When it comes to eating fruit, you may have heard that eating more will help protect your health and longevity. It’s true—fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that play crucial roles in maintaining our health. Some fruits have a higher concentration of these nutrients than others. This is where the idea of “super fruits” comes from.
Hi, I’m Laura, a registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist who loves food and is constantly amazed by its power to help us live vibrant, healthy lives. And when it comes to food packed with nutrients, fruit is at the top of my list.
But are some fruits really better than others? Well, in a way, yes.
While all fruits are good for us (you can learn more about the health benefits of fruit here), certain fruits stand out because they’re particularly rich in nutrients and antioxidants that can have a powerful impact on your health. These are the fruits that often get labeled as “super fruits.”
So, let’s take a look at what makes a fruit a “super fruit,” along with some advice, recipes, and tips for ways to eat more of these healthy fruits regularly.
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Table of Contents
What are Super Fruits?
So, what makes a fruit “super?” The truth is, there is no formal or legal definition – it is just a marketing term. That is, some fruits have a significantly boosted nutritional value and have some proven health benefits.
Typically, these super fruits are high in vitamins like vitamins A, C, and E and rich in fiber. They contain minerals like potassium and magnesium. They also contain antioxidants that help fight inflammation and oxidative stress.
Including these super fruits in your diet can support everything from heart health to brain function and even help maintain youthful skin.
Speaking of brain health, you may know that I’m a strong proponent of the MIND Diet. This diet, or eating plan as I prefer to call it, has been shown to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by over 50 percent.
It is an eating plan that focuses on eating a variety of plant foods along with lean protein and healthy fats. You’ll see several fruits on my super fruits list are emphasized in the MIND Diet because of their impact on brain health.
Key Nutrients in Super Fruits
Now, before we dive into each of the 10 super fruits, I’ll highlight some of their most powerful nutrients. You can refer back to this if you need to as you look at each fruit.
Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in fruit and other plant foods. It’s the part of the fruit that our body can’t break down and digest and is found inside the fruit as well as in the skin and seeds.
We get a variety of health benefits from eating foods high in fiber, including keeping our GI tract healthy, supporting weight management, lowering cholesterol levels, and reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are a group of compounds found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and other foods. They help protect our cells. They help repair the damage that happens to them in the course of our daily lives, kind of like being able to repair our skinned knees when we were kids.
There are many different types of antioxidants found in plant foods. Some examples include vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene, among many others!
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are a large group of compounds found in plants that have antioxidant properties. They are found in fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, tea, wine and chocolate. There are over 8,000 different polyphenols, and the type and amount in food depend on many different factors, including which fruit we’re talking about, its ripeness, and how it was grown and prepared.
We have a lot of research that illustrates their importance; polyphenols help reduce inflammation, decrease oxidative stress, and help protect against many different diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
Flavonoids
These are a type of polyphenol. They are natural compounds found in fruits, vegetables, tea, wine, and chocolate and have antioxidant properties.
While we are still learning how these compounds work, researchers have found that people who eat more foods rich in flavonoids have lower rates of cancer and heart disease.
Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are a type of flavonoid. They are found in red, blue, and purple fruits and vegetables and are the compounds that give the fruit its bright color.
There is some research to suggest that people who eat foods rich in anthocyanins have lower rates of heart disease and improved blood sugar control, but more research is needed to understand how this works.
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are also antioxidant compounds found in many plants. They give the plant a yellow, orange, and red color.
You may be most familiar with the carotenoid called beta-carotene, found in carrots, but there are over 600 known types of carotenoids, including lutein and zeaxanthin, known to protect eye health, and lycopene, found in tomatoes and watermelon and thought to help protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Top 10 Super Fruits
Okay, let’s dive right in before I completely lose you! 😄
Here are the 10 super fruits that make my list – and ideas for including them in your day.
1) Blueberries
These little blueberries pack a powerful nutrition punch. Both wild blueberries and regular blueberries are filled with antioxidants, but wild blueberries have the most and are packed with anthocyanins (the compound that gives blueberries their deep blue color).
Blueberries are an integral part of the MIND diet because of their known brain health benefits. They are filled with nutrients and have been shown to help decrease plaque build-up in the brain. Similar to how your arteries get clogged, this can happen in your brain, too, which can lead to problems with your memory, ability to learn, or dementia.
People who eat blueberries or drink blueberry juice daily have better memory focus and lower blood pressure compared to people who eat them rarely.
P.S. If you want to learn more about the MIND Diet and foods you should eat more of, check out my Cookbook, MIND Diet for Two!
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Blueberries:
Some of my favorite ways to add blueberries to my day are simply on a bowl of yogurt in the morning or as part of a berry smoothie. I also love a good blueberry peach cobbler! You can find that recipe in my MIND Diet for Two Cookbook!
