Why can't we just pick up a bottle of "SuperFood Supplements," pop a few and go about our merry, healthy way? It doesn't quite work like that -- and even the experts aren't sure as to why. In his book "The Red Wine Diet," Roger Corger says, "Although we do not fully understand the process involved, the many components of specific foods seems to work together in a way that manufactured supplements do not." Dr. Susan Evans, one of Oprah's go-to health and beauty gurus, concurs. "While many of the phytonutrients and chemicals that have been identified in superfoods have been extracted and put in to supplement form, scientists are finding that they don't always work quite the same way."
Why? She explains. "While we have identified some of the substances contained in these foods, there are literally thousands of other substances we know [that] exist inside of these foods that have yet to be identified. It is hard to say if we've identified exactly the right components, or if the various components work in a synergistic fashion." So, basically, what's inside a blueberry that makes it so good for you may be more than just its antioxidant properties -- it may be something specific to the genetic makeup of the blueberry itself.
While we wait for the white coats to make sense of it all, we can benefit from what they already know -- that so-called "superfoods" are definitely good for you -- so why not eat them?
Next: The superfoods
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Kiwi
New Zealand's pride and joy (and namesake) is an antioxidant rockstar. Packing a full day's requirement of vitamin C into its furry-skinned green fruit, a large kiwi also boasts fiber and vitamins A and E (it's one of very few fruits containing that latter, most elusive vitamin).
Don't like kiwi? Try: Pineapple or guava instead.
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Sweet Potatoes
As long as they're not smothered in butter, brown sugar and mini-marshmallows, sweet potatoes are downright super for you and put their pale, white potato cousins to shame in the nutrient department.
They're bursting with vitamin A (great for your skin and cells) and are also rich in vitamin C, calcium and potassium -- a key electrolyte that's required for cellular maintenance.
Don't like sweet potatoes? Try: Pumpkin or butternut squash instead.
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Salmon
You've probably heard all the hoopla about omega-3 fatty acids and how they help to protect our hearts. Folks are so gung-ho about these acids (which our bodies are unable to generate by themselves) that the American Heart Association suggests that we all incorporate fatty fishes like salmon into our meals at least twice a week. Why salmon? It's packed with protein, low in calories and is a good source of iron. (Experts say the risk of potential mercury "poisoning" that people sometimes worry about is mitigated by the benefits of the omega-3s.)
Don't like fish? Try: Omega-3 enriched eggs.
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Dark Chocolate
Everyone's favorite superfood (OK, maybe some prefer the red wine) truly is super. As Dr. Pratt says, "dark chocolate seems to contribute to lowering blood pressure, increasing blood flow, and ultimately contributing to a healthy heart." Remember, though, this applies solely to dark chocolate -- white and milk don't count. And, the darker the better. As Dr. Oz points out you "need dark chocolate with 70 percent or more pure cocoa to reap the benefits."
It's also important to note that the fact that it's good for you doesn't give you carte blanche to eat it all day, every day. Chocolate, in any form, is high in calories -- restrict your intake to 100 calories of dark chocolate a day.
Don't like chocolate? What on earth is the matter with you?
While you won't find the definition of "superfood" in any seriously scientific textbook, in recent years the term has been bandied about by the media, nutritionists and women's diet gurus to describe foods (mostly fruits, veggies and seeds/nuts) that are rich in phytonutrient content -- in other words, foods that boast significant amounts of stuff that's good for you and should be included in your diet. "Stuff" like antioxidants (to help prevent cell damage), anthocyanins (to help cells block UV light), vitamin C (to help with everything from wound healing to oxidative stress) and dietary fiber (to help food move through your body more quickly).
Used to be that you could feel relatively confident that you were "eating well" if you munched on a couple of carrots, snacked on the occasional apple and steered clear of Big Macs. Not so much anymore. These days it's all about maximizing the nutritional punch of the foods you eat. The more they pack, the healthier you'll be -- and the better equipped your body will be to help fend off certain diseases (including type 11 diabetes and some cancers) and even reverse the aging process. Or so the thinking goes.
On his website, Dr. Steven Pratt, author of several best-selling books including "SuperFoods RX" says that "These nutritional powerhouse foods are loaded with nutrients crucial to a healthy, long life," and notes that they're readily available in most supermarkets -- you just have to know what you're looking for!
Are you game? Let's find out which foods you should add to your grocery list. But, first, a little about why we need to eat these foods rather than just take a vitamin -- or 12.
