From Himalayan berries to Peruvian cabbage roots, there seems to be a new so-called superfood discovered every week. But are they as good for you as people claim? Let’s find out…
Until recently, the concept of superfoods was limited to Pop-eye’s strength-giving spinach, and the belief that an apple a day kept the doctor away.
Nowadays, barely a week goes by without a news story telling us that some hitherto common or garden food-stuff is actually endowed with extraordinary powers. Broccoli, blueberries, brazil nuts, garlic, watercress, oily fish and strawberries – to name a few – have all had their moment in the sun. More recently, it has been claimed that tomatoes, especially when cooked, can protect against skin cancer.
There is no official definition of a superfood, but it’s generally assumed to be a natural foodstuff that is particularly rich in vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids or health-giving bioactive compounds, the benefits claimed for them ranging from increasing IQ to preventing ageing.
And while the positive effects are often overstated, there is no doubt that these foods are a beneficial addition to a balanced diet. Now, the original superfoods have given ground to more exotic fare such as goji berries and hemp oil, while the supermarket shelves groan under the weight of fish oils, ancient grains and obscure South American roots.
Even so, nutritionists maintain a largely ambivalent attitude to the superfood phenomenon. The problem is that many of these foods are expensive. You could eat a bowl of blackberries and raspberries and get just as many antioxidants as from goji berries, while spending less money and having less of an environmental impact.
On the other hand, it’s the only time that fruit and veg really appear in the press. Supermarkets don’t bother to advertise fruit and vegetables sold loose, but when they’re classified as a superfood, it makes them more glamorous. It did wonders for the image of beetroot.
The great thing about the ever-changing superfood phenomenon is that it encourages people to try foods they’ve never heard of before, and variety is the essence of vitality and good nutrition. Anything that gets people more interested in a wider variety of fruit and vegetables has to be a good thing.
Here are the top ten superfoods to have in your shopping basket. They range from the exotic (Chinese yumberry) to the ordinary (cabbage); but be warned – despite their ‘super’ tag, they can’t work miracles. Problems arise when people think they can make up for a junk-food diet by drinking gallons of acai juice. The body doesn’t work like that.
The top 10 Superfoods are:
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