Does 'Super Fruit' Live Up To The Super Claims?

MIAMI (CBS4) -- You can't walk into the grocery store without noticing a new juice, powder, or bar touting a super-fruit. In just two-years, consumers have spent half-a-billion dollars on products with names like acai, lichi, and goji.

Sherry Johnston when asked, "What is a goji berry?"

"I have no clue," she answers.

The list of what's being called "super-foods", specifically "super-fruits" like pomegranates, acais, lichi berries, goes on and on and so do their "super-claims."

Jane Smith says, "They sound like something that must be better for you because they have better names."

Smith says she's heard they can do "everything from burn fat and improve your skin tone to give you energy."

These are all claims Smith and others are questioning. As they get older, they are looking for every new answer to staying young and looking good, but they are also listening closely as scientists and doctors begin weighing in on the alleged "super-powers" of the ever-growing popular fruits.

Registered Dietitian Meridan Zerner says the claims are overstated. Zerner is often asked about whether they can really help people lose weight because some product packaging containing the super-fruits touts "powerful fat burning" ingredients.

"While they might be healthy, and I would encourage people to incorporate them in their diets, don't expect weight loss magic," says Zerner. In fact, she said, the opposite could happen.

"These juices have calories and carbohydrates and so might even have more an impact on a weight loss goal than incorporating it. They could actually gain weight."

Zerner does say choose darker, deeper colored fruits when you're shopping because they are healthier for you.

"If you were going to choose between an apple juice and a pomegranate juice, the pomegranate juice is going to give you more in terms of these antioxidants and pytochemicals but it's not magic."

Zerner also recommends the less expensive cranberry juice over some of the higher priced super-fruit juices if you are looking to save money. She says these are cheaper options with the similar health benefits.

In addition to weight loss, recent research on super-fruits also makes cancer claims. Some studies say pomegranates stop the spread of prostate cancer. Others say goji berries can treat lung and cervical cancer. One study says acai fights cancer naturally.

Oncologist David Euhus says, "I do bristle at all the claims that I see with all of these products," Dr. Euhus says a balance is the key to good health. Exercise and a good diet is what he stresses to his patients with cancer.

"None of these (super-fruits) have proven to have effects on cancer rates or cancer treatment in well done clinical trials."

Dr. Euhus says the studies are mostly independent studies conducted by the makers of the products containing the super-fruits. He says they are not "peer-reviewed." Other doctors and health institutions have not reviewed them. He also stresses that most of the studies have been conducted in test tubes and not on humans.

"A lot of times when we translate mouse data to humans, it just doesn't work."

Cardiologist Tony Das agrees.

"Today if you looked up a Google search for super-foods, you'd find three- million hits and the first two-million of those would be from folks that make super-foods."

Dr. Das says there is no proof these fruits are any more heart healthy than our old favorites like blueberries, apples and bananas. He says the "oldies" have their benefits as well and the claims regarding the new fruits have been taken out of context.

"These aren't magic foods. Calling them super foods is probably a bit of a stretch."

Dr. Das, Zerner, and Dr. Euhus also say the term itself is made up claiming super-foods are a super invention of super-marketing that's turned into a multi-million dollar super industry.

According to SPINS, a market research and consulting firm for the Natural Products Industry, products containing acai, bilberry, blueberry, cherry fruit supplements, coconut oil, cranberry supplements, elderberry, goji berry, magosteen, noni or pomegranates made up more than $228-million dollars in U.S. sales from March 20, 2010 to March 19, 2011.

SPINS is also predicting the maqui berry to be the next trendy fruit of the year.