Are SuperFoods Really Super?

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb 01, 2010 -
Lately, consumers have been hearing a lot about “superfoods”. A quick Google search of the term will lead to a range of websites and topics. Consumers can learn about Dr. Perricone’s Superfoods from Oprah.com or be enticed by advertisements to buy chlorella, a blue-green algae referred to as “Nature’s Perfect Superfood”. One can find information on superfoods from reputable and not-so-reputable sources.

On the not-so-reputable side are the multiple (and questionable) potions and elixirs making unrealistic promises. They offer to deliver the benefits of superfoods quickly and easily…without actually having to eat food.

But what is this superfoods craze all about? And what can health conscious consumers take away from all of the superfoods hype?

According to Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD, internationally recognized expert in nutrition, chronic disease, cancer, health and wellness as well as the Executive Editor of Nutrition Intelligence Report, " The idea of “superfoods” often begins with interest in certain foods that only are found in a few specific cultures or regions of the world. Soy foods are an example of one of the first so-called “superfoods”. Traditional soy foods, such as tofu, tempeh, and miso, originally were consumed in far east Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea. In these areas, soy has been eaten for thousands of years."

She adds, "These regions and countries also happen to enjoy some of the lowest levels of chronic disease in the world. Rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and more are a fraction of what they are in the United States and other western countries."

The example of soy as a superfood is one of many. The foods that top the “superfoods” lists you may have seen likely have similar stories. From acai (ah-sigh-ee) and goji berries to maca root and green tea, everyone has an example of their favorite superfood.

Dixon adds, "...No one food is the answer to good health. The truth is that many other dietary factors contribute to good health. The bottom line is that there really are no such things as superfoods. Instead, we should be trying to figure out what makes up a superdiet."

Dixon continues, "To sum it all up, we need to focus on eating a super diet, rather than the superfood of the moment. What does a super diet look like? Think plants ... No one food is “super enough” to provide the complete mix of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients necessary for good health."

She concludes, "Instead, you want to tap into the healing power of as many whole plant foods as you can.  Eat green, yellow, red, purple, blue, and orange foods.  Try kale, chard, and kiwi (green); pineapples, bananas, and corn (yellow); apples, strawberries, raspberries, red beans, beets, and tomatoes (red); plums, blackberries, blueberries, raisins, and eggplant (purple); and carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, and melon (orange). These are just a few of the dozens of brightly colored foods that you’ll need if you want to eat a super diet."

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