It’s a phrase that suggests that apples were perhaps the first to be labelled as a ‘superfood’, long before that term got popular.
But now, not a week goes by without a new ‘superfood’ trending on social media, promising to deliver astonishing health benefits.
The most important thing, though, is whether eating something like kale four times a week really does support your bone health.
UNSW food and nutrition expert Associate Professor Jayashree Arcot said the term ‘superfood’ was sometimes thrown around loosely by ‘lifestyle gurus’.
“Scientifically, there is no such thing as a superfood — they’re basically referring to nutrient-rich foods or compounds that have properties that can impact health — but with a noticeable label,” Prof Arcot said.
“While there is no singular food group that holds the key to unlocking great health benefits, we do know that some foods are better for us than others.
“As we become more focused on looking after our health, naturally we start to pay more attention to what we eat.
“Food alone cannot address health concerns — but it can play a role as part of a holistic treatment plan.”
Not a superfood to everyone
Rewind back about 10 years ago and the phrase ‘functional foods’ was used in the food and health community.
Functional foods are used in the context of foods that are beneficial physiologically, and are likely to reduce the risk for disease development due to the addition or removal of certain nutrients.
Prof Arcot said every food could be classified as functional — since they all had some effect on the body.
“We’re aware drinking milk, which has high concentrations of calcium, is great for strengthening our bones and teeth, or that eating foods high in vitamin A works wonders for our eye health,” she said.
“On one hand, foods high in fat are usually avoided due to the risk of increasing cholesterol.
“But that would become very important to someone who is already at high risk because we know that there are also good fats such as avocado and chia seeds which are hailed as superfoods.”
Kale is probably one of the most common foods mentioned when superfoods are spruiked.
While several studies have shown that kale contains antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic potential, there is still a lack of literature evidence to conclude that consuming kale provides more health benefits than other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower.
Can superfoods still come to the rescue?
Prof Arcot said close attention needed to be paid to the nutritional profile of the food to determine whether it was the right fit for the health concern.
“For example, the Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy eating plan which includes foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and seafoods, and is believed to support brain function and promote heart health.”
She said the compounds found in some foods had the potential to prevent or delay the onset of some chronic illnesses, such as coronary heart disease — which had underlying inflammatory reactions in the body.
“Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries are a nutritional powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants and while these properties may address inflammation, they cannot be called superfoods as randomised control trials are needed to assess their efficacy in reducing inflammation.”
Sequel to the superfood story
One of the latest ‘superfoods’ is turmeric. A common spice used in cooking, it contains a powerful compound called curcumin known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties.
But how much of this compound do we actually need to consume before it has some effect on the body?
Prof Arcot said more research was needed to find out.
“Sometimes the compounds that we need only exist in minute quantities in the food we eat,” she said.
“There’s still a long way to go in terms of research before we know the exact quantities needed to bring these sorts of changes in the body.
“But we do know that the effects can be cumulative over time.”
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