Superfoods: the real truth

These days, you can hardly walk into a supermarket or open a magazine without being bombarded with ‘superfoods’. They promise amazing health benefits and overall wellbeing, but what exactly is a superfood? Do they really live up to their claims?

The term ‘superfood’ is not officially recognised by scientists or dietitians as a way to categorise a food. In fact, there is no legal definition that classifies what can and can’t be called a superfood. Any marketing company or brand can slap the label “superfood” on their product. This begs the question: how does a product guarantee its ‘super’ quality?

Acai, goji berries, chlorophyll, maca, and activated almonds – to name but a few – are examples of exotic foods that often fall under the category of ‘superfoods’. While these foods do contain high levels of nutrients, it’s unlikely  they are any more beneficial to your health than easy-to-find, more run-of-the-mill fruit and veggies.

Instead of feeling tempted to buy and try every so-called ‘superfood’ you read about, we recommend reaching for a variety of everyday foods to meet your daily nutrient requirements. Regularly eating apples, bananas, broccoli, pumpkin and beans and other fruits and veggies, are not only more widely available but won’t explode your budget.  The Australian Dietary Guidelines are a good place to start when looking for advice on what constitutes a healthy diet.

As for the kids? Carrots and peas trump wheatgrass and chia seeds any day.

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