Super Info on Superfoods

When a person wants to make changes in moving toward a healthier lifestyle, the best place to start is with food choices. Whether the goal is to just Òbe healthierÓ overall, or to lose weight, manage blood sugar or combat illness, physicians and dieticians suggest that modifying eating habits is a must. A healthy diet will include generous amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as adequate quantities of grains, diary and protein.

Among the larger groups of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein, there are certain foods that provide more benefits than others. Some foods just naturally contain more of the beneficial nutrients, vitamins and other components that help in our quest for health. Because it can be a challenge for people to include all the servings of each of the food groups, many are interested in which foods within the groups seem to pack the biggest punch, or give them the most for their money and effort.

Foods that are especially healthy or especially packed with nutrients have been labeled Òsuperfoods,Ó and health-conscious consumers are interested in including these foods in their diet. The label however is arbitrary. There are no standardized guidelines for determining which foods qualify as Òsuperfoods,Ó and many companies use the term as a marketing strategy. Several organizations have created lists of superfoods based on the guidelines or criteria they have determined to be most important, but there is not a central list of identified superfoods that is accepted by all. It is important for consumers to realize that being labeled as a ÒsuperfoodÓ does not guarantee that the particular food is any more beneficial than another.

A search of ÒsuperfoodsÓ on the web reveals a different list for every website. While some lists identify specific, individual foods, another list focuses on groups of foods, such as Òleafy greensÓ rather than specifically Òspinach.Ó Another list seems to favor beans, seeds and berries and include only foods that fall into those categories. A popular medical website even has two separate lists: one general list and one for people who are interested in losing weight. Another site identifies foods that enhance the Òbrain/beautyÓ connection. One organization even promotes a list that includes 100 superfoods! Interestingly enough, these organizations do not typically distinguish among the foods on the list as to which are most beneficial.

With all these lists, the question becomes: whose list should a person use?

One way to help consumers sort out the confusion surrounding superfoods is to take a good sampling of all the lists and compile those lists to identify the foods that are most often and most consistently identified by all the sources. This includes lists from WebMD, superfoodsrx, cspinet, BeWellBuzz and The Daily Green. Comparing the opinions of these sources produces a list of seven foods that are most commonly identified as superfoods. While there are two or three foods, such as walnuts, salmon and yogurt that fall within other food groups, most superfoods fall into the category of fruits and vegetables. Generally, the foods included on any list of superfoods are those which have long been accepted as foods that have significant amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and/or fiber. The superfoods most common to all lists (in alphabetical order) are:

Beans
Blueberries
Broccoli
Spinach
Walnuts
Wild Salmon
Yogurt

Nine other foods are named at least twice among all the lists. These are oats, dark chocolate, honey, oranges, pumpkin, soy, tea, tomatoes and turkey.

Even with the lack of accepted guidelines and standards for superfoods, there is certainly agreement that there are some foods that are more nutritious than others. It all comes down to using good judgment. Obviously, the healthiest approach to eating revolves around maintaining a diet that includes recommended amounts from the required food groups. For consumers who want to Òsuper chargeÓ their efforts with superfoods, it is best to keep in mind that the label ÒsuperfoodÓ can have a variety of meanings. All fresh fruits and vegetables, whether they are specifically identified as superfoods or not, are valuable to a healthy diet. Being aware of which foods have a reputation for being especially beneficial will help consumers in their quest for healthy eating.

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