Superfoods: TOP 10 superfoods at a glance

The so-called “superfoods” have been the subject of a major hype for some time now, but what's behind it? What exactly are superfoods, and are they really as super as they are always claimed to be?
Small spoiler: There are always two sides to every story!
You'll learn here what it's all about and why there are now even outspoken superfood opponents!

Your Knowledge To Go:

• Superfoods are often exotic, foods very rich in vitamins and minerals that are currently highly trendy. Examples include matcha, açai, goji berries and acerola.

• Critics warn of ecological, health and social problems associated with consuming large amounts of such foods 

• Here in Europe, too, there are "local superfoods" that may be less hyped but also contain many vitamins, such as blueberries, nettles and sea buckthorn. Kale, for example, is rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium, magnesium and potassium.

• A colorful mix of exotic and locally grown foods seems to be a good middle ground!

Superfood | What is it, exactly?

Superfoods are foods with a very high content of vitamins, minerals and/or secondary plant compounds. The problem? The term is not legally protected; there is no fixed definition of superfood, and so what had to happen happened: the term increasingly became a marketing term and buzzword. Today, almost all superfoods are exotic fruits or berries that many people here had never even heard of before.

These superfoods are said to be super healthy because of their great nutritional values and high vitamin and mineral content, and there are now even real "superfood powders" containing many of these supposed power fruits. Health to go, so to speak? We'll take a closer look at that later.
What we can confirm for now, however, is that superfoods actually contain many vitamins and can certainly be part of a balanced diet. Nevertheless, criticism is warranted, as the actual health effects of superfoods, for example, have often not been scientifically studied. More on that later.
First, let's look at a few examples:

Superfood Examples

We have selected some of the best-known and most popular examples and briefly introduce them here so that you also know what you are dealing with. Of course, our superfood list is not exhaustive; there are simply too many foods bearing the “superfood” label.

Guarana

Guarana originally comes from the Amazon region of South America and naturally contains caffeine. Caffeine helps increase alertness and improve concentration. Because it is bound to tannins in guarana, it is released more slowly than in coffee, allowing its effects to last for several hours. This makes guarana a natural alternative to conventional energy drinks for many people.

Contains:

• Caffeine

• Guanine

• D-catechin

• Choline

• Tannins

• Theobromine

Açai

The açai berry is the fruit of the cabbage palm, whose botanical name is “Euterpe oleracea.” It grows mainly in the rainforests of the Amazon. The berries are round, dark blue, and one to two centimeters in diameter. In Brazil, it has been a staple of the country's traditional diet for centuries. Due to its large number of nutrients, this trendy berry can be used in many ways and is particularly well suited to a conscious lifestyle!

Contains:

• Unsaturated fatty acids: oleic acid, omega-6, omega-9, and omega-3 fatty acids

• Phosphorus, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper

• Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, and E

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Goji berries

The goji berry originally comes from Asia and has been used in various Asian cultures for thousands of years. It contains zinc, minerals, and essential fatty acids. In addition, the goji berry contains essential amino acids.

Contains:

• Vitamins A, B, C, and E.

• Antioxidants

• Minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and zinc

• Essential amino acids

Acerola

The acerola cherry is native to tropical regions, mainly in South America. Originally, the small red fruit comes from Mexico, more precisely from the Yucatán Peninsula. Outside its natural range, the plants are also cultivated in Asia, especially India and China. It has a high vitamin C content and tastes slightly tart.

Contains:

• Mainly vitamin C (according to analyses, 100 grams of the fruit contain more than 1677mg of vitamin C)

Blueberry

Local superfood berries contain anthocyanins. These are responsible for the berries' deep blue color. Anthocyanins are secondary plant compounds with antioxidant properties.

Contains:

• Very high proportion of vitamin B

• Vitamins C, E, and K

• Iron

• Magnesium

Lucuma

Lucuma is also known as the "gold of the Incas" and is found exclusively in South America (Peru, Chile, Ecuador). In terms of appearance, one might think lucuma is the child of a mango and an avocado. The fruit with its green skin has a high content of vitamin C, zinc, and dietary fiber. It also has a slightly tart taste.

Contains:

• Vitamin C

• Zinc

• Calcium

• Dietary fiber

• Potassium and iron

Matcha

Matcha, which means "ground tea" in Japanese, is a type of tea originating from Japan. It has a mildly sweet to bitter taste. Since matcha tea is not an infusion but an extract of the tea leaf, it contains numerous compounds, unlike conventional green tea. The plant also contains small amounts of natural caffeine, which is why many people prefer to drink matcha instead of coffee.

