Blackcurrant tops superfruits league table

Blackcurrants head the first superfruit league based on scientific evidence, including their impact on major diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

The league was compiled by the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). It reviewed published medical evidence from around the world to compile a list including melons, bananas and citrus fruits, but leaving out many celebrity berries, such as the goji.

“There’s a lot of waffle talked about superfruits frankly,” said Dr Derek Stewart of the SCRI. “As soon as a new fruit comes out of China, which they have been doing for 20 years, it’s said to be going to cure all ills.”

Stewart looked at whole fruit and their extracts and diseases and disease models. He also examined compositional data on energy, fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals, and what 100g of each fruit represented as part of the RDA (recommended daily intake).

Given the commercial interest in superfruit ingredients, he expected the rankings to “annoy a lot of people”, but hoped it would stimulate the industry to “get its act together” by undertaking more trials.

“It’s a living document. As things come in, the rankings will change,” he said.

Publication comes at a time of heightened scientific interest and consumer confusion over fruit’s alleged medicinal power.

At Dundee University, trials have begun on identifying which antioxidant offers the best protection against cardiovascular diseases.

“[Soft] fruit contain phenolic compounds that are likely to exhibit antioxidant functions within the body. However, no one has directly shown how such a diet may produce beneficial vascular effects. Furthermore, no one has determined which type of antioxidant might be best,” said researchers, who are working with SCRI on monitoring 20 subjects fed either high or low vitamin C blackcurrants or blueberries, which contain antioxidants other than vitamin C.

Meanwhile, the Rowett Institute has begun a flavonoid database to improve the quality of information available to researchers looking at antioxidant effects. The database drills down into the sub classes of flavonoids, including flavonols, flavones, proanthocyanidins, catechins and flavonones, for fruit, vegetables, beverages, jams, chocolate and herbs.