Latest features The truth about superfoods

Date Published:

10/10/2007

On the other hand, some popular food legends have later been supported by scientific fact.

"The old wives’ tale ‘carrots help you see in the dark’ was later backed up with scientific evidence when the active ingredient – carotene – was discovered", Aliya points out. There are unquestionable health-giving qualities in several foods. Phytochemicals, which are acknowledged to be the major component of any superfood, are non-nutrient compounds that have been proven to have health benefits, such as rich sources of vitamin C and anti-oxidant properties. Additionally, it is now accepted that foods such as broccoli, blackberries and cauliflower are a central part of any healthy diet. However, as the nutritionist Lynne Richards says; "it's the diet as a whole that needs to be looked at and is most important. But we have to be careful not to make any claims - no one food can cure any disease or health problem, rather just eating a healthy diet with a variety of foods is the answer."

Acclaimed chef Chris Horridge knows something about healthy diets. Winner of a Michelin star for his cooking at the restaurant The Bath Priory, one of his particular areas of expertise is in exploring the scientific and nutrient properties of the food he works with, whether they're superfoods or not; "For me, getting back to nature and researching the health benefits of what is commonly termed 'wild food' is highly important. I'm sure there are as yet undiscovered benefits from such simple foods as herbs and flowers. Echinacea is a case in point. It's not so much a food but the root of a plant that is wildly regarded as having immune boosting properties."

Preparing superfoods can be problematic, as the cooking process can often destroy many of the natural nutrients in the ingredients. Chris' solutions to this are ingenious; "Keeping nutrients in food is of paramount importance to me. We cook with the minimum loss of available nutrients at the forefront of our minds which can mean turning some traditionally accepted cooking practices on their head. For instance, I've just discovered a machine that can reduce a liquid with no heat. Now, enzyme-wise, that is highly interesting. It may mean that the food purees become live instead of enzymically dead as most highly heated ingredients are."

The jury is still out on superfoods. Time and time again, things with admittedly health-giving properties have been over-hyped and eventually found wanting; as Chris puts it; "today's health food normally ends up being tomorrow's fad." The most recent example came when Innocent smoothies were castigated for inaccurately describing their acai, pomegranate and blueberry drink as a "natural detox superfoods smoothie", only for the ASA to call the claim an inaccurate piece of marketing hyperbole. In the end, the best bet is to regard any kind of special food with a healthy mixture of curiosity and open-mindedness. As Anya says; "the truth is healthy eating, or indeed healthy living, is much more varied, more exciting and much better for you than a quick fix."

Where do you stand on the superfoods debate? Let us know what you think in the user comments below.