Superfoods: TOP 10 superfoods at a glance

The so-called “superfoods” have been experiencing a major hype for some time now, but what is 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 can find out here what it is all about and why there are now even outspoken opponents of superfoods!

Your Knowledge To Go:

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

• Critics warn of environmental, health and social problems associated with consuming large amounts of these foods 

• Here in Europe, too, there are "local superfoods" that may be less hyped but also contain many vitamins, such as blueberries, nettles or 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, actually?

Superfoods are foods that contain very high levels 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. And today, almost all superfoods are exotic fruits or berries that people here had often never even heard of before.

These superfoods are said to be super healthy because of their excellent nutritional values and high vitamin and mineral content, and there are now even actual "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 definitely be part of a balanced diet. Criticism is still warranted, as the actual health effects of superfoods, for example, have often not been scientifically studied. But 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 complete, as there are simply too many foods labeled “superfood.”

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, so its effects can last for several hours. This makes guarana a natural alternative to traditional 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 have a diameter of one to two centimeters. In Brazil, it has been an integral part of the country's traditional diet for centuries. Due to its wide range 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 South America. The small red fruit originally 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 sour.

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 content 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). Visually, one might think that lucuma is the offspring of a mango and an avocado. The fruit with the green skin has a high content of vitamin C, zinc, and fiber. It also has a slightly sour taste.

Contains:

• Vitamin C

• Zinc

• Calcium

• 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 made from 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 like 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 contains numerous other nutrients as well.

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 does so in significant 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

• Cholines

• 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 brought 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 we have to import these products?
And this is precisely the crux of the matter: Here in Europe, too, there are truly nutrient-rich foods that can easily compete with exotic varieties. However, sea buckthorn, kale, and nettle simply aren’t trendy right now, nor exotic, fancy, or exciting enough, so they aren’t called superfoods but are 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 are even more difficult, just to get a few vitamins. And we pay an extremely high price for it, too.

Superfood disadvantages:

• Often not very sustainable (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 as powders, capsules, or in dried form; no fresh product

• High global demand means that the food becomes more expensive in its country of origin, 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 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, chokeberries

• Acerola: blackcurrants, sea buckthorn, rose hips

• Chia seeds: flaxseeds

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

• 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 and nutrient content, most native fruit and vegetable varieties 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, thanks to the wide variety of different “superfoods”, there is indeed immense nutritional diversity.
So if you are looking for natural supplement alternatives or nutrient-rich additions to your diet, 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 cheaper.

Conclusion

We believe that, as with everything in life, balance is important: For example, we love our matcha protein powder, but we drink our forest berry shake at least just as often. Why not try for yourself 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. German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (n.d.). Super(?)foods. How super are so-called superfoods really?

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

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

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