The Myth of the Superfood

The term "superfood" is arguably the most successful marketing tactic ever created in the health industry. Food manufacturers can simply use these ingredients in their products, slap a "SUPERFOOD" label on the box, and then raise the price 30%.

Every few months, I see a new headline calling some random food item "the next superfood". Whether it’s kale, blueberries, bone broth, or chaga, the term promotes the false idea that a single food can boost your health status a few notches up.

Particularly in COVID times, it’s natural to want to be healthier than ever. We are willing to try any food or supplement that promises a stronger immune system. And a lot of these foods that are hailed as superfoods are actually food for you; maybe even really good for you.

Take kale for example: Raw kale is an incredible source of vitamin K, A, C, B6, folate, and manganese. It even offers iron, calcium, and potassium.

But is eating nothing but kale going to cure all ailments, prevent all illness, and make you live 20 years longer?

Rhetorical question, but let me answer it for you anyway: no.

Why? Because you would be missing out on many other essential nutrients, protein, and healthy fats that can only be found in non-kale food. This goes for literally any other so-called superfood as well.

The message here is that no single food is the magical key to unlocking health. We need variety.

Stay nourished my friends,

Robena