You’ve probably heard the hype around superfoods – these are items that are high in vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. These foods are hailed for the benefits they can offer your body, but it’s hard to know which foods are worth buying and which really don’t live up to the hype.
The below eight foods are often praised for being superfoods, but frankly, you can skip them.
8 superfoods not worth the hype
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Goji berries: All berries, in general, contain powerful antioxidants, and although there is some preliminary research on goji berries, their high cost makes them something you can look past. Instead opt for blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
Coconut oil: Registered dietician Desiree Nielson weighed in on the hype around coconut oil and explained, “Coconut oil has a lot of medium chain triglycerides, which the body prefers to burn than store. But it’s not magic; if you over-consume energy over the course of the day, your body will store the extra energy as fat.”
Chlorella: The claims behind chlorella say it promotes energy and is packed with antioxidants. Unfortunately, there isn’t much research to support this. Furthermore, sourcing good quality chlorella is difficult, and the manufacturing process often adds additional metals to it. Lastly, a much better source of protein is nuts and eggs.
Agave nectar: Agave nectar is believed to be a better alternative to sugar and honey, as it doesn’t have glucose. However, it does have fructose, which is another type of sugar that is difficult for the liver to metabolize. Eventually, your liver stores this as fat, which can make your liver quite sick.
Coconut water: Although coconut water has a lot of minerals, it is also packed with sugar. You can easily get the same minerals found in coconut water in a homemade stir-fry. Additionally, coconut water is high in saturated fat, which can clog arteries over time.
Vegetable and fruit drinks: Drinking your vegetables and fruits has become quite trendy, but this process removes fiber, adds sugar, and contains fewer micronutrients.
Acai berries: Nielson explained, “Their claim to fame is their anti-inflammatory phytochemicals like anthocyanins which are legitimate, they just aren’t exclusive to acai berries.” Once again, you can eat in-season berries and still get your antioxidant fix.
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Green smoothies: At-home smoothies aren’t too bad, as you can control the ingredients, but buying them pre-made can increase your sugar intake.
Don’t buy into the superfood hype. Save your money and make eating less complicated by not falling for the trap of commercially-driven superfoods.
Related: Superfoods you should be eating daily
