Super Foods: Separating Fact from Fiction

Superfoods: separating fact from fiction

The Good the Fads and the Ugli
Samantha Selinger-Morris

We've all heard about 'superfoods' but just how good are they?  Samantha Selinger-Morris takes you through the A-Z of the pantry's superheroes.

Acai berries
These berries were named the No.1 superfood by nutritionist to the stars Nicholas Perricone for reportedly having higher antioxidant levels than blueberries. The fact they can only be harvested twice a year in the Amazon Basin makes them sound as high-maintenance as one of Perricone's famed clients, Gwyneth Paltrow. Nevertheless, the American Chemical Society verified the claim in 2006.


Broccoli
The William H. Macy of the vegie world, this homely food is also a powerhouse: loaded with vitamin C, folic acid and carotenoids, which are packed with vitamin A and can protect your cells from the damage of free radicals, which lead to premature ageing.



Cinnamon
Jerry Seinfeld once said the mystery ingredient that makes every dish tasty is cinnamon. But does it really reduce blood levels of total cholesterol, including triglycerides, and help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes? Yes.

Dark chocolate
The food equivalent of a supermodel who's also a Mensa candidate, dark chocolate helps prevent heart disease because of the inhibiting effect of polyphenols on LDL cholesterol, which promotes coronary disease. And a BBC news report showed melting dark chocolate in one's mouth produces an elevated heart rate more intense than when we kiss passionately.

Edamame
Like a beauty queen who's fallen from grace, soy products - once touted as reducing the risk of coronary heart disease - have recently been charged with causing hideous side effects such as loss of libido and breast growth in men. The bottom line, dietitian Milena Katz says, is that young soybeans are ''fine as a protein but so are chickpeas''.

Flaxseed
Does this tiny brown seed truly improve heart health by lowering blood pressure, inflammation and blood triglyceride levels, helping to prevent clots in arteries? Only if you eat ground flaxseed or incorporated in flour or meal, rather than whole.

Ginger
Not just the hottest cast member of Gilligan's Island, ginger is a key part of traditional Chinese medicine. Why? Because this underground stem is rich in phytochemicals, including beta-carotene (which helps maintain good eyesight), curcumin and salicylates, which can be used to relieve numerous ailments, including nausea, motion sickness and pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis.

Herbs
Garden-variety green herbs could pull off a public relations coup if word gets out about their health benefits. Dill has six times more beta-carotene than rockmelon or pumpkin, and basil and parsley have twice as much vitamin C as oranges.

Israeli couscous
Model Catherine McCord is touting this version of the ubiquitous grain, rather than the tinier African variety. It has the same health benefits - one cup provides 42 per cent of the daily recommended dose of vitamin C and its high fibre content helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, helping to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes - and it is toasted rather than dried, which lends it a nuttier flavour.

Jicama
Like a great indie film, this South American root vegie is both obscure and good for you: a great source of vitamin C, folic acid (crucial in brain development) and beta-carotene.

Kale
Two of this leafy green's antioxidants - lutein and zeaxanthin - lower the risk of age-related eye disease and its vitamin A helps fight infection. You can also make chips with it by sprinkling it with olive oil and salt and baking for 10 minutes. What more do you want?

Lentils
One of the healthiest and most inexpensive sources of protein and fibre on the planet. Lentils have very low GI levels and are abundant in calcium and folic acid. In other words: potatoes, suck it.

Millet
Sure to be next year's quinoa, this gluten-free grain is not only high in protein, fibre and magnesium (which might lower your risk of type two diabetes) but cultures that eat it are up to 50 per cent less likely to develop peptic ulcers than those that don't.

Nuts
Chock-full of vitamin E, selenium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids and protein, nuts help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce inflammation and help stabilise blood sugar. In other words, they offer everything but a free set of steak knives.

Oats
Incredibly low GI, which means they make you feel fuller for longer and help keep diabetes at bay. They also have a fibre that keeps cholesterol under control.

Plums

Like the glee club of the fruit world, this also-ran is formidable. They are a great source of the antioxidants that fight various forms of cancer and heart disease, and in dried form have been shown to be rich in polyphenols, which can restore bone mass and structure.


Quinoa
There's a reason the newest dare is to walk through Surry Hills without seeing a cafe that boasts a dish containing quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). This nutty-tasting, gluten-free grain has twice the protein of other cereal grains and fewer carbohydrates.

Red chillies
Not just the ill-advised star of sexual escapades the world over, red chillies are a good source of vitamin B6, which helps break down protein, and a good source of iron, needed to create red blood cells.



Spinach
Touted as a wonder leaf for being chock-full of minerals and vitamins like iron (think Popeye). But, as dietitian Milena Katz says, ''It's hard for the body to absorb it, so you're not getting a lot of iron.''

Tomatoes
Are the best source of lycopene, an antioxidant shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Booya, right? Except for the fact an estimated 30 per cent of arthritis sufferers have an intolerance to them and can experience swollen joints or stiffness after eating.

Ugli fruit
Loaded with fibre and vitamin B (which promotes oral health) - and with half a fruit containing 70 per cent of the daily recommended dose of vitamin C - this cross between a grapefruit, orange and tangerine has it all, except a decent press agent.

Virgin olive oil
It's packed with vitamin E and alpha-linolenic acid, which lowers the risk of heart disease.

Wild salmon
Full of protein and anti-ageing omega-3s, wild salmon - as opposed to farmed, which is (allegedly) pumped with antibiotics - helps lower blood pressure and reduce clotting.

Zucchini
Full of antioxidants, in particular lutein and zeaxanthin. Shortages of these are associated with a gradual loss of vision.