Superfoods are a special category of foods found in nature that are superior sources of the anti-oxidants and essential nutrients that our bodies need, but cannot make themselves.
What are Superfoods? Superfoods are calorie sparse and nutrient dense so they pack a lot of punch for their weight and deliver more of what our bodies need in one go.
Foods that have been elevated to superfood status in recent years include those rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.
Contrary to what some wrongly believe; Superfoods are NOT nutrition created through advancements in food sciences.
Instead, they are looking back to nature for what it does best – offering us amazing complex combinations of nutrients, beautifully balanced to supply us with what our bodies require to flourish.
This is going back to the wild and harnessing foods in their natural forms, with all their benefits intact. It is celebrating nature’s wealth of nutrients in all its varieties. We have within our reach a true powerhouse of natural ingredients to provide us with the nutrition we need for healthy living.
Many Superfoods are unique to their own geographical position in the world and this is usually because their environment was perfect for production.
Fortunately in this modern world of advanced communication, travel and cultural appreciation we are currently being introduced to an abundance of nutrient rich superfoods we have previously never heard of. e.g. superfoods form South American like the sacha inchi seed, maqui berries, maca root, lucuma, camu camu.
There is no official definition of a superfood and the EU has banned the use of the word on packaging.
But that hasn’t stopped many food brands from funding academics to research the health benefits of their product. Nor does it deter the health conscious from seeking and following eating regimes abundant with good nutrient dense foods they enjoy and feel the benefits of.
Superfoods can be processed under 40C without damaging their nutritional profile and be classed as “raw foods.”
This makes storage and availability more convenient and versatile e.g. superfood powders for smoothies and snacks are generally dried under 40C.
Awareness of foods that have become superfoods has increased dramatically over the last three years.
A new appreciation for what our food can do for our bodies has emerged and we are being re-introduced to many foods that have been neglected over the last few decades.
After adding superfoods to their regular diets, often by simply replacing breakfast with a ‘superfood smoothie’, many people talk of feeling more energetic, finding improvement or elimination of minor health irritations, losing weight or maintaining healthy weight, as well as, generally feeling more sustained and balanced.
The Superfood trend reveals an emerging consciousness of like-minded people choosing to eat better, think better and feel better through eating healthy, nutrient rich food.