VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Nov 22, 2006.  The status of Superfood is difficult to achieve, but that's exactly what dark-skinned berries did last year as Vegetarian Times ranked its seven overachievers and HealthCastle.com named its top five health foods.

Berries, the central topic of a new berry health information portal on the web at http://berrydoctor.com , were noted in the Times' top 7 as a Superfood that may help reverse some effects of aging and contained the highest antioxidant power of the 20 most common fruits and berries. Berries also achieved super status due to their ability to provide dietary fiber, impact blood cholesterol, enhance ocular health, minimize aging effects and inhibit urinary tract infections. Berries shared the two Superfood roundtables with salmon, spinach, oats, soy, broccoli, tomatoes and tea, making berries - arguably - the best-tasting of the bunch.

"I chose berries for emphasis in these information products because they have great nutrients and a compelling health story," said Berry Doctor Corp. founder Dr. Paul Gross, an authority on antioxidant drugs and founding member of the International Berry Health Association. "They have great color, taste and diversity of uses, are popular across demographics and age groups, and have growing public interest as the 'poster' fruit among health foods."

While the blueberry has generated a great amount of attention in recent years for its health benefits, it's receiving plenty of competition challenging its reign as the most nutritious, strongest antioxidant fruit. Two lesser-known berries, the South American palmberry, açaí, and Chinese wolfberry (goji berry), are making a strong push as the most recognized, health-beneficial berries.

Dr. Gross said it's crucial to note that while the catalyst of Berry Doctor products may be wild blueberry, cranberry and strawberry, the inclusion of other berries and related nutrients is just as important. "Our interest at BerryDoctor.com is the whole nutrition story about berries, not just an interest in one species," said Dr. Gross, an expert on cardiovascular and brain physiology. "We want to encompass the advantages and benefits of all berries for our information products and customers. We maintain that the nutrients and other chemicals such as antioxidant pigments of different berries act together to promote health."

In 1991, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States outlined an ambitious program called 5 A Day, a program that recommends five or more servings of vegetables and fruit each day. Unfortunately, according to the CDC's latest study conducted in 2003, just 27% of American women and less than 18% of American men consumed the recommended amount of fruits or vegetables per day.

A pressing reason for promoting a program like 5 A Day are the health benefits linked with consuming vegetables and fruits, which suggest that these foods can help decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases and premature aging. And, because less than a quarter of North Americans are taking full advantage of these recommendations, information sites like BerryDoctor.com are creating e-books and e-newsletters about nutrients, antioxidants, and other science-based information to help fill the gap.

Dr. Gross recognized the need for convenient, easy-to-read information on the science of berries, and will launch his products on a new website called The Berry Doctor's Journal in the New Year.

Meanwhile, every week currently, Dr. Paul analyzes and interprets worldwide medical and food science literature about berries, presents that as summaries and nutrition tips for you - the consumer - and leads us all toward better diets and health.
BerryDoctor.com is a trusted site for credible, objective information on berry science and nutrition that subscribers can receive free through email messages in simple language even children or grandma can understand.

Obtain free berry bulletins by signing up at http://www.BerryDoctor.com

Berry Doctor information products are centered around berries labeled a Superfood category by Vegetarian Times and HealthCastle.com, but include a multitude of other beneficial reports on nutrients, antioxidants and all dark berries, including the cranberry, strawberry and raspberry.

Included in the mix is the South American açaí, featured on the "Oprah" show. A lesser-known exotic berry, the wolfberry or goji berry, is also a powerful source of antioxidants and has been called the most nutrient-rich food on the planet.

Dr. Gross is senior author of a new book examining evidence for this claim, entitled Wolfberry: Nature's Bounty of Nutrition and Health, 2006, Booksurge Publishing, see http://wolfberry.org