Lettuce or peaches are not the same as before. It is a topic of conversation at many tables and a reality that has promoted a new generation of dietetics: that of the so-called superfoods.

Given the decline in the quality of the products we consume today and, on occasion, an unbalanced diet, the arrival of these new products with extra properties is more than welcome: they are rich in antioxidants (such as vitamins A, C and E) ) and phytonutrients (chemical substances present in plants that provide color and flavor, as well as protection against ultraviolet radiation and infections), eliminate toxins, help reduce the risk of heart disease or cancer and fight aging.

It is common to hear about the excellence of traditional products of the Mediterranean diet, such as olive oil.

Myth or Reality

Are we dealing with medicines capable of curing and shielding against possible ailments or is it a temporary and unfounded trend, the product of popular interest in food and health in the developed world?

A simple Google search on the term “superfood” reveals that every 0.13 seconds someone crawls the term on the Internet.

Also, it returns around 700,000 results.

Yet despite its ubiquity, there isn’t even an official definition.

Is it a trend or a fad? It is not something new. Years ago, the scientific community named functional ingredients to nutrients that, without providing calories, preserve health, such as olive oil, nuts or oily fish. That’s where the name superfood comes from, but it does not enjoy scientific evidence. It is true that they are very healthy products.

The nutritionist at the Biomedical Research Center of the Carlos III Institute, Manuel Monino, agrees with the statement: “There is no such thing as a superfood. Instead, more than specific products, there is talk of super food patterns: there is not enough evidence of their claimed properties, in fact, most studies have carried out in vitro tests on animals and use very high doses of substances, impossible to achieve with the usual intake of foods that contain them.

Even so, it is true that some are rich in bioactive substances or phytochemicals that are the focus of research, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, phenolic compounds…”.

“They are healthy products, but they do not cure, they only preserve health in the best of cases.” warns Irene Breton.

For this expert, the best way to provide the body with everything it needs is through a varied diet rich in legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, but without the exclusive consumption of a specific product or excluding others, such as eggs or dairy. “What contributes to health or removes eating patterns and not eating something isolated. Some cater to large businesses, asking those who sell oat bran, exotic juices or Goji berries, the latter considered by many to be a superfood when they are no different from our grapes.”

In Spain we spend more than 2,000 million euros on miraculous products, which sometimes include extracts from supposedly miraculous foods. According to Nieves Palacios, a specialist in Endocrinology and Sports Medicine, when preparing a menu we cannot forget about fruits, nuts and vegetables every day and vegetables and fish two or three times a week.

In 2013 The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a study by the Carlos III Institute of Madrid in patients with cardiovascular risk that showed that a diet rich in this type of food and low in soft drinks, fatty meats and sweets reduced up to 30% the probability of heart attacks. “The ‘super’ concept has been popularized in the media, not among scientists,” he adds.

exotic and traditional

What does seem clear is that incorporating these foods into a balanced diet is beneficial both physically and emotionally. “It produces emotional well-being and increases self-esteem, by being aware that we are taking care of our body,” says Itxasne Tomé, a psychologist at the Ravenna Clinic.

But what to buy?

The acclaimed ones of all life or those with extravagant names extolled by journalists and bloggers? Paula Rosso, a nutritionist at the Lajo Plaza medical center, does not bet on both options.

“Some traditions return when their active ingredients are scientifically discovered: for example, Omega-3 acids and chia fiber, protectors of the cardiovascular system, or Goji berries, an excellent antioxidant, although it has been discovered that some commercial presentations incorporate high doses of heavy metals. , therefore they sell less.

In any case, Mediterranean foods are also a source of vitamins and the basis of our diet”, adds the nutritionist. And just as important as what to take is how to take it.

“This type of food must be eaten raw or with as little cooking as possible and eaten very fresh so that its properties remain intact and it is easier for the body to absorb them,” says Dr. Rosso. And no gorging on one and marginalizing everyone else.

“There is evidence that fruits and vegetables fight cancer, but in the form of supplements – that is, isolating their nutrients from the outside – they do not produce the same effects. Including large doses of a new food can sometimes lead to the displacement of others of greater nutritional value and thus contribute to the imbalance,” says Manuel Monino.