What Really is a Superfood?

Physical wellness is crucial for maintaining our overall health and ensuring that our bodies are able to function properly. Nutrition is an essential part of maintaining our physical wellness and making sure our body can perform to the best of its ability.

I’m sure we have all heard of superfoods as many blogs, nutritionists, and influencers are constantly telling us that we need to find more ways to implement these special foods into our diets. But what even are superfoods, and are they as powerful as people claim?

According to Merriam-Webster, a superfood is defined as “a nutrient-rich food a food (such as salmon, broccoli, or blueberries) that is rich in compounds (such as antioxidants, fiber, or fatty acids) considered beneficial to a person’s health.” This broad definition seems to include most (if not all) nutritious food options. While there is no debate on whether or not claimed superfoods have a wide variety of nutritional benefits and would be good to include in a well-balanced diet, it seems as though this common descriptor dreamed up by marketers as a way to pique consumers’ interest and encourage purchases of healthy foods that have lost popularity. Kale is a perfect example of a rather normal vegetable that gained sudden popularity when it became deemed as a superfood.

The power of the superfood label impresses me, and I think we should all continue to eat more of these for their definite health benefits. However, don’t forget or ignore the many other nutritious foods that, despite not being listed on the current superfoods list, we should all include in our diets!