Super-Duper Fruits?

Remember when pomegranates seemed really exotic?

Now, thanks to their purported health benefits, they are in everything from iced coffee to martinis. And there are scores of other fruits -- some familiar, some unpronounceable -- joining pomegranate on the shelves.

Acai is everywhere, as are goji berries, noni, mangosteen, blueberries, cranberries and other so-called "super fruits" that contain compounds called antioxidants that may help fight against heart disease, cancer, arthritis and other diseases.

Food manufacturers are adding super fruits to juice, granola, cereals, teas and scores of other products. Even Dunkin' Donuts has gotten in on the act, introducing a "Superfruit Coolatta" that is a blend of blueberries, pomegranate and acai berries.

"Americans want a magic pill, so the concept of a super fruit is one way to address that need," says Mary Ellen Camire, a professor in the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine. "People don't want to follow a good diet. 'Let me eat a super fruit, and I'll be good.'"

Convenience and taste also play roles in this super-fruit mania. Some of the more exotic fruits have such strong or unusual flavors it's unlikely consumers would embrace them if they had to eat them "straight."

"Pomegranate is a pain to eat," Camire said. "It's messy. But pomegranate juice is easy. And things like acai juice and noni are things that you normally would not eat, either, but processing them into juice makes them more palatable and easier for consumers to get down."