Of course, some foods are more nutrient dense than others.
Sure, some foods have specific properties that have potential medicinal purposes. However, it’s important to remember that the ‘superfood’ has become a brilliant marketing tool to sell us more than we need.
What makes a superfood super? Despite an epidemic of chronic diseases, we’re ironically saturated with the food industries marketing ‘better for you’ foods and drinks claiming to be ‘super’.
For many of us looking to change and improve our health and well-being, the idea of a superfood can be appealing! This might come as a surprise, but there’s no scientifically based or regulated definition for a
superfood, yep!
Superfood, super profit! Information spreads at a scary pace today, so much so that there seems to be a new
superfood each month! The essentials are in place; captivating headlines from the fast-paced popular press, infomercials and witty marketing campaigns! Superfoods often render into super profits that have created million-dollar industries.
So are any superfoods super? All plant-based whole foods contain a unique range of nutrients, phytonutrients and compounds that can be beneficial (and 'super') for our health!
Below are three foods that I and science believe deserve superpower status. They are full of nutrients, phytonutrients and compounds that benefit many health areas. It’s important to note that these foods need to be in their whole state if we want to go off their definition of being ‘super’. As soon as it is a packaged good (for example, fresh blueberries, as opposed to berry-flavoured granola containing 5% blueberries) with marketing ‘super’ labels, I’d start to get weary.
1. Berry good
Women who ate one or more servings of blueberries or two or more servings of strawberries per week, as opposed to women who seldomly ate berries, were
associated with a 2.5-year delay in cognitive ageing, according to a renowned 2012 study that tracked over 16, 000 females over decades!
Moreover, berries are rich in flavonols and anthocyanins, a class of polyphenols that animal studies believe
encourage the formation of neurons in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory.
But wait, there is more! A 2019 study illustrated that in contrast to a placebo, a mixed berry smoothie
reduced cognitive tiredness during a six-hour period.
Bottom line, a compelling argument exists for adding a few berries to your morning oatmeal, yoghurt bowl or smoothie to support your brain health!
2. Booch, please!
Fermented foods are a true nutritional powerhouse and have a delightful flavour. According to a
study published in 2021, frequent consumption of fermented foods increased the gut microbiome's diversity and reduced inflammation's molecular markers.
What makes fermented foods so beneficial to humans, then? Like probiotic supplements, fermentation creates probiotic bacteria strains that, despite being ephemeral, may
compete with harmful bacteria to generate helpful bacteria in our gut. Just in one serving of sauerkraut, you’ll find up to
28 probiotic bacteria strains!
What’s even better,
fermentation can improve the vitamin, mineral and
antioxidant capacity of food .
Some common fermented foods include kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, miso, sourdough and kombucha.
3. Nuts about you
The healthy generation of thyroid hormones depends on a mineral called selenium. Selenium is
essential for DNA synthesis, reproduction, immunity, decreasing inflammation, and cardiovascular health. One brazil nut, which generally provides 90 mcg of selenium per serving, is the simplest way to acquire a healthy daily dosage of selenium.
Two nuts per day may be a more acceptable quantity and yet fall under the 400 mcg daily limit, depending on where you live. Randomised controlled studies have demonstrated that
two Brazil nuts per day were equally as effective at increasing blood levels of selenium as a supplement!