Making Sense of Super Foods
Wheat grass, goji berries, and flax crackers.
Photographs by Kyle Chesser(2); Goji berries by parastou marashi
Super foods are touted as miracle foods that can prevent aging, increase energy and endurance, stave off disease, and more. But what exactly is a super food and what makes it so super?
The term “super food” is used to describe foods that are high in nutrients, especially plant-based phytonutrients, which are considered to be beneficial to optimal health. Examples of super foods include brightly colored fruits and vegetables, nuts, flax and other seeds, whole grains, fish, greens, sulfur-based vegetables like broccoli and onions, and even seaweed and algae.
“Every whole food is a super food if it is organic and not processed,” says Susan Arthur, a Certified Nutrition Consultant and the owner of Transformations in Health in Aptos, California, “because it contains the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and enzymes our bodies need.”
Arthur classifies super foods as staples and boosters. Staples such as fruits, vegetables, and fish provide the calories that our bodies need for energy. Boosters such as spirulina, chlorella, blue-green algae, wheat grass, and barley greens are more highly concentrated in nutrients, but provide few, if any, calories.
It’s the nutrient density of the food that qualifies it as a super food. Super foods generally contain high amounts of phytonutrients—pigments such as carotenes, chlorophyll, and flavonoids—and/or dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. All of these compounds work to optimize health in one way or another.
Which Super Foods Do the Experts Recommend?
“Most of my recommendations are in the staples category,” states Arthur. “That’s because boosters are not going to be nearly as effective if a person’s body is not properly nourished to begin with.”
Her top picks:
Colorful fruits and vegetables
“In general, fruits and vegetables contain lots of protective phytonutrients, antioxidants, and other vitamins and minerals,” says Arthur. Dark-colored berries, like blueberries, have specific antioxidant compounds that fight free radicals, which may slow certain aspects of the aging process and help protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Fruits and vegetables also provide lots of fiber, which is beneficial for colon health and the prevention of obesity and diabetes.
Garlic
The “stinking rose” contains vitamins and minerals, as well as sulfur-based phytonutrients. Garlic protects against high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It is also thought to protect the colon from cancer-causing chemicals.
Water
Even mild dehydration can cause fatigue, headache, and muscle weakness. “People don’t think about water as a nutrient,” says Arthur, “but it is vitally important for our health.”
Raw nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein and fiber, and they are high in monounsaturated oils, which are great for the heart. Seeds contain a compound called lignans that have been shown to reduce cholesterol.
Wild salmon
This flavorful fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for reducing the risk of more than 50 health conditions including heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, salmon is one of the five most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury.
What about the “new” Super Foods?
Aside from the traditional high-nutrient foods mentioned above, many “new” foods on the market come packaged with big claims about their nutrient value. Here are a few common ones that are popular right now:
Flax seeds
Flax seeds contain lignans, and are a great source of dietary fiber and one of the omega-3 essential fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid. These tiny seeds have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. However, flax seeds are also controversial because they are estrogenic. Some studies are looking at a link between prostate cancer and flax seeds.
Wheat grass juice
The bright green juice from wheat grass has a high nutrient value and is a good source of chlorophyll, which is believed to be beneficial for arthritis, hypertension, ulcers, heavy metal toxicity, and more. Although the research and support for these claims is limited, diets high in chlorophyll are linked to lower rates of colon cancer.
Goji berries
These tangy, dried berries have a high antioxidant and phytonutrient content, which is said to protect the liver, improve eyesight, and boost the immune system. However, there is little supporting evidence of goji’s proclaimed benefits.
Personalizing your Super Foods
Arthur suggests that you work with a nutrition professional to assess your needs. “He or she can recommend the super foods that would benefit you most. If you want to figure it out yourself, you’ll need to do a lot of research, particularly if you have a health issue. Some super foods, especially boosters, may not be appropriate in all cases.”
The good news is that incorporating super foods into your diet is relatively easy. Most staple super foods are available at regular supermarkets and boosters can be found at natural food markets. But when shopping, read labels carefully. If a food is not in its whole form, it loses some of its super powers.
“Take cereal,” Arthur says. “A cereal containing a processed super food, like flax or soy, can still be good for you, but you won’t get the full benefit from it.”
Laurie Swanson is a nutrition educator who is dedicated to helping her clients improve their health and well-being through nutrition.
