Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Superfood is my least favorite word.


The dental hygienist navigated her way through our conversation about health and nutrition as artfully as she poked and probed my splayed open mouth. Apparently fluent in a special version of English that doesn’t involve the tongue and lips, she understood everything I said in response to her questions. She learned that I was a former nutrition research scientist and current health coach, nutrition consultant, educator, and freelance writer. We talked about vaccinations and public health, the rising cost of college education, and nutrition. All with my mouth stretched open and my head closer to the ground than my feet.

Then it happened. The nice healthcare professional armed with a sharp dental tool aimed at my gums took the conversation to a new direction. It was like she’d said Lord Voldemort’s name out loud. She said the “s” word – she asked about “superfoods.” I paused. I needed to process her question and engage my mental filter. Her question was legit, after all, and I’m a professional. I reminded myself that she doesn’t know that “superfoods” is literally my least favorite word.


Definition of “superfood”

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) doesn’t provide a definition for “superfoods.” Neither does the medical community. There are, however, some publicly minded medical-media professionals that promote superfoods, such as Dr. Oz. Most nutrition scientists and professionals don’t recognize or use the term “superfoods.”

Government agencies and most medical and scientific professionals don’t recognize “superfoods” because research doesn’t support it There isn’t research to support that consuming one specific isolated food, nutrient, phytochemical, or microorganism will itself have a significant impact on your health. Research suggests that eating a balanced and varied diet along with a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and adequate sleep will promote health and help reduce your risk of chronic disease.

When it comes to nutrition, we’re still developing our instruction manual. Scientists are learning more about how whole foods as well as nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins), phytochemicals (plant chemicals), and microorganisms impact the body. It’s exciting. With new information comes new opportunities, and new chances to make money and exploit consumers.

Resources:


What makes a food a “superfood”

There is no formal or agreed upon definition of “superfoods.” We also lack standards and official guidelines about what makes a food “super.”  “Superfoods” were invented – created, promoted, and popularized by the media. Labeling a food a “superfood” increases its marketability. Writing and talking about superfoods increases your audience. 

Generally, “superfoods” provide some sort of bang for the buck. For example, “superfoods” may contain
  • a lot of antioxidants; 
  • a lot of nutrients per calorie;
  • lots of fiber
  • a lot of omega-3 fats.

Common types of “superfoods” are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats (omega-3 fats). Examples include blueberries, strawberries, oats, avocados, and salmon. 

"Blueberries on branch" by Jim Clark - [1]. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blueberries_on_branch.jpg#/media/File:Blueberries_on_branch.jpg

Resources:

“Superfoods” online

If you’re exhausted and confused after slogging through the quagmire of lists, articles, videos and advertisements promoting “superfoods,’ you’re not alone. On July 15, 2015, I searched “superfoods” and was overwhelmed by 9,550,000 hits. Here are some examples of what I found (I don’t endorse any of these links):

If the "superfood” label encourages you to eat more fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains, that’s great. But be savvy about it. Think twice about foods and products you’ve never heard of before. Ask yourself questions like
  • Why have I never heard of this food or product before? 
  • Does this information make sense or does it seem too good to be true? Remember, no one food or food component will itself cure or prevent disease.
  • Is this a sustainable choice? Is it grown locally, regionally, within the country you live or is it shipped from a far-off location? Does enough of it exist for lots of people to start eating or taking it? If not, can this last?
  • What evidence (research) exists to support claims about this being a “superfood?”  

Be a critic and draw your own conclusions – whatever they may be.



Final thoughts

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and low-fat dairy are healthy foods that health professionals encouraged people to eat long before there were "superfoods." I think we ended up with “superfoods” because as technology improved, scientists started learning more about how whole foods, as well as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and microorganisms affect the body at the cellular and genetic level. This has been a boon from a marketing prospective. It’s lead to research and development of other foods and products. And it influences consumer spending.

From an article published by the European Food Information Council: “The science behind superfoods: are they really super?” (European Food Information Council (11/2012): The science behind superfoods) -
“When it comes to ensuring a balanced nutrient intake for good health, we need to increase the range of nutritious foods in our diets rather than focusing solely on a handful of foods claimed to be ‘super’. Importantly, this should include a greater quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables. Many European countries provide food-based dietary guidelines to help people reach this goal.”



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