It seems that every time you walk into the grocery store these days there's some new, earth-toned drink that's advertised to contain an exotic berry that's supposedly going to transform you into an Amazonian warrior.
This scenario paints a picture of how we've been conditioned to view superfoods.
Sure, an advertised superfood product may very-well be healthy, but the term "superfood" is a marketing phrase that is used to sell us new products that we don't necessarily need.
Because we humans are fixated with things we don't have, we often fall right into the arms of these marketing tactics thinking that what we don't have will put an end to our discontentment. I mean, who isn't going to buy the delicious-looking "superfood" drink that's reminiscent of a fruity cocktail?
As exciting and alluring as new superfoods are, the true and original superfoods aren't easily marketable for two reasons: They're not eye-catching and not new.
For example, animal organs are unarguably the most nutrient-dense foods on earth, but you won't find beef liver on grocery store shelves because there's nothing new or sexy about beef liver.
Sadly, these clever marketing strategies have guided Americans in the opposite direction of finding optimal health. Let's take a look at some "superfood" drinks that bought by consumers with the intentions of becoming healthier and fitter.
As you see, the boasts on the front of these bottles are quite promising. However, when the nutritional label on the back of the bottle is viewed with critical eyes, these so-called "superfoods" are exposed for what they truly are: a bottle of sugar.
Sugar from POM juice: 32 grams
Sugar from Odwalla's Superfood drink: 37 grams
Sugar from Suja's Mighty Dozen: 19 grams
I want to be careful not to demonize sugar as a whole because there is variance in sugar quality, meaning that sugar molecules certainly aren't always an adverse addition in the health equation.
That said, since these sugars of the "superfood" drinks are natural and not added- meaning they came from the fruits and and vegetables that make the juice- could it be concluded that they aren't all that bad and maybe even healthy?
I really wished so, but that's just not a metabolic reality.
When we eat a whole fruit that's naturally high in sugar, let's say blueberries, there are hundreds of live compounds in blueberries that aid sugar metabolism. These compounds enable our body to manage the sugar content with greater supervision and control. Through juicing processes, these key constituents are essentially inactivated, leaving the sugar unaccompanied, letting way for suboptimal blood sugar fluctuations.
Furthermore, the valuable enzymes found in whole fruit are immobilized by the juicing processes that most companies utilize to extract plant juices. Additionally, many companies pasteurize their superfood drinks which kills heat-sensitive vitamins like C and the B vitamins.
So while there is technically nothing added these products, the beneficial properties of the fruits and veggies aren't present in the end product. Leaving only a plethora of unchaperoned sugar.
What's more, these superfood drinks are unsatisfying, leaving consumers wanting something more. If a food ins't leaving you satiated and ins't providing sustainable energy for you to thrive, that food isn't so super.
In my opinion, the word "superfood" should be used for foods that are both nutritionally dense and satisfying.
The top foods that meet both these criterion are animal foods. As already said, animal organs are a nutritional mecca for nearly all the essential vitamins and minerals. If you're not a huge fan of eating organs, (I used to think it was gross but now I'm getting better aquatinted with the texture and flavor😁) eating animal meat like steaks, roasts, and hamburger is also super. Quality dairy products like yogurt, raw milk, cheese, and butter also meet my classifications for a true superfood.
It's important that we make superfoods the center of our diets, but let's not allow marketing strategies to set superfoods standards. Food products that flaunt they're a nutritional powerhouse typically aren't superfoods. It's the foods that you probably already have in your fridge that are the real superheroes. Foods like butter and cheese.