By Rhiannon Dempster

 

I am quietly suspicious that the term superfood is the creation of mothers worldwide who just want kids to eat their damn veggies.

 

If so, well played.

 

From a marketing stand point, it’s genius. It taps into the 20 something demographic where gluten free is hip and being vegan is all the rage - no doubt thanks to the power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z who popularised veganism back in 2011.

 

And I’m not excluding myself from this generalisation. My weekly shopping list revolves almost entirely around the latest article I’ve read on what will improve my concentration or strengthen my memory.

 

A superfood is, according to Med Terms,“a non medicalised term popularised in the media to food that can have health-promoting properties”. These ‘health-promoting properties’ are being proven as research becomes more and more advanced. We have always known that these foods are good for us. Now we are beginning to understand why.

 

These foods include:

• Dark Chocolate, the antioxidant provider

• Almonds, the energy booster

• Pineapple, the bone strengthener

• Sweet potato, the mood elevator

 

But lets not confuse these health-promoting properties with extraordinary super powers.

 

There are no legal guidelines in place as to what constitutes a superfood, so perhaps we should all be a little more wary and take the term with a pinch of chia seeds.

 

A balanced diet means a bit of everything in moderation, and in combination with a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

 

So don’t expect your dose of spinach a day to have Popeye-like ramifications (as I have personally tested on many a jar). And don’t forgo the important role that an occasional tub of ice cream can play in our emotional wellbeing – very few superfoods out there will have such positive influence over a bad day or a broken heart.

 

Do you buy into the superfood craze? Let us know below!