Better than Goji Berries

Until this study was published, the most antioxidant-packed dried fruit known was goji berries, topping off the chart at 120; five times the antioxidant power of raisins. But then, along came what?

I might have guessed this new spot would belong to something like dried blueberries, but dried blueberries ended up way down here, at 37. There must be something about the phytonutrients in blueberries that just does not take well to drying.

Just when goji berries were getting complacent, a newly available dried fruit has pulled ahead; dried pomegranate seeds. They are expensive, but are yummy, and the healthiest snack you are likely to ever find.

Now just for trivia’s sake, there are healthier, but good luck finding them. Barberries, at $7.58 an ounce. Your best bet, evidently, at finding them is at Middle Eastern spice stores, where they’re used to make Persian rice dishes. Let me know if you can find any, and then send me some.

And then, though I know it sounds like something straight from Dr. Suess, but I’m not making them up: dried red whortleberries: $8.97. Rarely cultivated, but you can pick your own in the Arctic tundra.

Rowanberries screw up my graph again. Look how pitiful our poor goji berries are looking right about now. And finally, way off the charts, in a class of its own, top dog for healthiest snack on the planet Earth: dried Indian gooseberries.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by MaryAnn Allison.

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• Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, Bøhn SK, Dragland S, Sampson L, Willey C, Senoo H, Umezono Y, Sanada C, Barikmo I, Berhe N, Willett WC, Phillips KM, Jacobs DR Jr, Blomhoff R. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010 Jan 22;9:3.

Images thanks to Scott Ehardt, Asabengurtza, Yosri, Pvt pauline, Miansari66, and Jonik via Wikimedia Commons, and Dondelasabrina via flickr,  lyonesse2710, and NihitMaan Gaur. Images have been modified.

• amla
• antioxidants
• barberries
• berries
• blueberries
• chronic diseases
• dried fruit
• fruit
• goji berries
• gooseberries
• India
• oxidative stress
• phytonutrients
• Plant-Based Diets
• pomegranates
• raisins
• seeds