A superfood is defined as “a food that is rich in compounds (such as antioxidants, fiber, or fatty acids) considered beneficial to a person’s health,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Scientifically speaking, though, there is no official definition of a superfood, other than to say it is a food that offers high levels of desirable nutrients, linked to promoting personal health and wellness or preventing disease and sickness.
Where did the term superfood originate, anyway? Maybe unsurprisingly, the term had little to do with any formal scientific or nutritional study. The origin of the term superfood in fact appeared in the early part of the 20th Century as a strategy to market bananas. Developed by The United Fruit Company, the company used the term to promote the practicality of bananas as a daily source of cheap, easily digestible nutrition.
More than 100 years after being coined, a term like superfood is virtually synonymous with presumptive health benefits. The Internet and social media can market the benefits of a so-called superfood at viral speeds. The food industry needs only some scientific research on a particular food, some well-worded news articles, and a catchy food marketing campaign, and it too could be a newly discovered “superfood.”
So is there a benefit to eating “super foods” or is it all hype? While it certainly has become a massive marketing tool for the food industry the truth is most “superfoods” are extremely high in nutritional value, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc. The key to any diet is still to maintain a balanced diet with as many whole and organic foods as possible. Make sure you are getting enough protein to build lean muscle mass, make sure you are eating a serving of vegetables with every meal. For those that are worried they are not maintaining a healthy diet or getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals in their diet, there are supplements out there to help out. But beware not are all what they seem, education is still the key. If you are looking for a daily supplement, containing everything you need, organic, whole foods, plant based and from a transparent company we recommend checking out claraluxnutrition.com