Superfoods – Functional Foods – Nutraceuticals

Many people use the term “superfoods” to elevate the benefit of certain foods. Elevate may not be the correct term, but this is what I’m using in this case. I used to use the term superfood all the time, even going so far as to teach a class on various superfoods.

I don’t use this term very often, and I don’t use the term functional food or nutraceuticals as often. But, again, this is because it can potentially lead to a health halo effect or people believing that if they eat these foods in these categories, they can still eat poorly in other areas of their diet.

First, let me define what these terms mean.

The term superfoods imply that a type of food is super or superior to others.

Functional foods may have ingredients or substances with health benefits that provide more than just nutrients necessary for life. Examples include vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. These substances are often naturally occurring, though manufacturers can add them.

Nutraceutical is another term for these functional foods. Some examples would be things like nuts and berries, but also some processed foods with added nutrients to help enhance their benefit. Examples include yogurt with added bacteria to make it or grains enriched with some B vitamins such as folate/folic acid.

While many foods are considered functional or nutraceuticals, I don’t want to imply that exclusively eating these foods is necessary. Front of the package claims may suggest a lot more benefit than reality. We can’t eat a particular food thinking it will “fix” other lifestyle habits.

There was a time when I was teaching these “superfoods,” and people would have the mistaken belief that if they had a handful of nuts or a handful of berries a few times a week, the rest of their diet and lifestyle didn’t matter so much. And this isn’t accurate.

Now I don’t want to suggest this is more complicated than it seems; most people eat superfoods, functional foods, or nutraceuticals regularly. However, they don’t think of it in that manner.

Examples would include fatty fish rich in omega-3s, yogurt rich in probiotics to help with gut health, nuts with plenty of benefits other than being a great snack, and oats as more than whole grain. Oats have fiber that can help reduce the risk of heart disease as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

People believe that kale is superior to spinach when they’re not much different nutritionally.

People will say that grapefruits are superior to oranges when nutritionally, there’s not much difference.

There isn’t a “superior” nut since they all have similar benefits. I want to encourage people to choose their preferred nut.

People suggest that some beans are superior to others when all beans are nutrition powerhouses.

People think coffee is not healthy for them when it is one of the richest sources of antioxidants in the typical American diet. However, if somebody prefers tea over coffee, there’s not going to be much difference since it also has many benefits.

blueberry smoothie — So here is my list of nutrition equivalents of various types of food:

**Fatty fish** is a functional food that includes salmon, halibut, tuna, sardines, herring, and trout; all have great nutritional benefits, including beneficial omega-3 fats, protein, and other nutrients.
**Broccoli** is a so-called superfood but has many nutrient-rich cousins, including Brussels sprouts, kale, turnips, and all types of greens, including bok choy, chard, collard greens, and mustard greens. Spinach is also in this broad grouping of “super” vegetables that are fabulous for us.
**Blueberries** are often thought of as the ultimate superfood when, in fact, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, cranberries, and purple grapes are all great for us—no need to go out of your way to find an exotic, hard-to-find berry from another country. What we grow here is just fine.
Most **nuts** are nutraceuticals, including almonds, pistachios, peanuts, pecans, cashews, walnuts, and any nut.

This list is just a sample of foods that are “super-functional nutraceuticals.” Having a variety of foods in your diet as part of an overall healthy lifestyle is best.

Enjoy all foods in moderation and ensure you get all kinds of super-functional nutraceuticals throughout your life.