Superfoods: Are They Really Super?

Acai berries, hemp seeds, olive oil, pomegranates, and more. All are reported to be superfood with the potential to prevent disease and maintain health. Sounds great! But is this food really superfood? Will they really improve your health? The term superfoods was first used in the United States around 1998 to refer to certain foods containing the above average level of nutrients. Here, in the states it is widely used as a marketing term to promote the use of certain foods to improve health, reduce potential illness or otherwise alter your current or future health status.

You may have heard the snapshots of the latest and greatest superfood reports but may not really know what superfood is, how it affects your health and whether you should commit to buying them. Well, as my "almost dietician" I'm here to help. I want you to have the most up-to-date and up-to-date information on all the latest health and nutrition news and be able to make educated decisions about your health. So to start with, I've been following the list of the top 10 "superfoods" and their claimed health benefits. Then I'll give my final judgment on whether this food really is super.

Pomegranate - rich in polyphenols (organic compounds found in plants) called punicalagin and anthocyanins help prevent arterial stiffness, asthma attacks, cancer, reverse anemia, anti-aging effects, immune boosting effects and more.

Chia seeds - Essential foods rich in omega-3 antioxidants, "rare" and fiber! Lower your risk for heart disease, stroke and cancer. (Exactly from the GNC website)

Acai Berries - berries from the palm of the Amazon - high in antioxidants that improves digestion, cleanses and refreshes, improves immunity, improves cardiovascular health, improves vision and improves mental clarity. Get this right from the Acai Berry Diet page.

Green tea - High antioxidants (Epigallocatechin gallate) and minerals that positively impact different systems in the body and inhibit the development of many diseases. It also acts as a metabolic stimulant that helps in weight loss, fights cancer cells and helps reduce cholesterol.

Bee pollen - "young bees" foods and make up about 40% of the protein. Complete nutritious food. Rich in protein, free amino acids, vitamin B complexes, and folate bees can help normalize cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, increase red and white blood cell production, and boost ovarian production - to name a few.

Give me some goji - complete protein and food-building strength. Support a healthy life by protecting the heart, helping with vision, improving metabolic function, improving immune function and circulation and promoting longevity.

Cinnamon - help prevent or manage diabetes, lower cholesterol, lower cancer cell division, have anti-fungal properties and relieve arthritis pain.

Dark chocolate (cocoa) - filled with antioxidants, cacao is almost a "natural multi-vitamin." Helps detoxify the body, improve mood, improve blood circulation, and reduce cholesterol.

Blueberries - These little fruits are rich in antioxidants and vitamins that can help reduce belly fat, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

Red wine - high in a compound called reservatrol - found in the skin of grapes. These superfoods are not very different from others - they can help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, increase longevity and brain health.

This list includes foods such as salmon, walnuts, oats, cantaloupe, avocado, spinach, oranges, broccoli, and more. Don't get me wrong - all of the foods listed above are healthy and nutritious (although bee pollen is a bit funky). And you must eat them! But focusing on drinking green tea, pomegranate juice, or consuming cinnamon supplements every day for the rest of your life really doesn't make much of a difference in your overall health. Plus expensive and high quality, scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of encouraging "superfoods" is generally lacking. Especially in the case of cinnamon.

Now take some time and think about it ... Other than the obvious junk food, there's not too much stuff that isn't made into one's superfood list, right? And that makes a good point and quite clear. All fruits, vegetables, cereals, low-fat dairy products, nuts, nuts and seeds are all great foods. And they have beautiful nutrition statistics ... making them all super foods!

Moral of the story? No special "superfoods". Yes, that's right - no. Try to use all kinds of foods and get lots of fruits, vegetables and cereals every day. It will definitely have a positive effect on your health. And unlike these superfoods, studies show that whole plant based dietary diets and lean protein have a beneficial effect on health. It comes from a combination of various foods that are used regularly. So go ahead and fill your plate with bright colors of all kinds of fruits and vegetables, high fiber whole grains, lean protein and some low fat milk. You'll have super foods on your plate every night!

Have more questions? The most frequently used resource is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (http://nccam.nih.gov). You can find any herbs, supplements, "superfood" or other alternative medicine and it will give you in-depth information and any scientific evidence on the subject. Check it out!

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