Should You Even Bother With Superfoods?
By Genevieve Cunningham
It seems as though every time we turn around, there’s a new superfood that we’re all supposed to eat. Whether it’s kale or spinach or quinoa, the new super food is full of vitamins and essential nutrients. We get bombarded with recipes and fun ways to use these super foods. We get told how important they are and how we should add them to our normal diet. But is it really that important? Do we need superfoods in our diet? Before you restock your entire kitchen, take a look at the ins and outs of superfoods and their importance in your life.
What is Considered a Superfood?
There have been many foods marked with the superfood label. As mentioned above, kale and quinoa are among the most recent to earn the distinction. But what makes them super? Generally, a food is considered super when it contains massive amounts of essential nutrients and brings multiple benefits to our health. It's usually a low calorie, diverse food, and its presence in your diet brings tons of goodness and zero harm.
Are They Necessary?
The truth is that a healthy diet is necessary. Whether this diet contains superfoods or not, your diet should be well balanced and specific to your needs. Some people use superfoods to help them get on a better path. If you use super foods in this manner, then they can be incredibly beneficial. If you use superfoods as a cure-all or as a magic pill, they won't work. They will still bring benefits to your health and be a positive change to your diet, but there's nothing magical about them.
Can You Do Without Them?
In short, you can absolutely do without superfoods. If your diet contains plenty of fruit, veggies, and protein, it doesn't really matter if you eat super foods or not. If you like them, add them. If you don't, use another healthy food. Superfoods can be great additions to any diet, but your health doesn't begin and end with their use.
Superfoods can be a great choice. They're healthy and tasty and fun to explore. But they're not the only healthy foods out there. Eat a balanced diet, and use super foods if you like, but know that your health can still improve even with regular healthy foods in your normal diet.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Charleston, S.C.