carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2016 21

BY CAITLIN WHEELER

ad news fi rst: “Superfood” is a marketing term. There is no panacea food that can prevent cancer and heart disease, undo

the damage caused by unhealthy foods, give you boundless energy and keep you trim.

But here’s the good news: Experts agree there are hundreds of “super-good-for-you” foods, and making them a part of your everyday life may be easier — and more delicious — than you think.

Defi ning Super-Good-for-YouBefore the term “superfood” became a marketing mantra, the 2003 bestseller, “SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods � at Will Change Your Life” by Dr. Steven G. Pratt, brought public attention to the term. Pratt identified 14 foods that “can stop the incremental deteriorations that lead to common ailments and diseases,” including

beans, blueberries, broccoli, goat yogurt, oats, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes, turkey and walnuts.

Since then, many self-proclaimed experts and food companies have turned the concept of “superfoods” into a multimillion-dollar industry, touting the magical properties of exotic and expensive foods such as hempseed, cacao beans (raw chocolate), maca, spirulina and bee products. � ere are superfood cookbooks, supplements, juices and cafes.

While the European Union forbids use of the term “superfood” in food marketing unless it’s supported by specifi c scientifi c claims, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration neither defi nes nor regulates use of the term. A marketer could slap “superfood” onto a juice label even if it contains only highly processed fruits and vegetables — and as much added sugar as a can of soda.

Proof is in the PuddingProving one food is more nutritious than another can be diffi cult. Even the

U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Dietary Guidelines have come under fire. This year, for the first time, the National Academy of Medicine will independently review the guidelines.

If scientists disagree on what “superfoods” are, no wonder there is so much fl ip-fl opping dietary advice out there. Dr. Martin Kohlmeier, a primary investigator at the University of North Carolina’s Nutrigenetics Laboratory in Kannapolis, calls nutrition research an “integrative process.” His research focuses on nutrition for an individual’s genetic needs. Nonetheless, he says there are certain foods that are healthy for everyone.

While he says he prefers to “avoid the media hype” surrounding the term “superfoods,” he also says he has no problem with individuals assigning that term to nutrient-rich foods. “If you want to call kale or spinach or broccoli a superfood, I’m with you,” he says, noting that many dark green vegetables contain vitamin K, which is vital to blood coagulation and activates proteins that protect against osteoporosis and calcifi cation of arteries and heart valves. � ese vegetables also have large amounts of dietary fiber, potassium and magnesium.

Diversifying Your DietDespite the brilliance of foods like kale, Kohlmeier warns that it is impossible to get all the nutrients you need from just one food. “As a practical matter, people eat without expertise,” he says. “It is safer to eat a wide variety. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Some whole grains. There are ‘super-villains’ out there, too. Limit animal foods and processed meat.”

Kohlmeier recommends a diverse diet because nutritional needs vary according to genetic makeup. They also differ dramatically depending on lifestyle.

No one knows this better than Jennifer Brunelli, whose clients often require more

Uncovering the real meaning behind 'superfoods'

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FOODSB

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