Superfoods, are they really that super?

Ok we’ve all heard the term superfood, many of us have probably bought into the hype about them too, about how they can cure ailments, prevent diseases and even extend a lifespan. Which all sounds fantastic, but do they really work?

What actually makes a food into a superfood?

For a food to be deemed a superfood, it will contain an unusually high number of phytochemicals. These are compounds that occur naturally in plants and may have health benefits, however, despite there being large amounts of government and private research into the subject there is still speculation on whether specific phytochemicals have particular benefits, more information on some of these specifics can be found at: Foodepedia.

 

Phytochemicals have been used for millennia as drugs or to benefit peoples health. There is definitive evidence that certain chemicals contained within plants can provide specific health benefits, or indeed provide medicinal benefits for many ailments. 

A good example of this is over the counter Aspirin, which was derived from Salicin, which happens to be contained within the bark of the willow tree.

Some top superfoods readily available in your local supermarket are those such as: 

• Blueberries

• Tea

• Dark Chocolate.

• Salmon

These are a small number of some of the most popular superfoods on the market, but these are some of my favourite, both for their taste, and versatility in cooking, but also for the multitude of health benefits from each one.

For example, blueberries contain very high amounts of antioxidants. These fantastic chemicals prevent the oxidation of other molecules, and whilst our bodies need a certain amount of oxidation to survive, these antioxidants can prevent the over-oxidation, which can have regenerative effects on the body.
 

Blueberries also contain extra high amounts of potassium and vitamin C, and to top it all off they are anti-inflammatory.  Inflammation is a key part of many chronic illness’ and by reducing the inflammation with a regular intake of blueberries you can reduce the effects of many illness’ and promote healing. Tea on the other hand, has been shown to reduce cholesterol in tests performed on Japanese men who drank green tea as part of their regular diet. 

This is believed to be because Green Tea contains a particular anti-oxidant called ECGC or Epigallocatechin gallate. As well as reducing cholesterol, it is thought that this anti-oxidant may have therapeutic properties for many disorders, including cancer.

My final two ‘superfoods’ are my favourite, not together obviously. Dark chocolate  and Salmon.
Dark chocolate contains extremely high amounts of antioxidants, it is recommended that you look for dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content, but the more the better as the fat and sugar content drops the darker it is.  Finally Salmon; I’m sure you’ve heard of Omega 3, many adverts on tv for vitamins love to proclaim that they contain Omega 3. These fish oils have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, help arthritis sufferers, and has had some success helping with memory loss and Alzheimer’s.  
 

The fun doesn’t stop there however as research has been conducted showing that Omega  3 can have anti-depressant effects too. These omega-3’s are most prevalent in fatty cold water fish, so it’s best to buy wild rather than farmed fish such as salmon, but herring, sardines and mackerel also have similar effects.  Too many food manufacturers are very quick to try to label their foods as ‘super’, yes they may have some benefits. But that’s the same for all food if you look deep enough. The trick I have tried to identify here is that the foods that contain multiple benefits, the combinations of such give you the most for the smallest amount of effort. 

If you can combine 2 or 3 of these superfoods into your regular diet you will soon be able to notice the benefits.

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