3456: What Is the Hype About Superfoods by Sophie Szczudlo with Ideal Nutrition on Evidence-Based Nutrition

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[00:01:01] This is Optimal Health Daily. What is the hype about superfoods? By Sophie Studlow, with idealnutrition.com.au. And I'm Dr. Neal Malik, your host and narrator. Hey there, happy Monday and welcome back to another week of Optimal Health Daily. This is where I read to you from some of the best health and fitness blogs on the web. Kind of like an ongoing audiobook and always with a bit of my commentary at the end. Now we have a bunch of shows where we cover a bunch of different topics.

[00:01:28] Check them all out by searching for Optimal Living Daily wherever you're hearing this. And with that, let's get right to today's post as we optimize your life. What is the hype about superfoods? By Sophie Studlow, with idealnutrition.com.au. When you hear the term superfood, the infamous acai probably springs to mind.

[00:01:54] The acai berry has been around for thousands of years, known for its quote-unquote tremendous health properties. Acai berries contain amino acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and have natural antioxidant properties. These antioxidants are responsible for protecting against free radicals. Free radicals contribute to aging and the development of some diseases.

[00:02:18] In recent years, the acai berry has been pulped, frozen, and introduced into the Western diet in the form of smoothie bowls called acai bowls. Acai bowls have proved to be extremely popular and have been marketed as a superfood. But what exactly is a superfood? Although there are no set criteria or definitions, food is considered a superfood if it contains a higher concentration of nutrients beyond other common foods.

[00:02:46] Some other foods which have been crowned superfoods include kale. In the food world, kale is often touted as the Arnold Schwarzenegger of vegetables. Packed with calcium, vitamin K, and vitamin A, kale lives up to the hype of a superfood. But so do many other dark green leafy vegetables. Spinach, for example, is also an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin K, as well as iron, fiber, and magnesium.

[00:03:13] It also contains the most folate among leafy greens, which is needed for cell division. If kale and spinach aren't your things, broccoli can also pack a punch boasting high folate, vitamin C, protein, and fiber. But despite these health benefits, you could argue that all vegetables are superfoods in one way or another. Goji berries Goji berries are allegedly able to boost immunity and brain activity and protect against cancer.

[00:03:43] They contain important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, iron, and selenium. But there's little evidence to support the health claims exhibited by many articles. Likewise, blueberries are touted as antioxidant powerhouses because they're packed with vitamin C, manganese, and anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant. But anthocyanins that are found in blueberries are also found in many other types of berries, including raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. Salmon

[00:04:13] Salmon is high in vitamins, minerals, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 can aid in fighting inflammation and can help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by raising the HDL, or the good cholesterol, in our blood. However, it's important to note that other oily fish, such as sardines, mackerel, and trout, have roughly the same amount of omega-3 as salmon.

[00:04:39] Therefore, the benefits that come with eating salmon can also be obtained by consuming other types of oily fish. Ancient grains Ancient grains are another popular subgroup of superfoods. Ancient grains encompass foods such as quinoa, spelt, and teff. Quinoa, spelt, and teff are all whole grains, meaning whole, unprocessed grains, which means they contain higher amounts of protein and fiber compared to refined grains, like white rice.

[00:05:08] Quinoa is also one of the few plant-based complete protein sources, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, meaning they need to be obtained from the diet. If you're following a vegetarian or vegan diet, quinoa is a great way to get essential amino acids that you would usually receive from products like meat and eggs.

[00:05:32] If you don't follow veganism or vegetarianism, however, brown rice is a great and cheaper alternative to grains such as quinoa. Super seeds Chia and hemp seeds are ballyhooed for their nutrient powerhouse properties, but do they deserve their halo? Chia seeds are packed with healthy fats, antioxidants, protein, and fiber. But with a price of about $28 per kilogram, it costs more than twice the price of most other seeds.

[00:06:02] Hemp seeds, on the other hand, offer double the amount of protein found in chia seeds and cost around $10 per kilogram. Despite their differences, chia and hemp seeds are both considered complete protein sources, making them another viable option for vegetarians and vegans. Although these tiny superfoods boast great nutritional benefits, the downside is they're high in energy. So, one level tablespoon over a bowl of cereal or in a smoothie is ideal.

[00:06:31] Over the past few years, superfoods have become extremely trendy. Marketing strategies have utilized exaggerated health claims to lead consumers to believe that superfoods are superior to other foods and can achieve amazing health benefits. But when you consider the other unprocessed foods that form part of the major food groups that are not considered superfoods, you could argue that they are all healthy and nutritious in their own way.

[00:06:56] And when it comes to feeling good and maintaining a healthy diet, no single food, including superfoods, can counteract the negative side effects that come with eating unhealthy foods. The key is to eat a variety of fresh, whole foods so that all food groups can work in synergy to benefit your overall health.

[00:07:20] You just listened to the post titled, What is the hype about superfoods? by Sophie Studlow with idealnutrition.com.au. And I'll be right back with my commentary. This episode is brought to you by Google Health. Stop chasing someone else's definition of health. What matters is what's healthy for you. Google Health offers a new kind of coach built with Gemini for effortless tracking, sleep insights and holistic coaching tailored to you. Visit GoogleStore.com to learn more and start a new relationship with your health.

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[00:09:09] Dr. Neil here for my commentary. When I was growing up, I used to think of spinach as a superfood. This is because I would watch Popeye cartoons. Every time he gulped down a can of spinach, he would basically become a superhero with super strength. Now, I wouldn't have a problem with marketing foods as superfoods just so long as its meaning is clear. As today's author, Sophie mentioned, so-called superfoods are those that are usually low in calories but high in nutrients.

[00:09:38] Now if labeling those foods as superfoods helps folks consume them more often, great. But instead of sticking to one superfood, we really want to think about combining multiple superfoods in our diet. Anytime my mom would add spinach to a food, I would think of myself as having super strength like Popeye. Well, it turns out that spinach in combination with any other nutritious foods I ate was probably most helpful. Alright, that'll do it for the Monday episode.

[00:10:07] I hope you have a great start to your week and I'll be back here tomorrow as usual where your optimal life awaits.