Do 'superfoods' really exist?

From blueberries to nuts and whole grains, antioxidant-rich miracle foods were, we were told a decade ago, the key to combating stress, disease and infection. But, inevitably perhaps, experts' opinions have now shifted to a more complex viewIn the early 1990s, a cookbook called Superfoods appeared in the bookshops. It was co-written by the alternative medicine practitioner, Michael Van Straten, who is one of a handful of people said to have coined what has become one of the most spuriously bandied-about marketing terms of our times.The book revealed Straten's "four-star superfoods", which "supply the vital bricks that build your body's resistance to stress, disease and infection". The list held few surprises, consisting of, you know, stuff that's good for you: common fruit and veg, whole grains, nuts. Foods we're especially keen on eating in January, as an antidote to Christmas excesses. Wouldn't these foods be more accurately described as simply "food" (as opposed to junk food)? Nevertheless, the notion of superfoods was, and still is appealing. Except this century, the term is now used to assign near-magical powers to overpriced, exotic foodstuffs. It's promotional potency went into turbo boost when the theories about antioxidants – probably the most successful "the science bit" spiel of all time – hit the public consciousness. Ever since, food sellers have clambered to keep "discovering" novel, unparalleled sources of "extraordinary nutrients". Waitrose recently introd...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Food & drink industry theguardian.com Blogposts Health wellbeing Society Features Life and style Food science Business Source Type: news