Superfoods and Functional Foods: More Than Words
Superfoods and Functional Foods: More Than Words
Discover how "superfood" and "functional food" labels blur lines between nutrition and marketing, and explore their real health benefits.
Sometimes, telling where nutritional descriptions end and marketing hype begins can be difficult.
The word "superfood" perfectly encapsulates this ambiguity; is there something about goji and acai berries, turmeric and kale that separates them from non-super foods? Or is superfood merely a marketing buzzword intended to cast an elitist halo on tropical imports and organic produce?
Functional foods have entered the arena more recently, another term that may helpfully distinguish medicinal foods from the ordinary or may not have any substance at all.
"Functional food" and "superfood" are used interchangeably, adding to the confusion and conveying a sense of purposelessness to both descriptions. Many superfoods will show up on lists of functional foods and vice versa. So what does it all mean? Where did these terms come from? And are they at all legit?
Defining Superfoods
It may surprise many that the term superfood is over a hundred years old, initially devised in 1918 by the United Fruit Company (known today as Chiquita) to market bananas. Then, after a long period of relative dormancy, it enjoyed a resurgence in the early 2000s, and food producers readily embraced the trend in marketing their goods; from 2011 to 2015, the number of new products to hit the shelves bearing "superfood" "superfruit," or "super grain" claims doubled.
Consumers clearly respond to this language. Especially if they already suspect a food to be healthy, seeing its label will reinforce existing beliefs, and they will be more likely to buy it.
In fairness, the term is not just sales-speak: foods that earn the moniker are characterized by extreme nutrient density. A superfood is defined by near superlative quantities of vitamins and minerals. It is precisely this richness in micronutrients that makes a superfood super. Common examples include Chia, quinoa, berries, salmon, sardines, and dark leafy greens. Therefore, it's not much of a stretch to suggest that eating more foods like these is conducive to maintaining good health.
On the other hand, it is hard to say where regular foods end and superfoods begin. Are there any colourful vegetables that aren't super? Since the label can also be applied to whole grains, legumes, meats and seafood, the list of natural foods that aren't super might be shorter.
Defining Functional Foods
The label "functional foods" is a bit more interesting in many ways because it is both very real, beyond marketing, and applied in different and confusing ways.
The term functional foods actually emerged in Japan in the 80s to describe foods for specified health uses beyond providing essential nutrients for the basic sustenance of life.
In 1991 the Japanese government formalized its recognition of functional foods with the FOSHU system (Foods for Specific Health Use) which monitored their health and safety while evaluating the amount of beneficial compounds in them. In Australia and New Zealand, the state even regulates the labelling of functional foods.
While dietary vitamins and minerals are understood to be essential for maintaining human health, functional foods are characterized by other exciting but less essential components. Unlike superfoods, which generally promote health, functional foods are more targeted and specific in their benefits.
Super Functional Examples
Garlic is rich in prebiotic fibre, but it also contains the fascinating and powerful compound allicin, renowned for its antimicrobial properties and ability to promote healthy circulation.
Read our blog on Garlic: Medicine or Food
Turmeric is famous for its rockstar ingredient, curcumin, often referred to as the 'active' component of the root. Curcumin provides well-documented systemic anti-inflammatory effects in the body.
Check out our feature piece on Ginger
Green tea is high in the powerful antioxidant EGCG, which works synergistically with the amino acid theanine, also abundant in green tea, to help the body repair and regenerate nerve cells.
Here are 5 Green Teas You Simply Must Know
Ginger is one of the most commonly used digestive aids, known as a carminative for its ability to palpably relieve nausea and soothe an upset stomach.
Find out why Ginger is such a powerful medicine during cold & flu season
Black radish is beloved as a liver friendly digestive aid as well, stimulating the flow of bile for healthy detoxification and breakdown of dietary fats.
Learn all about Black Radish and other Medicinal Radishes
These examples are all-natural foods with substantial literature to support their touted health benefits. However, another definition of functional foods has muddied the waters. For some, the phrase refers specifically to novel foods that have been fortified, modified, or added to for additional health properties.
These additions can be vitamins and minerals, common in plant-based milks, nutritional yeast, breakfast cereals, and more. Additions can also take the form of probiotics, antioxidants, fibre, healthy fats, and so on. Some have even argued that it is only these modified foods that should earn the title functional, lest the term get too watered down.
In Defence of Super Functional Foods and Functional Superfoods
It may be easy to cynically dismiss these labels as marketing terms. Still, even if the definitions can be a little loose, they need meaning. At worst, they dilute meaning and create an elitist hierarchy around food choices. But at their best, these terms amount to a celebration of food we might otherwise take for granted.
And there is no denying that a balanced variety of colourful, nutrient-dense natural foods can have incredible benefits for the human body. It's plausible that any message that encourages us to make healthier shopping choices ought to be warmly welcomed.
Food can be medicine. If excitement about the 'super' or 'functional' qualities of a particular fruit or vegetable leads someone to explore the broader world of empowerment through nutrition, so much the better!
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