Are Super-Foods Super?

Super foods are all the rage and a new one comes along every now and again.

Most foods contain suitable vitamins and nutrients but no single food is going to be an amazing elixir for eternal youth. There is no regulation or scientific definition of super-food - it's a marketing term designed to push sales.

They are going to be highly nutritious and are labelled as being high in antioxidants which counter free radicals. Too many free radicals can cause cell damage and add to the ageing process. Scientifically, however, it’s not that simple. Free radicals are necessary to some extent in human physiology and cell structure. There still are not many studies on free radicals and some have been on mice with very large dose, bearing little relevant to human biology. 

Marketing hype on super foods tends to simplify the situation.

Super foods are usually rediscovered foods from ancient civilisations. One of the most recent is quinoa. Quinoa is a fine grain cereal originally from South America. It has a slightly sweet, nutty taste and is gluten-free. It’s also high in fibre, protein and minerals like iron and magnesium. 

The main varieties available are white, black and red and it’s good as a vegetable. It can be used in stews, in salads and even as a porridge. 

Quinoa is an easy product to deal with. Cooking is simple, similar to rice, with one cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water.

It’s now moved mainly from health stores and can be found in many supermarkets. But there can be drawbacks. When such a product becomes popular on the world market, its price rises, making it too expensive for local people. Production levels are increased resulting in fewer local crops being grown. Following this, the locals can turn to cheaper, convenient junk foods.

No one food or drink is enough to replace everything else. The latest super food can certainly be beneficial but it’s more important to have a good diet on a regular basis.

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