5 Super Healthy Foods And Reasons You Must Eat Them

When you hear the word superfood, what comes to mind? A carrot in a cape? A nectarine with night vision?

Some foods are so nutritious it may seem like they have superpowers, but outside the marketing world, there actually is no such thing as a superfood by scientific standards, at least. Despite the lack of evidence backing the touted health benefits of superfoods (in 2007, the European Union banned using "superfood" on labels that didn’t have a health claim, which was “clear, accurate, and based on scientific evidence”), that hasn’t slowed superfood sales. Between 2011 and 2015, there was a 202 percent increase in global sales of products marketed as “superfoods,” “superfruits,” or “supergrains,” according to the Mintel Global New Products Database.

The superfood trend dates back almost a century, and may have all started with a banana. In the 1920s, the United Fruit Company ran a series of colorful ads on the health benefits of bananas, research detailing the benefits of bananas was published, and soon the tropical fruit became the first food labeled a superfood, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. More than 90 years later, bananas continue to be in the top three most imported fruits in the United States.

* Avocado

Avocado is a key component to a modern-day brunch staple, avocado toast, and contains a bevy of nutrients worth celebrating.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ½ an avocado provides 29 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, or about 7 percent of the DV. Magnesium plays a role in regulating blood pressure and blood sugar, and magnesium deficiency is associated with a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Avocado also provides fiber (6.75 mg per ½ fruit, offering 24 percent of DV), along with heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. An advisory published by the American Heart Association in the June 2017 issue of Circulation noted that replacing saturated fat (from sources such as butter) with the fats found in foods such as avocado can help reduce the risk for heart disease.

* Pomegranate

It’s a bit strange to think of fruit as trendy, but if you’ve noticed the explosion of “bowl foods” in cafes and restaurants, you’ll know exotic fruits like acai berries, dragon fruit, mango, and pomegranate are definitely on trend. Exotic fruits have long been revered as superfoods for their nutritional content and medicinal properties. Research shows that pomegranates, for example, may bolster heart health, and make a good candidate for dietary supplements that could prevent cardiovascular disease.

* Berries

Blueberries are at the top of almost every superfood list, but just about any edible berry is worthy of superfood status. While all differing in nutritional value, blackberries, cranberries (the fresh, not dried, variety), strawberries, and raspberries, to name a few, are low-calorie, high in fiber, and packed full of antioxidants that help fight against cancer-causing free radicals, notes a study published in March 2018 in Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Blueberries in particular have a high number of anthocyanin pigments, which not only give them their rich color, but also act as powerful antioxidants that may lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, according to a review published in July 2019 in Advances in Nutrition.

* Broccoli

Named after the cross-like appearance of their petals, per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, cruciferous vegetables are heralded for health benefits such as lowering the risk of cancer, and preventing heart attacks and stroke. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cauliflower, cabbage, and maca (a Peruvian plant popular in North America as an energy booster, per research) are all types of cruciferous veggies that are full of fiber. Not only is fiber good for you, but it makes you feel full longer, which could help with weight loss, according to past research.

This group of veggies contain compounds called indole glucosinolates, which help maintain the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut, and could reduce or prevent digestive conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, according to a preliminary study on mice published in October 2017 in the Journal of Functional Foods. More studies in humans are needed, though.

* Seafood

Unlike many animal products high in saturated fats, such as red meat and processed meats, that can raise the risk of heart disease, fish is full of protein and rich in healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids — namely the type you get from seafood including fish — are particularly beneficial to our bodies, notes the NIH. These types, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are used more efficiently than the third type of omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which comes from plant sources such as flaxseed and nuts, past research has shown. Overall, omega-3s can help play a role in reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke, alleviating depression, and aiding infant development, according to the NIH.