Beware the label “superfood”: It’s slapped on everything from chia seeds to cauliflower. But what does it mean? When even such a low-bar base camp as Wikipedia calls superfood “a marketing term used to describe foods with supposed health benefits,” you know skepticism is in order.
But now scientists at William Paterson University have come up with a sensible superfood-esque rating system, testing the levels of 17 disease-fighting nutrients (including fiber, potassium, iron, and B vitamins) in produce and ranking the top 41 “powerhouse fruits and vegetables.”
The results were shocking.
On the new list, former underdog watercress (#1) thrashed supposed superfood champ kale (#15). Meanwhile, beet greens (#4) beat down brussels sprouts (#21), parsley (#8) laid a pile drive on sweet potato (#40), and turnip greens (#11) smashed rutabaga (#36) into the turnbuckle. Even blackberries (#38) got body-slammed by strawberries (#30) and pink grapefruit (#35).
Your strategy: Go for variety. “Don’t focus on just one or two foods on the list,” says the study’s Jennifer Di Noia, Ph.D. “For chronic disease prevention, all of them should be encouraged, as well as other plant foods, such as whole grains and beans.”
Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables: The Rankings
- Watercress
- Chinese cabbage
- Chard
- Beet green
- Spinach
- Chicory
- Leaf lettuce
- Parsley
- Romaine lettuce
- Collard green
- Turnip green
- Mustard green
- Endive
- Chive
- Kale
- Dandelion green
- Red pepper
- Arugula
- Broccoli
- Pumpkin
- Brussels sprout
- Scallion
- Kohlrabi
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Tomato
- Lemon
- Iceberg lettuce
- Strawberry
- Radish
- Winter squash (all varieties)
- Orange
- Lime
- Grapefruit (pink and red)
- Rutabaga
- Turnip
- Blackberry
- Leek
- Sweet potato
- Grapefruit (white)