ACAI BERRIES

Rio de Janeiro’s surfer boys and beach babes share a passion with the Beckhams for the açaí berry. Its juice is taking New York by storm, while, over here, the customers at Fresh & Wild’s organic stores can’t get enough of smoothies made from the fruit.

“It is the number one anti-ageing food,” says the dermatologist and anti-ageing expert Dr Nicholas Perricone. Açaí berries are said to be twice as potent as blueberries, as they have double the amount of anthocyanins, the purple antioxidant pigments that have been shown to protect the brain against ageing, relieve rheumatoid arthritis and prevent artery blockage. Indeed, the palms on which the açaí berry grows in the Amazon are known by the local Indians as the tree of life.

Like olive oil, açaí contains the perfect balance of heart-protecting essential fatty acids. The berries are a natural source of cholesterol-lowering phytosterols, supernutrients that are also found in margarine and yoghurt. And the taste? A perfectly acceptable blackberry with a hint of chocolate.

As well as improving your wellbeing, this amazing fruit may also help you look good on the outside. “There is no doubt that açaí has a remarkable concentration of antioxidants, which combat premature ageing,” says Perricone. “The oleic fatty acid it supplies helps omega-3 essential fats to penetrate cell membranes. This makes them more supple and reduces inflammation, which is an important trigger of ageing.” Açaí berries are also one of the few fruits to boast both vitamins C and E, a crucial combination for protecting the skin against sun and pollution damage.

The berries last only a day after harvesting, so only Amazonian locals can benefit from the fresh juice, which they drink much as we do milk. The rest of the world has to settle for frozen pulp, and this is used in smoothies, dolloped on bowls of muesli or served with chopped bananas. Despite its chocolatey undertones, a 50g serving, which is filling, has only 45 calories and 1g of fat. If you still need convincing, according to Greenpeace, the propagation of açaí palms could help save the rainforest. An ecofriendly fountain of youth — what more could you ask for? Well, apparently açaí boosts libido, too.

Log on to www.acai-juice.co.uk to find your nearest stockist

ACEROLA CHERRIES

Another Brazilian superfood, the acerola cherry is best known for its exceptionally high levels of vitamin C. Studies reveal it also contains more than 150 active nutrients and supernutrients. Traditionally, the cherries have been used to heal wounds and treat conditions such as anaemia, diabetes, high cholesterol, inflammation, liver problems and water retention.

Acerola extracts are now appearing in skincare products, as the vitamin C content is thought to fight cellular ageing and the mineral content helps revive tired, stressed skin. Chewable Acerola C, a supplement with bioflavonoids, contains 500mg of vitamin C from acerola berries and rosehip. The bioflavonoids, which come from citrus fruit, are potent antioxidants that help regenerate vitamin C once it has zapped free radicals caused by pollution and UV radiation.

Chewable Acerola C with bioflavonoids (£5.60 for 60 one-a-day tablets, from Holland & Barrett)

GOJI BERRIES

Also known as wolfberries, goji berries are said to be one of the nutritionally richest fruits on the planet. Grown on vines in China, Tibet and Mongolia, they can be eaten whole or drunk as a juice. Weight for weight, they contain 500 times more vitamin C than oranges, as well as more betacarotene than carrots, both of which fight heart disease, defend the body against many cancers and protect the skin from sun damage. These energy-boosting fresh berries are also rich in iron, supplying 11mg per 100g, five times more than the same serving of steak. They have an intense, almost spicy taste. When dried, they are also a great source of B vitamins, which are essential for healthy nerves, and are rich in the supernutrient beta-sitosterol, which lowers cholesterol.

Along with heart- and skin-protecting vitamins, the powerful berries contain polysaccharides that fortify the immune system, so it’s a good idea to chew some at the first sign of a cold or sore throat.

Dried goji berries, £2.75 for 75g, from Rude Health; 0845 202 0777, www.rudehealthfoods.co.uk

MUESLI TO THE STARS

Brimming with nutrient-packed ingredients, Ultimate Muesli is the latest hip superfood. Enjoyed by the millionaire ecofriendly couple Zac and Sheherazade Goldsmith, Jemma and Jodie Kidd and Elizabeth Hurley among others, it is replacing the egg-white omelette as the health-conscious celebrity’s breakfast of choice. It contains everything from protein-rich quinoa flakes to golden linseed, loaded with omega-3s, and of course, the fashionable goji berries.

Ultimate Muesli is the creation of former PR Kate Freestone, who compiled the ingredients while pregnant last year in order to create “a bespoke muesli that was ultimate in both name and nature”. The concoction may well help keep skin looking youthful, and hair and nails strong, via oats, which contain the trace mineral silica. The oats also provide a cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre that will reduce the risk of heart disease. Low-GI rye will keep you feeling full for longer, as well as providing a rich source of B vitamins vital for a healthy nervous system.

The wheat-free mixture also contains antioxidant-rich cranberries and immune-boosting blueberries. These could reverse some aspects of brain ageing and fight cancers and heart disease. Energy-boosting prunes, which maintain good blood pressure, and bone-building dates are also included. The muesli also contains energy-boosting and immune-strengthening sunflower seeds. These are among the richest sources of vitamin E, which is good for the heart and protects the skin against damaging ultraviolet radiation.

Rude Health Ultimate Muesli, £5.95 for a refillable 500g tub, £10.95 for a 1kg bag, from Rude Health, as before, and selected health-food stores nationwide

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