Acai. Pomegranate. Wheatgrass. Anyone can name at least a couple of \u201csuperfoods.\u201d But does anyone really know what they are and how they differ from other nutritious foods? Anyone? Bueller?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What IS a superfood?<\/strong> How does a food get labeled as a superfood?<\/strong> The problem with \u201csuperfood\u201d labeling<\/strong> 1. \u201cRegulators have not found an appropriate labeling system to help consumers distinguish between foods that are nutrient-rich because nutrients or beneficial components have been added during processing (such as highly processed and enriched\/fortified energy bars) and foods that are naturally nutrient-rich (such as whole grains)\u201d;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2. \u201cSome foods that are touted to have superior nutritional properties are high in added sugars, saturated fat or sodium (e.g., sweetened herbal smoothies)\u201d; and<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 3. \u201cSome foods that are promoted to be nutritionally superior contain nutrients or beneficial food components with low bioavailability.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThe problem with nutrient-by-nutrient science is that it takes the nutrient out of the context of food, the food out of the context of diet and the diet out of the context of lifestyle,\u201d Michael Pollan, author of \u201cThe Omnivore\u2019s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals,\u201d told the Guardian<\/em>. The publication cited beta carotene as an example. When eaten in its natural form, it appears to work as an antioxidant, eliminating the body\u2019s free radicals that can damage DNA and initiate cancers. However, when the compound was separated by scientists and ingested as a dietary supplement, it was linked with an increased risk of certain cancers, the Guardian<\/em> stated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
According to the \u201cOxford English Dictionary,\u201d a superfood is \u201ca food considered especially nutritious or otherwise beneficial to health and well-being.\u201d It\u2019s easy to nod and smile at such statements when they\u2019re directed at fruits and veggies, but if KFC told you its fried chicken basket was \u201cconsidered especially nutritious,\u201d wouldn\u2019t you want to know who did this considering and how exactly they defined \u201cespecially nutritious?\u201d You should be asking these questions anyway, even though the foods labeled as \u201csuperfoods\u201d are known to be relatively healthy. It might save you money in the end. (We\u2019ll get to that.)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The truth is that no federal agency or food regulating organization actually has defined \u201csuperfood.\u201d The term is unregulated, and products claiming to be superfoods were actually banned in Europe in July 2007, unless the product is accompanied by a specific authorized health claim that explains the health benefits<\/a> to consumers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics stated that there are three major problems with superfood claims:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n