Confused about superfoods? Trying to figure out what’s marketing hype and what the real miracle munchables are? Read on and I’ll clear up the superfood question once and for all.
The term superfood is rather vague. There’s currently no scientific or medical definition for the word. I’ve seen supermarkets even slap a big ’superfood’ label on oranges or pears claiming them as superfoods, so it’s no wonder people are confused.
Here’s how I define them – a true superfood is anything which is extremely high in multiple beneficial nutrients, and usually has a host of additional medicinal benefits over and above the intense nutrient density.
It’s a relative term. Some things are more ’super’ than others.
If you were to list every edible substance on earth, and rank them in order of nutritional merit, a true superfood would be somewhere the top couple of hundred substances.
To put this in perspective, there’s over 600 species of mango, and nearly 400 species of avocado alone, so a true superfood is really an elite super duper performer of the edible gourmet world!
So what kind of foods make it into this elite category? And what types of superfoods can you get?
Here’s a quick run down to begin your exploration. Try and get a taste of one of each type in the next week!
Berries:
Goji berry, camu berry and acai berry all have an astonishing array of anti-oxidants, especially vitamin C. Avoid the excessively sugary and overpriced ready made juice versions and get hold of the real thing.
Fermented foods:
Kefir, kombucha and homemade sauerkraut. Fermented foods provide huge quantities of beneficial bacteria for your frontline immune system, far more than you’ll typically find in any store bought pasteurised probiotic yoghurt product.
Kefir made with coconut water is the current peak performer of the fermented food world and the rare slower growing Japanese Water Crystal Kefir tends to make the most potent beverages.
Algae:
Spirulina, chlorella, and marine phytoplankton all pack a high protein, high mineral concoction of alkalising nutrients. Try a tablespoon of spirulina in a fruit smoothie for a high protein, colourful shake!
Weeds and grasses:
Wheatgrass, barley grass, and dandelion greens. The harder a plant is to stamp out, ironically the more nutritious it tends to be. Hardiness is often related to mineral density. Grasses can absorb the entire mineral spectrum, something few other plants do and chelates them into a digestible form.
Freshly made wheatgrass juice grown using sea water concentrate as a mineral growing agent is probably the best value superfood available anywhere.
Bee products:
Bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis are all very rich in amino acids, essential for optimal brain function. Look for pollens collected from pristine environments as it’s very porous and will readily absorb environmental toxins.
Seaweed:
Kelp, nori and bladderwrack all have phenomenal levels of essential trace minerals, vital for bone building. Kelp in particular is especially high in Iodine, used in thyroid function, one of the few sources of the nutrient. For the less culinary adventurous, you can even get seaweed already ground up for use in salt shakers.
Super Herbs:
The super mushrooms Reishi, Agaricus and Cordyceps are all fantastic ‘herbs’ for enhancing immune function. A few capsules emptied into in a nice Miso broth is an easy way to digest them. Garlic is one of the best northerly growing herbs and very easy to get hold of. A few cloves daily (or as an odour-free supplement) provides a nice all round anti-viral effect.
Chocolate:
Real chocolate has a medicinal history that stretches back centuries, after all who doesn’t like chocolate? Try raw cacao ground up in smoothies or made into gourmet health chocolates for a nice anti-oxidant boost!
Written by michaelc
Topics: Super Fitness, Super Health