Meet the newly minted health-food darlings-sweet, tangy, and packing the kind of superior wellness benefits that will make you forsake your açai smoothie.
Pichuberry
The Taste: A cross between a passion fruit and a cherry tomato
The Goods: Low-glycemic and features stellar levels of vitamin D (3/4 cup provides 39 percent of your daily dose). Also contains antioxidant flavonoids and withanolides (anticancer compounds), as well as surprisingly high amounts of B12, which keeps red blood and nerve cells healthy.
The Drink: Pichuberry Infusion Juice is available at Whole Foods in Arizona and California, with a nationwide rollout planned in the coming year.
The DIY Version: "This triple-berry smoothie is full of phytochemicals; different colors equal different nutritional benefits. Blend 1/2 cup each of pichuberries (minus husk), strawberries, blueberries, and papaya with 3/4 cup of water or pichuberry juice."-Manuel Villacorta, R.D., author of Peruvian Power Foods
The Taste: A cross between a passion fruit and a cherry tomato
The Goods: Low-glycemic and features stellar levels of vitamin D (3/4 cup provides 39 percent of your daily dose). Also contains antioxidant flavonoids and withanolides (anticancer compounds), as well as surprisingly high amounts of B12, which keeps red blood and nerve cells healthy.
The Drink: Pichuberry Infusion Juice is available at Whole Foods in Arizona and California, with a nationwide rollout planned in the coming year.
The DIY Version: "This triple-berry smoothie is full of phytochemicals; different colors equal different nutritional benefits. Blend 1/2 cup each of pichuberries (minus husk), strawberries, blueberries, and papaya with 3/4 cup of water or pichuberry juice."-Manuel Villacorta, R.D., author of Peruvian Power Foods
Lucuma
The Taste: Maple syrup meets butterscotch (it's the Peruvian ice-cream flavor of choice)
The Goods: Boasts protein and iron-both rare in fruit-as well as high levels of beta-carotene (which research shows can help regulate blood pressure and keep diabetes in check), magnesium, and calcium, and is a potent anti-inflammatory. Bonus: Measures just 25 on the glycemic index.
The Drink: At Los Angeles' Moon Juice, the Sesame Ginger Lucuma Moon Milk blends the yellow fleshy fruit with ginger, honey, and sprouted-sesame-seed milk.
The DIY Version: "If you can't find the fruit, mix one tablespoon each of lucuma powder , protein powder, cacao, and nut butter with one cup of water. It makes a great post-workout shake."-Moon Juice owner Amanda Chantal Bacon
The Taste: Maple syrup meets butterscotch (it's the Peruvian ice-cream flavor of choice)
The Goods: Boasts protein and iron-both rare in fruit-as well as high levels of beta-carotene (which research shows can help regulate blood pressure and keep diabetes in check), magnesium, and calcium, and is a potent anti-inflammatory. Bonus: Measures just 25 on the glycemic index.
The Drink: At Los Angeles' Moon Juice, the Sesame Ginger Lucuma Moon Milk blends the yellow fleshy fruit with ginger, honey, and sprouted-sesame-seed milk.
The DIY Version: "If you can't find the fruit, mix one tablespoon each of lucuma powder , protein powder, cacao, and nut butter with one cup of water. It makes a great post-workout shake."-Moon Juice owner Amanda Chantal Bacon
Aroniaberry
The Taste: Insanely tart (think Cabernet-flavored Smarties)
The Goods: Packs twice as many antioxidants as cranberries, and four times that of pomegranates, goji berries, blueberries, and strawberries. Laced with vitamin C and iron, it's also a proven performance-booster in the gym: Recent research showed that athletes who drank aroniaberry juice had less oxidative stress up to 24 hours after a tough workout.
The Drink: New York City chain Juice Generation's Aronia All-Star also contains acai, pomegranate, blue-berries, bananas, and raw agave.
The DIY Version: "Blend a half a cup each of aroniaberries, strawberries, and banana with one cup of spinach and apple juice. There's no better way to start the day."-Juice Generation founder Eric Helms
The Taste: Insanely tart (think Cabernet-flavored Smarties)
The Goods: Packs twice as many antioxidants as cranberries, and four times that of pomegranates, goji berries, blueberries, and strawberries. Laced with vitamin C and iron, it's also a proven performance-booster in the gym: Recent research showed that athletes who drank aroniaberry juice had less oxidative stress up to 24 hours after a tough workout.
The Drink: New York City chain Juice Generation's Aronia All-Star also contains acai, pomegranate, blue-berries, bananas, and raw agave.
The DIY Version: "Blend a half a cup each of aroniaberries, strawberries, and banana with one cup of spinach and apple juice. There's no better way to start the day."-Juice Generation founder Eric Helms