Galahad's

     Nope. And it’s not Superman either. This chapter is on superfoods.

 

     You have all heard the term before, dropped in many marketing schemes. Goji berries, açai berries and seaweed, to name a few. Are they good for you? Sure. Are they as great as the advertisements make them out to be? No, not really.

 

     The thing with most highly marketed superfoods is that they are typically harder to get where the majority of customers live. Not all of us have access to the high Himalayas to pick our own goji berries. Because of these foods being so alien to us and so new to our markets, we take these statements as true. They must be true with all of those amazing claims and huge marketing campaigns that have come with them, not to mention the extremely high cost to consumers.

 

     The truth is that most superfoods are pure hype. Sure, they may be good for you, but there are other, better, cheaper and more obtainable sources of the same nutrients.

 

     What about all of the antioxidants, vitamins and such that these exotic foods have? Their levels are so high. Açai is loaded with everything you need. Sounds amazing, right? Try blueberries to save your time and money. Blueberries are loaded with far more antioxidants and nutrients than açai.

 

     There are some types of seaweed that are harvested for consumption, especially those in supplements, which contain toxins. It’s not just the types of seaweed that you have to worry about though. You must also be concerned with the condition of the area it was taken from and how it got out of the sea. Those factors can also lead to negative issues within the plants.

 

     Basically, with most popular superfoods, don’t pay for the high priced hype unless you truly enjoy them. Me, I like the taste of açai, so I will get things with the berries in them, but I realize they are not as rich in greatness as they play them out to be. Therefore, I don’t expect anything super from them. You don’t have to count any of the superfood crazes out, as most are still good for you, but don’t expect miracles.

 

     Generally, the real superfoods are readily available and you’ve heard of them before. They include many berries, dark green and other intensely coloured vegetables, citrus fruit, several legumes, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, whole grains and more. There are many lists available that are more precise. I suggest giving some of them a read.

You will be quite surprised.