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Contains:

• Vitamins A and B

• Calcium

• Zinc

• Potassium

• Magnesium

Spinach

Anyone who wants to become like Popeye cannot avoid spinach. Drying and grinding the spinach leaves preserves valuable nutrients and minerals, making them highly concentrated. Spinach is mainly known for its high iron content, but this local superfood also contains numerous other nutrients.

Contains:

• Vitamins A, C, E, K, and B2

• Calcium

• Manganese

• Zinc

• Magnesium

• Iron (35-54 mg per 100g)

Spirulina

Spirulina: The new trend product from the water. The algae can be found in the lakes and rivers of Asia, Africa, and South America. It has been used there as a staple food for centuries. The algae contains beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the human body, and it contains this in considerable amounts.

Contains:

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Beta-carotene

• Sodium

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant from the nightshade family and grows exclusively in India and Pakistan. It has been used there for several thousand years.

Contains:

• Withanolides

• Alkaloids

• Choline

• Fatty acids

• Amino acids

Are superfoods really super?

If you take a closer look at this list of superfoods, you may notice a problem: Most of them come from faraway countries and first have to be transported to Europe by ship, plane & co. so that we can eat them here. Of course, this also happens every day with other foods such as cocoa, bananas, etc. But we often consume those because of their delicious taste, out of habit, and for other reasons - not "just" because they are supposed to be healthy.
Attentive readers may now be wondering: Don't we have any healthy foods in Europe, meaning that we have to import these products?
And that is exactly the crux of the matter: Here in Europe, too, there are truly nutrient-rich foods that can easily compete with the exotic varieties. However, sea buckthorn, kale, and nettles simply aren't trendy right now, nor exotic, fancy, or exciting enough, and are therefore not called superfoods but dismissed as boring, old-fashioned foods.
So we import tons of food from faraway regions of the world, where growing conditions for plants are sometimes poor and working conditions for workers even more difficult, just to get a few vitamins. And we pay an extremely high price for it, too.

Superfood disadvantages:

• Often not very resource-efficient (forests are cleared, long transport to Europe, etc.)

• May contain residues of pesticides, contaminants, or pathogenic germs

• Unknown and sometimes poor growing and working conditions

• Often available only in the form of powders, capsules, or dried products, with no fresh product available

• High global demand means that the food also becomes more expensive in the producing country, and locals can no longer afford the product.

We also have genuinely healthy foods right on our doorstep.

It is very important to us to say that superfoods NATURALLY contain many vitamins & minerals and can make a valuable contribution to a balanced diet. We also enjoy matcha & co. At the same time, we believe that we should rethink things and recognize regional superfoods as such too. After all, a colorful mix makes everything better, doesn't it?

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Superfood alternatives: Local superfoods

There are many regional alternatives to chia seeds & co.:

• Guarana: Green tea (e.g. from Portugal), beetroot, rye

• Açai: Blackcurrants, elderberries, blueberries

• Goji berries (already cultivated in Europe, but still has some native goji berry alternatives): Sea buckthorn, rose hips, aronia berries

• Acerola: Blackcurrants, sea buckthorn, rose hips

• Chia seeds: Flaxseeds

• Blueberry (native here, but still has some alternatives): Bilberries (European varieties), elderberries, lingonberries

• Lucuma: Parsnips, pears

• Matcha: Green tea (e.g. from Portugal), nettle tea, herbal teas

• Spinach (native here, but still has some alternatives): Swiss chard, kale, lamb's lettuce

• Spirulina (already cultivated in Europe, but still has some native alternatives): Chlorella (partly cultivated in Europe), nettle, dandelion leaves

• Ashwagandha: Valerian root, lemon balm

So if you are only concerned with vitamin & nutrient content, most native fruits and vegetables as well as nuts, seeds and legumes are suitable “superfoods” for you.

Superfoods – Yes or No?

Of course, it sounds cooler to order an açai bowl or a matcha latte than to ask for an herbal tea and a berry bowl. And yes, the variety of different “superfoods” really does provide an immense diversity of nutrients.
So if you are looking for natural supplement alternatives or nutrient-rich additions to your meal plan, you will love these little exotics. But please do not forget our native plants, because they are also truly super and often not only more ethical, but also more affordable.

Conclusion

We believe that, as with everything in life, balance is important: For example, we love our Matcha Protein Powder, but drink our Wild Berry Shake at least just as often. Why not try it yourself and see what suits you best! 

Do you have any questions? Then feel free to write me an Email – I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Literature & Sources

1. Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (n.d.). Super(?)foods. How super are so-called superfoods, really?

2. Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (2020). Superfoods - super good?

3. Centre of Competence for Nutrition (KErn) (2023). Bavarian Superfood. Local Superheroes Rediscovered. 3rd edition.

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