Brand new fruit becomes available in UK supermarkets

A brand new fruit has become available in UK supermarkets. The 'one-of-a-kind' red berry grapes have been called Boombites, and have become a new superfruit. They taste like grapes, but once you bite into them, you’ll discover a deep, juicy red pulp, similar to that of a berry or a cherry.

The new fruit has launched exclusively at M&S and Ocado for £3 a punnet. It offers comparable antioxidant levels to blueberries and triple the resveratrol content.

It’s rich in anthocyanins—the same polyphenols behind the superfood status of berries like goji and cranberry—which are linked to potentially health-enhancing mechanisms. These include reduced inflammation, protection against cell damage, and good gut health.

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Emerging research shows that these red berry grapes may help regulate blood sugar, with slower glucose uptake despite their natural sweetness. This is a potential game-changer for fruit lovers looking to support their health without compromising on taste.

Red berry grapes are set to be an incredibly versatile new superfruit. Just like table grapes, they are a 'tasty', healthy snack. Their high antioxidant content means that they will also be 'great for pre- or post-workout' or 'just the perfect way to start your morning'.

The red berry grapes are a natural cross between 'some of the world’s best' table grapes, which traditionally all have white flesh on the inside, and old grape varieties that have red flesh fruit and were traditionally only used for wine production. It took thousands of different combinations of small and soft, red-fleshed wine grapes with large, sweet, and crunchy seedless table grapes to come up with the new red berry grapes.

Superfruit benefits

Anthocyanins are polyphenols, naturally occurring plant compounds. They are associated with health-enhancing mechanisms including improvements in cholesterol levels, vascular functionand the gut microbiome.

Public Health Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire, PhD, a member of a new research and education information group called the red berry grape Advisory Board, had this to say: "Dark fruits have soared in popularity over recent years as people become familiar with their high antioxidant content. The vibrant colour of the red berry grapes is down to high concentrations of anthocyanins, a powerful antioxidant that’s been linked to a wide range of health and wellness benefits."

Boombites also include resveratrol,another naturally occurring polyphenol found in various plants, most notably in the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and peanuts. Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol, produced by plants as a defence mechanism against pathogens or injury.

Resveratrol is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory propertiesand has been associated with the "French paradox”. This is the observation that, despite a diet rich in saturated fats, France has lower rates of heart disease than many comparable countries.

Resveratrol is thought to account for various health and wellness benefits.Researchers at the University of Murcia tested Boombites and found that they had three times more resveratrol than blueberries and comparable levels of antioxidants.

Sweet spot

Emerging new research confirms that the new red berry grapes not only deliver much higher levels of antioxidant polyphenols than traditional grape varieties, but also that their natural sugars are absorbed more slowly.And it’s the impact on blood sugar levels that has generated even more excitement around their superfruit credentials.

Research from the technology centre AINIA in Valencia, Spain, suggests that despite having similar amounts of fructose, the new red berry grape varieties showed significantly lower glucose uptakes than standard varieties. This is thanks to the red berry grape being rich in polyphenols and fibre, and together, this unique food matrixseems to have a role in slowing glucose absorption compared to other fruits.

Dietitian, Nichola Ludlam-Raine and member of the red berry grape Advisory Board said: “In simple terms, this means that while new red berry grapes are sweet to the taste, the combination of phenols they contain alters the way these sugars are transported and absorbed in the gut.

“This has major implications for weight control, insulin response and dietary advice around fruit consumption, because we know that many consumers restrict intakes of these fruits rich in antioxidants because of concerns about the amount of sugar in fruit.”

Research facts

Population studies show that a diet rich in polyphenols can potentially help to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 46%. This is driven by multiple mechanisms, including reduced oxidative stress and inflammation and improvements in blood cholesterol, clotting, and endothelial function, which is the term used to describe the integrity and elasticity of blood vessels.

An observational study in 3,420 older adults at high risk of cardiovascular disease — which also put them in the danger zone for diabetes — showed a 28% reduction in new-onset diabetes among those with the highest intakes of polyphenols. Other research studies have shown that polyphenols moderate insulin resistance via several mechanisms and also work synergistically with diabetes medicines to increase their efficacy.

Dr Emma Derbyshire, in summary, said: “The red berry grape breaks the rules. Not only is it packed with potential health benefits, but it’s unique in its appearance and offers a juicy, hydrating, rewarding taste. You’ll have to bite it to believe it!”