Danielle Armour
Did you have an acai bowl for breakfast? How about a quinoa salad for lunch? So called ‘superfoods’ are undoubtedly one of the biggest health trends of the last few years, appearing suddenly in the food market claiming to solve all your health problems. Superfoods have become so popular that in 2013, the United Nations declared it to be ‘International Year of Quinoa’.
Just when we thought the superfood trend was coming to an end, Australia is getting involved, with our own native superfood. The Kakadu plum, found in Northern Australia, is said to have up to 100 times more vitamin C than an orange. Most commonly sold in a powder form, this new superfood is even claiming to provide protection against Alzheimer’s.
“The Kakadu plum has one of the highest- if not the highest- quantity of vitamin C of any fruit. It’s also a good source of folic acid and iron,” said dietician Chloe McLeod
As more and more foods get labelled as nutritional powerhouses, many people are beginning to question whether they have the health benefits they are advertised to have. Frequently, superfoods are branded as such because they are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, all of which are beneficial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This means that while eating goji berries, kale and chia seeds are definitely helping in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there is limited evidence that they are directly responsible for preventing diseases.
“Superfoods don’t have their own food group. I think superfood is more of a marketing term for foods that have health benefits,” said dietician Despina Hyde.
Hyde is supported by nutritional scientists, who do not support the use of the word superfood, believing that it has come largely from the media reporting on the diets of celebrities. They argue that superfoods are another product in a serious of weight loss trends. In the early 2000s, whole grains were the go to for weight loss, while fat-free foods were the best way to lose weight according to the media in the 90s.
One of the biggest criticisms of superfoods is directed at those who produce products that contain them. Over processing of foods such as oats removes much of the nutritional content, while juices containing fruits such as goji berries are often high in added sugar. Packaging of these products can be misleading, focusing on the superfood itself, rather than what has been added to it.
