Three Superfruits, Analysed!

Have you ever heard of the açaí berry, goji berry, and mangosteen fruit? It seems that lately, these super powerful small fruits are in favor! Hollywoodian stars, such as Angelina Jolie, swear by them and show enormous weight losses. What about these products, and should we rely on them in a weight loss strategy?

The açaí berry

The açaí berry, a small fruit from Amazonia that is similar to blueberries, is known worldwide for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and tonic properties. There has also been a lot of publicity about its pretended slimming effects. It appears, however, that these allegations have never been proven, and are more of a marketing strategy and a cash cow for companies.

The goji berry

It is a small red fruit eaten in China since thousands of years, and which is said to have antioxidant, immunostimulatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and lipid regulating properties, on top of fighting infertility. These allegations have been demonstrated by a few studies, which were however performed on a scale too small to draw conclusions. Just as for the açaí berry, the various publicities concerning its effectiveness for weight loss are not based on demonstrated scientific data.

The mangosteen fruit

The mangosteen fruit is an Asian purple fruit, with a round shape and white flesh which is very rich in antioxidants; however, few clinical trials have been performed on humans up to now, and this is why we cannot assert its effectiveness for treating certain diseases.

Therefore, the main characteristic of these small fruits is their high antioxidant content. However, the high price of products made from these fruits and the lack of reliable statistical data regarding their effectiveness does not allow us to recommend adding these foods to your nutrition. Instead, increase your consumption of fresh and local vegetables and fruits with scientifically proven antioxidant properties, such as blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and garlic, for example.

By Marilyne Petitclerc

Three Superfruits, Analysed! is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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