As Americans become increasingly health conscious and aware of each dollar we spend, we look for the most effective and beneficial ways to elevate our health. Superfruits such as acai, mangosteen, noni and goji berry are one such way to get the most proverbial “bang for your buck,” but it can be difficult to differentiate between superfruit products when there are so many on the market.

What Is A Superfruit? Superfruits have been given this name because they have higher amounts of nutrients per serving than other fruits and vegetables that are known to be important for health. They are typically a source for unique or novel compounds that are not easily found at such high levels in other foods. Because fruits are, by definition, ‘all natural’ there has been much interest in recent years in including such fruits in the daily diet. Ingesting superfruits (in whole or juice form) is one way to ensure that the body is getting its daily dose of antioxidants, important nutrients and novel compounds.

Why Is There Such A Buzz Around Superfruits? Superfruits such as the pomegranate helped pave the way for an increased awareness of antioxidants. The popular superfruits – acai, goji, mangosteen and noni – offer different but equally important benefits that may include but also extend beyond antioxidants. Superfruits, with their high antioxidant capability and high ORAC score,* may have the ability to slow the aging process on many levels. There is also scientific evidence to indicate that ingesting daily the levels of nutrients found in superfruit juices can offer benefits previously thought to be associated only with health supplements.

The Processing Technique Perhaps the most important factor when comparing superfruit products is exactly how much of the fruit is utilized. Superfruits are survival plants. As such, they have the ability to withstand very harsh and extreme environments; the very traits that allow them to survive in such extreme conditions are what make them so beneficial to our bodies.

The danger of processing superfruits into a product is that many of their beneficial properties can be lost. This is often the case with many superfruit products we see on the market. While they are labeled “superfruit” or even with the name of the fruit, the nutrients are so diluted that the promised value upon consumption is missing. Since much of the nutrient value in superfruits comes from the skin and other inedible parts of the whole fruit, drinking juice made from the whole fruit is the preferred method.

Dr. Lindsey Duncan, a world-renowned naturopathic doctor, certified nutritionist and founder of Genesis Today, created BOOST superfruit juices to introduce traditionally “health food” -oriented ingredients to an increasingly health-conscious consumer by way of beverages. BOOST is the only superfruit juice that is created using the whole superfruit, and therefore also has the highest ORAC rating. BOOST juices are great-tasting, ready-to-drink juices that contain therapeutic doses of life-giving superfruits and trace minerals. BOOST is available in four varieties: Beauty BOOST (acai), Happy BOOST (goji), Youth BOOST (mangosteen) and Inner BOOST (noni). They can be found in the refrigerated cases of SuperTarget stores across the US beginning January 19, 2009, as well as online at www.genesisboost.com.

*An ORAC Measurement is a standardized test developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to measure the total antioxidant potency of foods and nutritional supplements. Antioxidants help prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals. The ORAC scale provides a precise way of determining the free radical-destroying or -neutralizing power of a particular food, supplement or compound.