Australian native fruit Quandong is an antioxidant powerhouse. It has the highest oxygen radical scavenging capacity (ORAC assay) among eight commercially grown native Australian fruits that include Kakadu plum, lemon aspen, Australian desert lime, Davidson’s plum, Finger lime (green and pink), Riberry, and blueberry. Vet Merliza explains why we use it in our Senior health chews.

Olive is a rich source of valuable nutrients and bioactive substances of medicinal and therapeutic interest. Olive fruit contains phenolic acids, and it’s these phenolic acids, and in particular, hydroxytyrosol, that’s behind the inclusion of olive fruit extract in our Hypoallergenic balancing pre-mix, designed to help support a healthy skin and coat.

Polyphenols are natural chemicals that are abundantly found in many plants including fruits and vegetables, green tea, black tea, coffee, chocolate, olives, red wine, and extra virgin olive oil. (Not all of those foods are good for dogs and cats BTW!)

These super-phytochemicals are jam-packed with antioxidants and a big reason we focus so much on whole foods in our Bestie Kitchen supplements.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a superfood. This ancient fruit originated from the Mediterranean region, tropical Africa, and Southeast Asia. It’s has been described in religious books as one of the paradise fruits.

Today, various scientific studies are focused on pomegranate’s nutritional value and therapeutic actions such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. However, it’s also high in ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is responsible for the antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects of pomegranate.

Many scientific studies have demonstrated the immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory activity, and disease-fighting properties of papaya. Papaya is a major ingredient in our health jelly mix The Pep-Up, designed to provide support to a struggling immune system. We explain the benefits of papaya.

Broccoli is an antioxidant, rich in carotenoids, as well as vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also rich in glucosinolates, helpful in regulating inflammation, metabolic function, and stress responses.

Papaya extracts and papaya-associated phytochemicals possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Papaya contains a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites (eg alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, tannins, saponins) and proteolytic enzymes (papain and chymopapain). It's also rich in lutein, a type carotenoid.

The cranberry fruit is a unique and rich source of bioactive polyphenol compounds, to support urinary tract and oral health. The phenolic compounds found in cranberries can change the behaviour of harmful bacteria in the mouth without killing them.

Blackcurrant fruit contains polyphenolic substances with antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Various studies have highlighted the antibacterial activity exerted by ribes nigrum (blackcurrant) juice on bacterial strains - in particular streptoccocus mutans, porphyromonas gingivalis and candida albicans - associated with gingival inflammation, oral malodour, and dental caries formation.

Fruits, such as blueberries, are good antioxidants because they contain phenolics that preferentially react with free radicals. Oxidative damage from free radicals plays an important role in several diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and heart disease. It’s also been shown that strenuous exercise in people and dogs produces free radicals and that maintaining antioxidant levels by supplementing the diet with blueberries may prevent exercise-induced oxidative damage.