The new superfruits

By Monica Bhide

Give the apples and bananas a rest and round out your repertoire with these exotic, antioxidant-packed picks


Though Americans are eating more fruit these days (go us!), more than half are the old standbys: bananas, apples, and oranges. Yes, they're good for you--but you're missing out. "Different fruits provide an array of disease-fighting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants," says Joy Bauer, RD, author of Joy Bauer's Food Cures. In fact, broadening your horizons can measurably improve your health. Colorado State University nutritionists asked 106 women to eat 8 to 10 servings of produce daily for 8 weeks. Half the group chose from 18 different varieties, while the others ate the same 5 over and over again. Two weeks later, blood tests showed that the high-variety group reduced their rates of DNA oxidation, possibly making their bodies more resilient against disease; the other group had no change.

Ready to mix it up? Here's a quickie primer on some of the smartest "exotic" picks based on their health benefits--and how to serve them in place of common favorites.

For perfect blood pressure

Good: Bananas
Better: Fresh figs

Why: Six fresh figs have 891 mg of blood pressure-lowering potassium, nearly 20% of your daily need--about double what you'd find in one large banana. In a recent 5-year study from the Netherlands, high-potassium diets were linked with lower rates of death from all causes in healthy adults age 55 and older.

You'll also get...a boost to your bones. Figs are one of the best fruit sources of calcium, with nearly as much per serving (six figs) as 1/2 cup of fat-free milk!

Shop for figs that are dry on the surface and feel heavy in the hand. A perfectly ripe fig may have slight cracks that are bursting with the fruit's sweet syrup.

Serve by chopping and adding to yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, or green salads. Or, enjoy them as a savory snack: Cut a slit in the side and stuff with 1/2 teaspoon of a low-fat version of a soft cheese such as chèvre or Brie.