2) Strawberries
Along with blueberries, strawberries are also a key component of the MIND diet, as research has shown eating more of these beautiful red berries seems to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and eating more of both berries seems to help protect the brain as we age.
Other studies have shown that adding strawberries may actually help improve mobility and cognition in older adults.
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Strawberries:
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy strawberries! Even just washed and right out of the container!
Beyond smoothies and yogurt parfaits, some of my favorite ways to enjoy strawberries are in a salad or paired with cheese or something spicy. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
Cucumber Strawberry Salad with Mint
Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini
3) Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away? There might be something to that! As one of the top 10 super fruits, apples are rich in fiber and antioxidants. They have been linked to a reduced risk of some types of cancer as well as heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Apples are rich in a compound called quercetin. This is a flavonoid that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been shown to help improve blood flow to the brain.
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Apples:
Biting into an apple for a snack is a delicious way to enjoy their fresh bite and satisfy your need to crunch.
They can be chopped and added to salads, sliced and topped with peanut butter for a high-protein snack, or mixed into baked goods. I love to grate them and mix them into baked goods for an added bite.
4) Pomegranates
I keep a bag of pomegranate seeds in the freezer to add to smoothies and yogurt throughout the year. When they are fresh, though, I like nothing better than tossing them into a salad for a delicious and unexpected burst of sweetness.
Pomegranate seeds are full of fiber and vitamin C and contain potassium and antioxidants. They contain polyphenols, which may help reduce inflammation and support brain health.
My Favorite Way to Enjoy Pomegranates:
Kale and Pomegranate Salad with a Pomegranate Vinaigrette
And if you are curious about how to get the seeds out of the pomegranate, check out my video below
5) Grapes
Okay, so you’ve probably heard that grapes (and red wine) are a good source of antioxidants. The dried form, raisins, also contains these healthy nutrients. In particular, grapes contain flavonoids and anthocyanins that help support our immune system. These flavonoids may also help protect our brain health and slow cognitive decline as we age.
Another compound in grapes (and wine) that makes them “super” in my mind is they contain melatonin. The sleep hormone! We’re still learning how much this might help with getting a good night’s sleep but munching on a handful of grapes before bed might be worth a try!
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Grapes (and Raisins):
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds
6) Cherries
Cherries, specifically tart cherries and tart cherry juice have been associated with improved sleep, exercise recovery, brain health, bone health, and blood sugar control. They are rich in polyphenols that help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
That reduction in inflammation may help reduce gout attacks and inflammation associated with arthritis, although more research is needed.
Like grapes, they also contain melatonin, which may help with better sleep, along with serotonin, the hormone that helps regulate our mood. Some research suggests drinking tart cherry juice a couple of times a day may also help with sleep.
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Cherries
My all-time favorite way to eat cherries is right out of the bag when they are in season! I also love mixing fresh and dried cherries into both sweet and savory dishes for a burst of juicy sweetness. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes:
Zesty Quinoa Salad with Cherries
Baked Oatmeal with Dark Chocolate and Cherries
7) Mangos
So I’ve been on a bit of a red and blue fruit kick here, but don’t worry, some gorgeous and delicious yellow and orange fruits are also on my list. Mangos are on the top!
Full of carotenoids and antioxidants, this bright, tropical fruit is also loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are rich in Vitamin C and are a good source of folate, potassium, and fiber, nutrients that may help support our immune system, a healthy blood pressure, and reduce our risk of heart disease.
The bright yellow/orange color lets us know that it is full of beta-carotene, lutein, and other carotenoids that support our eyes, hearts, and brains.
My Favorite Ways to Use Mangos:
Fresh mangos are in season for just a few months of the year, but you can usually find frozen mangos in the freezer section of your grocery store. Add those frozen cubes to a smoothie, or try roasting them with chicken or fish.
There are also a few varieties of mangos available today. The more common, Tommy Atkins (pictured above) is sweet and tangy and the one you’ll likely find throughout the year in most grocery stores.
Recently you may have also seen the Champagne mango, or Ataulfo mango, which is sweeter and has a much smaller seed. It is available in the late spring.
Two of my favorite recipes that use the more common Tommy Atkins mango are:
Not sure how to cut a mango? Check out my video below!
8) Bananas
You may be thinking,…bananas? Aren’t they loaded with sugar? Well, yes, but… there is more to the story here, and many reasons why bananas make my super fruit list.
So, bananas are high in carbohydrates, which come mainly from starch. This starch is slowly converted to sugar as the banana ripens, but the starch that remains is called a “resistant starch.”
What is resistant starch? Glad you asked!
