Variety of fruit and veg beats superfoods

There's no need for superfoods. The fibre found in most fruit and veg appears to protect against cancer.

Pectin — a fibre found in most fruit and veg to some extent protects against a cancer-causing protein according to research at the Institute of Food Research  headed by Professor Vic Morris.

Foods high in pectin include carrots, potatoes, blackcurrants, oranges, apples and plums. Others such as strawberries and grapes have less pectin but they still have some.

Pectin from fruit peel is also found in jams and jellies. Now nobody is suggesting you should gorge on marmalade - these products contain far more sugar than pectin — but you can eat the odd portion without feeling bad about it.

Vic Morris said the likely effect of the fibre meant there was no need for people to rely on so-called superfoods such as blueberries and spinach. He said it was probably better to eat a wide range of fruit and vegetables.

He told the BBC: 'We hear so much about 'superfoods' but for a combination of different effects it may be better to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.'

The research continues into just how well the pectin from natural food sources is absorbed by the body.

• More on making sure you get the best sources of fruit and veg.