Fruit has long been an essential part of a healthy diet, and New Zealand scientists have spent decades uncovering exactly why.

Blackcurrants are one of nature's superfruits, helping with sports recovery and mental performance

For more than a century, government-funded science has helped uncover what makes our fruit so good for you. Early research focused on essential nutrients like vitamin C and dietary fibre and their role in preventing disease. Today, that work has expanded into understanding how bioactive compounds like anthocyanins and other phenolics found in fruit and vegetables actively support human health.

Research has shown that kiwifruit can support digestive health and help regulate blood sugar levels, while gold kiwifruit may support immune health and reduce the severity of cold symptoms in older adults. New Zealand blackcurrants have been found to assist with sports recovery and support mental performance and mood. The combination of Boysenberry and apple extracts can reduce throat irritation and help support recovery from environmental stressors like air pollution.

These insights are fed back into plant breeding programmes to develop new fruit varieties with enhanced concentrations of bioactives and their associated health benefits, supporting growers and creating high-value export products for global markets. Additionally, New Zealand companies are using this research to develop functional food products and dietary supplements from locally grown ingredients, opening up new opportunities for the country's food and health sectors.

As consumer demand grows for foods that support wellbeing, our science is helping New Zealand produce fruit that delivers more than great taste