Dr. Murray’s Top 7 Superfoods

Introduction

In order to provide some framework for discussion, my definition of a superfood is one that provides exceptional health benefits. Obviously, virtually any food, herb, or spice has the potential to be a superfood. But, most often a superfoods list focuses on berries; exotic superfruits like acai, goji, noni, and others; kale and other dark green vegetables; fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines; many legumes (peanuts, lentils, beans) and whole grains. While I agree with these sorts of foods being worthy on any superfood list, my list is different because my general diet recommendations already focus on so many superfoods.

I Love Flavonoids

One of the keys to eating a diet that promotes health and longevity is focusing on flavonoids, a type of plant pigment and a member of the larger polyphenol family. As a class of compounds, flavonoids are often called “nature’s biological response modifiers” because of their anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antiviral, and anticancer properties.

Many superfoods owe their benefits to their flavonoid content. While different flavonoids have different effects in the body, the key factor may not be a high intake of any one particular flavonoid, but rather a high total flavonoid intake that also provides a high variety of flavonoids rather than any one particular flavonoid class. There are over 8,000 different types of flavonoids out there in nature.

Food vs. Supplements

What the research shows is that it does not seem to matter whether the flavonoids come from dietary sources or through supplements containing flavonoid-rich extracts. The caveat is that the dosage must be sufficient, and the total intake must come from a variety of sources. So, with this caveat of the importance of proanthocyanidins in mind, what is an effective dosage of flavonoids?

Based upon my interpretation of all of this data, I believe that the total flavonoid intake for general health should be at least 500 mg from a wide variety of sources. My flavonoid intake is exceptionally high because of my dietary and supplementation strategy. For many years I have consciously sought to achieve a minimum of 2,000 mg daily and usually go well beyond this total on most days. Here is a list of the foods and supplements that I consume daily to reach this goal:

Table 1—Dr. Murray’s Daily Flavonoid Intake

Dietary sources:	Daily dosage	Flavonoid content
Berries	1 cup	205 mg
Raw cacao powder	3 tablespoons	85 mg
Tea (green or herbal)	12 ounces	400 mg
Decaffeinated coffee	12 ounces	400 mg
Nuts	1/2 cup	85 mg
General diet not included above	–	150 mg
Supplement sources:
Micronized diosmin*	600 mg	600 mg
Resveratrol	500 mg	500 mg
Cacao flavanols	375 mg	375 mg
Green Tea Phytosome®	300 mg	100 mg
Grape seed extract	300 mg	300 mg
Quercetin LipoMicel Matrix	500 mg	500 mg

*from VeinSense (Natural Factors)

How to Calculate Your Flavonoid Intake

You can use a table of the approximate flavonoid content of selected foods derived from multiple sources, but primarily the USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 3.1 (December 2013). Results vary considerably based upon numerous factors, including the water content of the selected source, analytical method, exact species or type of the selected food, and other factors. In general, smaller more dense fruit will provide a higher content of flavonoids than larger, more woody fruit. For example, a smaller, denser blueberry or apple will have a higher content of flavonoids than a larger, higher water content blueberry or apple. The key is to try to hit that 500 mg per day target and remember these foods have numerous other beneficial compounds in them besides flavonoids.

Table 2—Approximate Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods in Milligrams (mg) per 3½ oz (100 g) Serving*

Foods	Flavanols	Anthocyanins	4‑Oxo‑ flavonoids	Total
Fruits
Apples	30	15	15	60
Apricots	25	–	15	40
Black berries	15	350	2	367
Blueberries	15	190	5	205
Cherries, sweet	40	75	5	120
Cranberries	20	150	50	275
Currants, black	15	200	150	415
Grapefruit	–	–	50	50
Grapes, black	4	125	20	149
Grapes, green	10	–	4	14
Grapes, red	4	80	3	87
Lemons, without peel	–	–	83	83
Oranges, all commercial types	–	–	101	101
Peaches	21	7	2	30
Pears	27	4	4	20
Plums, black	140	54	40	234
Raspberries	20	135	10	165
Strawberries	12	75	9	96

Vegetables
Cabbage, red (raw)	–	210	3	213
Kale, raw	–	–	135	135
Onions, red (raw)	–	53	235	288
Parsley	–	–	330	330
Radishes, raw	–	100	2	102

Nuts and Seeds
Almonds	7	4	10	21
Chia seeds	–	–	34	34
Hazelnuts	12	11	–	23
Pecans	25	25	–	50

Miscellaneous
Cacao powder	8,500	–	–	8,500
Cocoa powder, unsweetened	378	–	–	378
Chocolate, dark semisweet	65	–	–	65
Tea, black brewed	119	–	4	123
Tea, green brewed	128	–	5	133
Wine, red	125	80	3	208

*Flavanols include catechins and proanthocyanins; 4‑Oxo‑flavonoids include flavanones, flavones, and flavonols (including quercetin).

My Top Seven Superfoods

Before getting to my superfoods list, I like to say that when it comes to superfoods, Americans suffer from xenophilia. Let’s examine the meaning of this term. “Xeno” means foreign and “philia” means love. So, what I am referring to is my feeling that we tend to think of exotic, foreign-sounding fruits and vegetables as being much more of a superfood than the wondrous common fruits and vegetables that are very accessible to us. For example, in the past decade or so various “superfruits” have dominated new product introductions in health food stores. However, I am not sure that the health benefits provided by “exotic” superfruits are significantly greater than those provided by familiar fruits.

Table 3—Superfruits: Familiar vs. Exotic

Familiar	Exotic
Apples	Acai
Black currant	Baobab
Blueberry	Camu Camu
Cranberry	Goji
Grape	Mangosteen
Strawberry	Maqui
Pomegranate	Noni

There is also little doubt that many common fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, and other foods are worthy of superfood status. That said, there are seven superfoods that I try to ingest on a daily basis because of their exceptional health properties:

Berries
Raw Cacao Powder and Dark Chocolate
Green tea
Bee pollen
Ground flaxseeds
Whey protein
PGX

The last item, PGX, is a revolutionary dietary fiber matrix that is backed by over 15 years of research and development. Detailed clinical studies have shown PGX to exert the following benefits:

Reduces appetite and promotes effective weight loss
Stabilizes blood sugar control
Increases insulin sensitivity
Reduces the glycemic index of any food, beverage, or meal by 35–50%
Lowers blood cholesterol and triglycerides

PGX is available in a variety of different forms, including granules, capsules, and part of drink mixes for satiety or meal replacement.

Final Comments

I am passionate about these seven superfoods and definitely make them a big focus in my daily routine. But they are not the only “superfoods” that I consume. In fact, I think my whole diet is focused on health promoting foods. You can do the same and enjoy better health, higher energy levels, and greater clarity of thought.

For More Information

If you have not ordered my latest book, The Longevity Matrix, click on the link. The information above is an example of the type of practical information that you will find in The Longevity Matrix.