a broad range of therapeutic effects, including antibacterial,
antiviral, antifungal, antitumor, antihelminth, analgesic, hypotensive,
anti-inflammatory, and immune enhancing effects. Noni juice is also promoted to
enhance energy and wellbeing. Does modern noni research support these claims.
Noni has been documented to contain a mixture of anthraquinones, organic acids,
xeronine, several vitamins (such as beta-carotene, niacin, riboflavin,
thiamine), some minerals, iron and calcium. The potassium content of noni is
similar to that in tomato juice and orange juice.
Claims
have been made that noni fruit juice improves the immune system, ultimately
healing dozens of conditions ranging from addictions to varicose veins and much
more. Reductions in total cholesterol
and triglycerides have been seen in smokers who drank a product containing
juice from the fruit of the noni tree every day for a month. Just like the
other super fruits; Noni boast claims against cancer cell development, Immune
function, Inflamation and the list goes on....
|
