Are Superfoods Really Super?

Walking through my friendly neighborhood warehouse megastore over the weekend, I saw or heard the word “superfood” at least 20 times.  On one aisle a guy was handing out samples of a juice blend that contained a superfood that was supposed to have twenty times the health benefits of the açaí berry.  From smoothies to diet formulas to various other sorts of concoctions, there was a seemingly endless number of products that boasted some sort of superfood contents (often if the superfood is a fruit, you will hear it called a “superfruit”).  As I’m taking it all in, I realized that I really couldn’t tell someone what the difference between a superfood and any other sort of fruit, other than the superfoods typically have a high concentration of some substance that seems to help the body.  Not being satisfied with this definition, I decided to do some research.  So just what is a superfood?  What are some of the more popular superfoods and why?

What is a “Superfoods”?

 The term has been in used for almost 100 years at least, to refer to a food that has an unusually high nutritional value or some other benefit, real or alleged, to the human body.  Nutritionist Elizabeth Somer adds that “every superfood is going to be a 'real' (unprocessed) food,” pointing out that “you don't find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."  The word ‘superfood’ is really just a term used in advertising, it is not scientific.  This means that you can use this word fairly loosely when promoting a product.  The problem is that this means that research is required before buying superfoods.  Products promoted with this mark tend to be expensive so you want to know that what you are buying will benefit you personally.

When I was in the warehouse store over the weekend, there were samples being given out of a new superfood juice blend.  The human billboard promoting the product was telling everyone who passed by that it had “twenty times the health benefits of the açaí berry.”  This statement needed explanation that the human billboard could not provide.  It turns out that he was referring to the ORAC value (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity, a scale for quantifying the amount of antioxidant a substance contains) of açaí versus that of the coffee cherry (the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean as it grows that is used in this beverage).  But açaí has several other benefits that the coffee cherry does not claim; point being that you usually can’t take promotional statements at face value, even if they are scientific claims (however if you are looking for a great antioxidant, coffee cherries are quite amazing).  Additionally, for every scientific claim that you see, you will probably find another study that discredits it.

The list of superfoods has recently greatly increased, now including several common foods that have long acknowledged health benefits.  When there is money to be made off of some new fad, people take advantage; and superfoods are no exception.  Foods promoted under the moniker now include various green vegetables, other brightly colored fruits and vegetables, teas, berries, nuts, legumes, dark chocolate, citrus fruits, some fish and whole grains, just to name a few categories.  Now we come to the million dollar question, which superfoods should you be eating?  Let’s talk about some of the more popular superfoods and why they gained popularity.

What are some of the More Popular Superfoods and Why?

There are several foods that are commonly referred to as superfoods, which you probably already eat.  But some of the more popular ones among the health food community are not so common to outsiders:

Açaí Berry – You will see this used as an ingredient in just about everything now days, but most commonly in health promoting beverages.  It serves as food for many Brazilians and is a staple to those who live in the Amazon jungle.  Very dense in nutrition, it can be referred to as a superfood for several reasons.  It contains good fatty acids, protein, vitamins and polyphenols.  The polyphenols are the most promoted property of the superfruit; you will often hear about the antioxidant properties of açaí provided by the polyphenols.  From personal experience, I can tell you that açaí helps digestion.  Concentrated açaí pills have settled my upset stomach several times.

Blueberry – These are one of the more common and revered superfoods out there.  Rich in many vitamins, minerals and fiber, while low in fat and relatively low in carbohydrates, they are a great food to eat on that basis alone, but there’s more.  The dark pigment of the blueberry contains a few different chemicals that are believed to potentially prevent some diseases, including cancer and reduce inflammation.  They also contain resveratrol in their skin (see my article on resveratrol), which is renowned as an anti-aging and fat loss supplement that may also prevent many diseases.

Pomegranate – These tasty fruits are becoming more and more popular as people are becoming more health conscious.  There are several benefits that the pomegranate may bestow upon the human body.  The fruit has been used in traditional Indian medicine for millennia for various purposes.  The juice has been used as a heart and throat tonic, and preliminary lab studies support the idea of a heart tonic.  These studies have shown that it reduces some of the major risk factors associated with heart disease.  It is currently being studied to combat various other diseases, including obesity, prostate cancer, kidney disease, the common cold and infant brain injury.  Additionally, they are rich in vitamins, mineral and antioxidant phenols.

Greens – No I’m not talking about collard greens specifically; I’m grouping various green superfoods into one category, because there are so many good ones.  I personally take a scoop of a green supplement every day, instead of eating the various members in this category by themselves.  If you choose to do the same, do your research and get a good one, I take Garden of Life Perfect Food. The green part of this superfood concoction contains young cereal grasses (wheat, barley, oats and alfalfa), spirulina, chlorella, kelp and other sea vegetables.  Broccoli, kale and collard greens are examples of greens that you can also try if you want the real thing (the darker green the better, generally).  These have been shown to give you energy, help you maintain a healthy weight, control appetite and possibly prevent some cancers, reduce inflammation and speeding up the healing of wounds.

Teas – For thousands of years human have consumed teas for their health benefits.  They are rich in antioxidant, flavanols, flavonoids, and polyphenols, all of which may reduce your risk for various diseases, including cancer.  It has also been tied to reduced risk of strokes and osteoporosis, improved immune system, lowered cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as many other health benefits.   A great alternative to coffee, you get the caffeine (typically in lower levels than coffee) along with a chemical called L-theanine, which has been known to have a calming effect and improve focus.

Sweet Potatoes – I grew up on sweet potatoes.  Having a mother from Mississippi, I have actually never tried pumpkin pie, but sweet potatoes, in various forms, were a staple desert from mom’s kitchen.  The sweet potato is high in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron and potassium.  In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of various vegetables. Because of the fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value among all vegetables tested.  It ranked more than twice as nutritious as the second place winner in this study (the common potato).

Yogurt – An excellent source of protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamins B6, B12 and potassium, this tasty snack has been consumed by humans for thousands of years.  In addition to the standard benefits of dairy, yogurt is often also enriched with various probiotics, which give you a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut, critical for digestion.  It can also be consumed by people who are lactose intolerant because the yogurt culture, which makes yogurt thick, also feeds on the lactose and converts it into other sugars.  For most of us, it is best to stick to the low fat or fat free version of yogurt for obvious reasons.  If you are carb conscious, you can get plain yogurt and add your own fruit, if desired.

Nuts – Like greens, I will group this into a category instead of speaking about a specific nut.  They are dense packs of nutrition, the sort of food that you want when you are doing any sort of strenuous activity.  Though high in fat, much of the fat is good for you and includes essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6.  It also contains high amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and antioxidants, rounding off the nutrition found in nuts nicely.  They have been shown to promote weight loss and lower LDL cholesterol, when small amounts are consumed.  They are very filling, so not a lot is needed to satisfy your cravings.  They also have a low glycemic index, making them great for people with high blood sugar and type-2 diabetes.  A simple yet effective addition to any diet and there are several varieties to choose from.

Conclusion

There are many great superfoods out there to choose from to add to your diet.  Do your research before buying a superfood that you aren’t familiar with, you may save a lot of money if you do so.  There seems to be one or more superfoods to assist with just about every sort of common problem that we face with our bodies.  Antioxidants seem to be the most promoted property of various superfoods, and though research into the effects of antioxidants on the body is still new, the preliminary data show promising results in disease prevention.  The best thing about many of the superfoods that you will try is that many of them are quite tasty!  This is just another of the many benefits that you will find in the world of superfoods.