Super Foods vs Functional Foods
Truth to be told, there is no standard definition for what we call “superfoods”. Some even suggest that it is mostly a buzz word used by marketers to direct consumers towards foods that have interesting properties. In fact, it made its first appearance in the 1920s when it started to be used in the marketing department of an American food corporation, to describe Bananas, which back then where considered “exotic”, in a scientific journal to highlight their “exceptional [nutritional] value”.
What are Superfoods?
The term became more popular in the early 2000 as consumers got more accustomed to exotic fruits like chia, quinoa, goji berries, maca etc, but superfoods are also more simple foods we already knew about like walnuts, almonds, garlic or spinach. The list includes many of the things you already know, so all you need to make sure is that they are as organic as possible.
Superfoods range from exotic food like maca to more common foods like garlic.
The concept of functional foods, on the other end, originated in Japan in 1984 when food scientists recognized a direct relationship between food and health. Functional foods became a way to signify preventative nutrition-based approaches to improve quality of life and reduce health care costs for an aging population. There is no standard way to officially define functional foods, most consider functional foods to be foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition.
Majority of functional foods are plants, such as vegetables, fruits (as in berries), herbs and spices. However, the list goes on to include oatmeal for healthy soluble fiber, fatty fish (like wild salmon) for omega 3 fatty acids and organic meat for its high nutrient content. In addition to encompassing whole foods, functional foods can also be fortified and enriched foods. Ingredients that make up a functional food are not limited to, but may include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, enzymes or live cultures.
When you can’t opt for a whole food, the second best form is something that is enhanced with a functional food, such as an herb, berry, spice or vegetable. Make sure to always read the label before you make a purchase because ingredients are key. For example, be cautious of fortified foods which can have a mere 10 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, an abundance of sugar and a marketing label claiming the product is good for you. The big takeaway here is that whatever you decide to consume you should keep in mind that functional foods that are fortified or enriched cannot make up for a poor diet.
We live in a time where is plenty to choose from and give proper nutrition to our body, so it is important to be mindful about what we feed yourself with. After all our body is our home!
Try and let us know what you think!
