The Truth About Superfood Products: Marketing or Reality?

Learn about the real effect of superfood products, if they're as beneficial as people say or if it's just a marketing campaign to promote their consumption.

You’ve surely heard people talking about ‘superfood’ products over the last few years? And we’re certain you’ve heard all about their benefits as well. Is it true that consuming these products is as beneficial for your body as they say? Next up, we’ll dive into the subject to find out how much influence marketing has on this new trend that seems like it’s here to stay.

What are superfood products?

There’s no strict definition for superfood products. In a broad sense, we could say that they’re foods that contain a large number of properties and benefits. And, they all have in common the fact that they were not processed and are completely natural.

Superfood products are synonymous with a healthy diet. Brands, supermarkets and publicity have turned them into the protagonists of any healthy lifestyle plan. You’ve surely heard people talking about all of their properties and benefits? From general health to curing ailments or specific health issues.

We question if they’re actually as effective as brands want us to believe. So we ask if it’s true or just a marketing strategy to maximize sales and give exposure to these products?

Some superfood products

There are a lot of products on the superfood list. We’ll give some examples and explain their properties below:

• Extra virgin olive oil. This is the star product in the Mediterranean diet. They use it mainly to fry food and as a dressing for salads. It has multiple benefits, the main ones being its antioxidant properties. Some websites even go as far as claiming that it helps to prevent certain types of cancer.
• Dark chocolate. Out of all the types of chocolate, dark chocolate is the most beneficial as it contains the lowest amount of fat. Its properties are good for the health of our circulatory systems.
• Chia seeds. They’ve become popular over the last few years due to the great benefits they contain, such as their omega-3 and fiber content; or the fact that they contribute to weight loss. They’re also purifying and help with joint pain.
• Goji berries. They’re one of the most well-known superfoods, even though a few years ago hardly anyone knew about them. Some of the properties that stand out are cancer prevention, slowing down the aging process and improving your eye health.

These are just some of the superfood products we can find in the supermarket. The reality is that there are more and more products being referred to as superfoods, and supposedly, they all have a large number of properties.

Are they really that beneficial?

Looking at some of the properties these products claim to have, we could even say they’re miraculous. But the fact that a single product contains so many nutrients and benefits is a bit suspicious, and the same thing goes for claiming that by consuming them, our bodies will immediately get all of those benefits.

It’s true that superfood products are very healthy and are recommended for daily consumption. The part that’s not so true is that they contain so many properties and are able to fix certain health issues.

It’s impossible that eating something on its own has such a powerful effect on our body. People have even gone as far as saying that some superfood products can prevent cancer or other serious diseases.

Learn to think critically

We must use our common sense to know what foods are beneficial. It’s important to know where to draw the line between properties and miracles. If it’s a chronic or serious disease, foods will not be able to cure it on their own.

That’s what doctors are for; they’re the true health professionals and the only ones that can tell you what you have to do to improve your health or prevent diseases. Don’t ever think that these products are a substitute for medication, as that would be an enormous mistake.

Nutrition is essential for good health, but we must be aware that there are certain limits. Miracles don’t exist and therefore, food can’t heal or improve your health in such a drastic way, as some brands want you to believe.

The bottom line is clear: superfood products have a large number of properties, and eating them is totally recommended. But you must still know that food on its own will never achieve changes in your body as powerfully as people may sometimes assume.