Why Nutritionists Hate The Word 'Superfood'—And 4 That Are Overrated


Nutritionists really, truly hate the term 'superfood.' It bounces around from trend to trend: First it was chia seeds, then it was dark chocolate, and sometimes it's wine. What nutritionists want you to know, though, is that no one food is super. They all have value, and the danger of believing in a superfood is that you're missing a whole lot of other equally heroic options.

"There is a danger in calling any one food 'super,'" says Nicci Schock, nutritionist at Elevate by Nicci. "Giving those designations to foods leads the general public to discount the greater picture of what healthy is for them, and often creates an idea that one food can be a shortcut to health or weight loss." She adds that what might work well for one person may not work as well for another. "Expecting to find a magic solution in any one food takes away from the long term and other simple things that people should do every day to ensure an optimized life!"

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Matt Fitzgerald, author of Racing Weight, also has some serious feelings about superfoods. "It's not that the superfoods that get hyped up aren't super, it's that the ones that aren't hyped are also super," he says. "Unpack the label. There are usually similar versions, but the superfoods are just exotic enough to be more interesting."

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"Personally, I am not big fan of 'the super food' or 'battle of the foods' narrative," says vegan nutritionist Kyle Pfaffenbach. "For me, athletes should develop a basic approach of exploring, balancing, and enjoying a wide variety of nutrient dense, whole, nonprocessed foods as the basis of day to day nutrition. That approach can then be individually tailored based on preference and need. Once healthy habits have taken root, athletes need to be aware and mindful of what they are eating and how they feel so that they can find out what works specifically for them. If an athlete is following this outline and and they prefer spinach over kale, or rice farina over pancakes, then so be it."

A few "superfoods" you might want to consider switching for cheaper, tastier, or simply more nutritious options:

This story was originally published by our partners at Bicycling.com.

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Goji berries

You've probably found these small, tart berries sprinkled on a salad at some point in the last few years. Some claim the berries make them feel calmer, and even aid in athletic performance, but the hard truth is, "Goji berries are very expensive and not proven to be any healthier then other berries," says dietician Nanci Guest. "Variety is key, so get a variety of cheaper berries!"

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Quinoa is always touted to be high in protein as a superfood, but Guest says that's simply not accurate. "It just has more protein than rice," she explains. Rather than sticking to just quinoa, Guest says you should mix it up with whole rye, bulgur, spelt, brown rice, or farro. "None are really superior, each just provides a different profile of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients."

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Kale is great, especially in smoothies or baked into chips— and it packs some serious vitamins and minerals. But if you always reach for this leafy green, it might be time to mix up your nutrients. "Maybe kale's day has already passed, but I'm assuming it's still being called a superfood," says Fitzgerald, adding that it's not the only superstar green. "What about spinach? It's actually more nutritious than kale!" Athletes love that spinach is a great source of iron, a critical mineral in producing hemoglobin, which helps deliver oxygen to working muscles. It's also packed with folate, which helps keep your cells healthy.

Dark chocolate and wine

It's dangerous to believe any kind of overly indulgent food is actually a superfood, and wine and dark chocolate are two of the worst offenders. Touted as heart-healthy and antioxidant-rich, the two are also packed with calories (and alcohol in wine's case). If you enjoy them as indulgences, that's great, but don't count them as your healthy eating for the day, or add either into your diet for health reasons.

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