Superfoods; reality or marketing?

The foods we know include fruits, grains, vegetables, tubers, herbs, spices, livestock, seafood and so on. However, all foods have some beneficial property. Superfoods have a highly dense concentration of vital nutrients, healthy enzymes, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, good fats and oils that help treat, lower the risk of, or prevent specific diseases and maladies. Other scientists claim that the” super” improves your physical appearance and enhance life expectancy.

Who started this label anyway and why?

This popular word associated with foods that have healthy tendencies and exceptional characteristics is traced to Steven Pratt MD, a best-selling author, ocular surgeon, healthcare, nutrition and lifestyle specialist who wrote a groundbreaking book, titled SuperFoods Rx: fourteen foods that will change your life, in 2004. He was researching longevity-enhancing nutrients when he discovered the key nutrient-rich foods that play a significant role in achieving optimal health. This revelation came at a time when scientists were beginning to understand the field of nutrigenomics, which involves the study of how food can control genes. Thus, this birthed the first superfood list, a touchstone for healthy eating, disease prevention, and longevity.

The initial list by Steven Pratt MD contained fourteen foods, which were listed in alphabetical order: beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, soy, spinach, tea (white, green, oolong and black), tomatoes, turkey, walnuts, wild salmon, and yoghurt (goat). The infamous book explained what benefits each of the listed food gives, the diseases it can alleviate or prevent and how to take it regularly for general health. However, the list has endlessly expanded over the years as numerous new claims of additional food as superfoods exist. Presently, there is the account that over 100 so-called superfoods exist, although nutritionists and doctors agree that most of these foods are very beneficial to human health, they don’t agree that the ``super’’ label deserves to be on some of the foods. This brings up the question of knowing the key criteria that make up a superfood.

What qualifies a food to be given the super label?

1. Nutrients – phytonutrients, which are chemical compounds that improve various areas of health or the immune system, should be found in a superfood. It is an excellent source of nutrients and should have different abounding varieties.

2. Higher in Good stuff, Lower in Bad stuff – calories, fat or cholesterol are the bad stuff that can be found in many healthy foods, these unhealthy elements are non-existent in superfoods. Also toxins, hormones, artificial ingredients, pesticides, chemicals, food dyes, etc. are usually non-existent.

3. Disease Prevention and/or Improvement of the Immune System – most superfoods offer significant health benefits, such as lowering the risk of developing certain types of cancer or helping to alleviate the symptoms of other maladies.

Superfoods fad and Marketing

“Superfood” can be used interchangeably with the term “American food marketing”. The Cancer Research United Kingdom, rightly states "the term 'superfood' is just a marketing tool, with little scientific basis to it". To further that claim, Wikipedia defines ‘superfood’ as a marketing term used to describe foods with supposed health benefits with recorded evidence of several dietitians and nutritionist disputing the super claims of some foods by their colleagues. This discrepancy makes you wonder, is the superfoods era a conspiracy theory or is there more truth than marketing? The United States notably and the world at large have over the years experienced various food trends targeted at weight loss and general health, such as;

1920s: Cigarettes

1930s: Grapefruit, Cottage cheese

1950s: Cabbage soup

1970s: Lemonade

1980s: Frozen yoghurt

1990s: Fat-free foods

2000s: Whole Grains

2010s: Superfoods

Trends are usually started by something or someone, especially when a qualified person or a celebrity puts their stamp on it. For the superfood trend, apart from the Superfood RX book, there is the Dr OZ appearance on Oprah show with a list of food and health regimens. These are targeted at women for anti-ageing benefits and particular mention of acai – a South American fruit found in most juices in the United States amongst others in 2008. This led to an avalanche of products claiming Oprah’s approval flooding the markets. As well as, many shows, featuring these new foods, that have made the list, have also had some specialist in the medical, nutritional, health and beauty industry sharing their expert views on why you should add such foods to your diet.

In 2007, the European Union passed legislation banning the term superfood on packaging unless the claim could be backed by scientific evidence. There are currently no regulations or legal definitions as to what can and cannot hold the label in the United States. Some products are being sold with the added title of superfoods. For example, Quaker had alluded the title “superfood breakfast” to their oatmeal square. There has been an abuse of the term and the original intent of the word “superfood”. Although, each new food addition to the superfood list has a background story regardless of whether it is hype or backed with scientific data. There is an undeniable market value increase in the multi-functional food industry under which the superfood trend thrives and in 2013, the market was estimated to cost $43.27 billion. Mintel GNPD (Global New Products Database) reveals that between 2011 and 2015 there was a phenomenal 202% increase globally in the number of new food and drink products launched containing the terms “superfood”, “superfruit” or “supergrain”.

After all that has been unearthed about superfoods, there is still some good to benefit people of different age groups. Revisiting the original fourteen superfoods, as written by Steven Pratt, which we know were discovered for their health benefits and life-giving properties, these super-foods are beneficial to people of any age, race or nation and it includes:

Turkey: The perfect low-fat protein without the skin, of course, will help build the immune system. Recommended Serving Size: Eat three or four 3-ounce servings a week.

Beans: Dried beans preferable to canned beans. An excellent source of vegetable protein, fibre, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron, beans are beneficial for any age group. Recommended Serving Size: 1 cup cooked, approximately 225 calories.

Blueberries: They lower the risk of heart disease and cancer and help maintain youthful, healthy skin. Recommended Serving Size: Eat 1 cup a day.

Broccoli: reduces the occurrence of cataracts, builds bones, and fights birth defects and heart disease. Recommended Serving Size: Eat 1/2 to 1 cup a day.

Low-fat Yoghurt: Studies shows calcium may lower the risk of heart disease, hypertension and also help in weight loss. Yoghurt made from goats is preferable because it has 13% more calcium than other sources. Recommended Serving Size: Eat 8 ounces or 1 cup a day, 120 calories.

Walnuts: Reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Recommended Serving Size: Eat 1 ounce five times a week.

Wild salmon: It lowers the risk of heart disease and cancer. Recommended Serving Size: Eat it two to four times a week.

Tea: Whether white, green, black, oolong or matcha, it is all from the same leaves, what differentiates them it is just the oxidation processes. Whatever your preference, take a break and have a cup, any time, any day. It will boost the immune system, prevent cancer and osteoporosis, reduces the risk of stroke, and promotes cardiovascular health.

Others are Oats, Pumpkin, Soy, Spinach, Tomatoes and Oranges are high in fighting cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases prevents cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Recommended Serving Size: Eat every day of the week if possible.

Superfoods must be eaten with consideration to one’s health, age needs, nutritional requirements and pleasure. Yes, pleasure because food should be enjoyed as well even if it contains acclaimed healing life force, trepidation should not accompany its consumption. That is why; these superfoods have alternatives that may be suited to different individuals. If you dread broccoli like most kids, you can substitute with cauliflower, kale, or even green cabbage. It is of importance to have a balanced diet at all times and gorging yourself on superfoods alone may result in diseases from a one-sided diet. Health is wealth, so don’t be afraid of investing in yourself because you are important!