We’ve been bombarbed with “superfoods” in the past decade – a term so used now, that we mights sometimes forget what they actually are, how they are that beneficial – and, whether there might actually be an alternative to the expensive super products!
“Superfoods is not a medical term, it’s a popular term for food that contain a lot of minerals and vitamins”. Danish docu-programme “The Food Magazine” are interviewing Sisse Fagt from “the Danish health board” in their search to find out what is really the “big deal” about the ever so popular “Superfood”. “They are fine, but expensive and hyped and not a quick fix that can’t be replaced with other, cheaper products”, she says.
WHY WE LOVE SUPERFOODS
But why do we then love them so much? Sune Bang, director of the communication agency, “København”, believe that superfoods communicate a range of images that appeal to us today: “natural”, “honesty”, “un-modified”, “wellness”, “nature”, “earth”, “quality”, “exotic” and “something new”. In an interview to “The Food Programme” he elaborates: “The new personal branding of ourselves is very important – there is no doubt that a lot of other products can offer the same content, but this is modern and sexy”.
SUPERFOOD IS INSTAFOOD
And Sune Bang might not be too far off, also in a world, where beautiful instagram photos still rate extremely high, the look and colors of the food also play a part. In the programme, host and chef, Adam Aamand pick a battle with foodblogger Almedina Boskailo to create a breakfast that contain equivalent amount of vitamin and minerals, but where Adam Aamand makes an old school porridge dish with apple, cinnamon, apple pure, honey and toasted rye crumbs and Almedina create a chia bowl with almond milk, flaxseeds, chia-seeds, coconut and gojiberries. When tasting the breakfast dish, superfood blogger Almedina admit that the taste can easily battle the trendy chia-bowl, BUT when both are posted on instagram, the chia bowl with the superfoods win the battle..
CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES?
In “The Food Mazine”, the hunt for cheaper alternatives sets in along with Sisse Fagt. According to her, the expensive superfoods could be replaced with the following:
Goji berries: contain c-vitamins and antioxidants and usual used in smoothies, muesli and tea – could be replaced with: dried or frozen strawberries that also have a lot of c-vitamin (be aware that the cost of strawberries can be more expensive than goji-berries in Asia, in that case, keep eating your goji’s in Singapore!)
Quinoa: contain protein and fibre – make you feel full and is good for your system.. Could be replaced with brown rice, just as many fibres, however not as much protein.
Mulberries and blueberries: Rich on antioxidants – could be replaced with red cabbage – also a lot of antioxidants and anthocyanin. The beneficial anthocyanin is in the color, so good advice is always to look for a fruit and veg that is similar in color to the one you find expensive. Instead of mulberry, potatoes have the same calcium, fibre and c-vitamin.
Chia-sees: rich in omega 3 and fibres. An alternative could be fish, like mackerel or sardines that have high levels of omega 3 and also d-vitamin.
THEN WHAT?
Now, if you ask our own nutritionist, Charlotte Dall, she agrees that “superfoods” can be priced extremely hight, but in her mind, there is also no doubt, that the foods are often very rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and proteins – and with a reasonable number of calories.
So, if this is what you are after – Charlotte has provided 3 green recipes, all rich in essential nutrients, healthy and easy to make and where buying the expensive “super food” won’t be necessary.
