Roy SkillenThe Superfood Myth? (LINK)
July 16th 2008 00:36
The tag of super food is thrown around a lot now a days, from beans to fruit and veg even tea and coffee are said to be packed full of antioxidants that will help our bodies run more smoothly and even protect against cancer. But are all these foods worthy of such a label? Do they do what is advertised? Or is it all a clever marketing ploy to trick today’s growing health conscious society?
The latest food to be added to this list is watercress, called the forgotten super food by many while others say it has no special properties what so ever.
It was a study conducted by researchers at the University of Ulster that seemed to show that regular watercress consumption increased antioxidants in the blood and decreased DNA damage to white blood cells. They concluded, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "The results support the theory that consumption of watercress can be linked to a reduced risk of cancer.” But not everyone was convinced by the claims. Karol Sikora a professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College said "The real problem is that it's not watercress specific - there's nothing magic there. The press release, from what is essentially a marketing association, is grossly overstated. We know that fruits and vegetables all do affect DNA damage, hence the five-a-day strategy to prevent cancer. There is absolutely nothing special about watercress."
So what does a food have to do to become super? Wikipedia says that super food is a term sometimes used to describe food with high phytonutrient content that some believe will promote health benefits as a result. For example, blueberries are often considered a super food (or super fruit) because they contain significant amounts of antioxidants, vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre. Many dieticians and nutritional scientists dispute these claims made that consuming particular foodstuffs can have a health benefit. They never use the term super food as there is no legal definition.
The problem seems to arise with the fact that no one is really sure how antioxidants and the like are digested. Joe Vinson, Ph.D. studied the effects of antioxidants in coffee on the body. He found that while coffee was the average Americans number one source of antioxidants, he also discovered that these high levels didn’t necessarily transfer in to the body, he said “The potential health benefit of these antioxidants ultimately depends on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body, a process that is still poorly understood”.
Everyone is well aware now a day what is good for us, it is drummed in to our heads every day through television, radio and magazines that smoking, alcohol and fatty foods can cause all sorts of diseases and problems. But the thought that there is one food out there, one magical super food that cure all are ailments and prevent cancer seems a bit farfetched, a lazy mans way to good health. For me there is no substitute for a health regime that includes regular exercise and a well balanced diet, it can be hard work but it is well worth it in the end.
Read this and other articles at www.healthandwellbeingetc.net
The latest food to be added to this list is watercress, called the forgotten super food by many while others say it has no special properties what so ever.
It was a study conducted by researchers at the University of Ulster that seemed to show that regular watercress consumption increased antioxidants in the blood and decreased DNA damage to white blood cells. They concluded, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "The results support the theory that consumption of watercress can be linked to a reduced risk of cancer.” But not everyone was convinced by the claims. Karol Sikora a professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College said "The real problem is that it's not watercress specific - there's nothing magic there. The press release, from what is essentially a marketing association, is grossly overstated. We know that fruits and vegetables all do affect DNA damage, hence the five-a-day strategy to prevent cancer. There is absolutely nothing special about watercress."
So what does a food have to do to become super? Wikipedia says that super food is a term sometimes used to describe food with high phytonutrient content that some believe will promote health benefits as a result. For example, blueberries are often considered a super food (or super fruit) because they contain significant amounts of antioxidants, vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre. Many dieticians and nutritional scientists dispute these claims made that consuming particular foodstuffs can have a health benefit. They never use the term super food as there is no legal definition.
The problem seems to arise with the fact that no one is really sure how antioxidants and the like are digested. Joe Vinson, Ph.D. studied the effects of antioxidants in coffee on the body. He found that while coffee was the average Americans number one source of antioxidants, he also discovered that these high levels didn’t necessarily transfer in to the body, he said “The potential health benefit of these antioxidants ultimately depends on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body, a process that is still poorly understood”.
Everyone is well aware now a day what is good for us, it is drummed in to our heads every day through television, radio and magazines that smoking, alcohol and fatty foods can cause all sorts of diseases and problems. But the thought that there is one food out there, one magical super food that cure all are ailments and prevent cancer seems a bit farfetched, a lazy mans way to good health. For me there is no substitute for a health regime that includes regular exercise and a well balanced diet, it can be hard work but it is well worth it in the end.
Read this and other articles at www.healthandwellbeingetc.net
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