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that is really hard for our digestive system to digest. That means it stays intact until it gets almost all the way through to our large intestine.
There, good bacteria feed on the starch and turn it into a compound called butyrate, which is a type of fatty acid that helps feed our gut. Butyrate helps reduce inflammation and supports our immune system. There is also some thought that it may help communicate with our brains and impact our brain health.
So, this is why bananas make it onto my top 10 super fruits list!
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Bananas:
Now, how do I like to use bananas? Short of just eating them by themselves, they are a delicious addition to smoothies and baked goods, and if you’ve never tried it, a key ingredient in making “nice cream,” an imitation ice cream!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
9) Figs
Not the most common fruit you’ll find on these lists, but figs are a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. They are rich in fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron.
They also have more antioxidants per serving than even a glass of red wine!
Because of their high fiber content, they are particularly beneficial for our GI tract and help to keep us regular!
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Figs:
You can enjoy them fresh when they are in season (spring and late summer) or dried. I’ve been trying to grow my own figs – let’s just say, with less than stellar results! But I have had one or two delicious figs off this little tree..
Since this little guy isn’t producing much yet, I will buy a basket of fresh figs when they are in season and enjoy them over vanilla yogurt with a little honey, toss them in a salad, or enjoy them just by themselves.
Since I can’t find fresh figs year-round, I love to use dried figs in baked goods, too. Here’s one of my favorite recipes using dried figs:
10) Cranberries
So why do cranberries, a fruit that admittedly we typically only eat in the jelly form on one holiday a year, make my list of super fruits? They are a nutritional powerhouse! I recommend that you keep a bag or two of these berries in the freezer to enjoy throughout the year and sip on pure cranberry juice whenever you can.
What is it in cranberries that makes them so good? They contain a significant amount of polyphenols (link to above) that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.
Cranberry juice has been associated with protecting our urinary tract system. This is something that deserves more attention with age because infections can be more common.
Preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) will help reduce the number of antibiotics we need and may help reduce the possibility of developing antibiotic resistance.
While there is a lot of evidence to support their role in our urinary health, cranberries may do so much more.
Eating cranberries could also help improve our heart health and potentially improve brain health by increasing blood flow to the brain, although more research is needed on both.
My favorite ways to enjoy cranberries?
Aside from homemade cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, I add both fresh and dried cranberries to quick breads, toss them in salads, and add them to rice dishes like my Rice Stuffing, which I often make for Thanksgiving. I also love 100% cranberry juice to make a mocktail or for cooking!
Roasted Beets in Cranberry Juice
Fresh, Frozen, Canned, or Dried?
Which is best? Fresh, frozen, dried, or even canned? I get this question a lot, and they are ALL good, and all have a place in our diets. Yes, even canned fruit. Let’s look at each.
Fresh
It used to be that you could only buy fresh fruit when it was in season in your area, but today, well just about any fruit you could want is available “fresh” in your local grocery store. Why do I say “fresh” in quotes?
Well, if you are buying fresh blueberries in January, they probably traveled quite a distance. Yes, they are fresh, but the longer fruit (or any produce) is off the plant, the more nutrients are lost. So yes, fresh is great when in season.
Frozen
Frozen, unsweetened fruit is also a great option. Fruit is picked when it is ripe and immediately sent to the plant to be frozen, preserving most of the nutrients. My colleague, Rosanne Rust, described the freezing fruit as “nature’s pause button.”
I use a lot of frozen berries in smoothies and fruit crisps or pies. Or on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt.
Canned
Canned fruit is similar to frozen fruit in that most of it is packed within hours of being picked, which helps preserve those valuable nutrients. And yes, sometimes it is packed in syrup, but you can find plenty of options packed in juice or water, which I recommend.
Keeping a few cans of canned peaches, pears, pineapple, or mandarin oranges in the pantry is a great idea. I’ll use them on salads, like my Delicata Squash and Roasted Pear Salad or Watercress Pear Salad, or to make a peach crisp or a smoothie.
Dried
Dried fruit is another great option to stock in your pantry. It can last for months and is a great source of fiber. Now, dried fruit may lose some of its nutritional value as it dries, but it is still an excellent source of nutrition.
I like to snack on a mix of nuts and dried fruit in the afternoon or add different combinations to baked goods or on top of oatmeal. A handful of raisins or dried plums can add a touch of sweetness to savory dishes like stews.
That’s a Wrap
Now, this list of top 10 super fruits could certainly go on! All fruit is rich in a variety of nutrients that are beneficial for our overall health. Including a couple of servings a day will go a long way to helping us live a vibrant life and age gracefully.
Would you like more ideas on including healthy and delicious food like fruits in your life? Be sure to join my community and be the first to learn about new recipes, nutrition information, and news.
