What are superfoods?

What are superfoods?

Superfoods

There is actually no scientific definition which clarifies the term “superfood”. Which again leads us to our original question which is what are superfoods ?, then, if they are not defined.

It is basically a marketing term used for some of the foods which are nutritionally dense than the others. Or it can be said that they are called so because they are supposed to have high value to our good health.

It is essential to mention here that no single food, be it a superfood, can provide every nutrient we need for well-functioning of our body to maintain a good health.

Foods which are entitled as Superfoods by the market, have certain health benefits. Like some of them are suggested to lower down risks of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, strokes, or even cancer. While some of them may slow down the ageing process, improve physical activities of individuals, improve mental activity, memory power, and many other benefits. These all characters in a food makes it a superfood.

Many foods are tagged as Superfood. It  suggested to have a variety of fruits, veggies included in your diet so as to meet all the nutrients as your body requires, since no food or superfood can provide all the nutrients alone.

Let us now look at some of the superfoods and their health benefits, which very well justify the title of Superfood given to them.

 Acai Berry :

Dried Acai berries

It is a dark purple berry, native to Amazon Region also known as Amazonian Palm Fruit, since they grow on palm trees. Acai Berry is famous for numerous of health benefits it imparts making it a su

Indicating its nutritional profile, it is low in sugars, high in fatty acids, also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

As they are superrich in antioxidants, acai berry can neutralise the damaging effects of free radicals in the body. It has highest levels of antioxidants than any other superfood.

They also have plant sterols due to which they can help in decreasing Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels in the body, which can help in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Researchers also found it to have anti-inflammatory bioactivity, also it may reduce metabolic disease risk. That is why it is considered as a superfood.

Hemp Seeds :

Hemp seeds

These tiny seeds are rich source of essential fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as omega-3s, which might facilitate fight coronary heart disease, cancer, and even symptoms of depression.

Hemp seeds also are a rich and unusual source of the polyunsaturated fatty acid gamma linolenic acid, or GLA. GLA, found in plant seed oils, has been known to help with variety of ailments, ranging from allergies to attention deficit disorder, and may even help lower cholesterol levels. This makes it a perfect superfood.

Chlorella :

   Chlorella tablets : Image credits:  chlorella-info.eu

Commonly known as the ‘‘king of superfoods’’ and is, in fact, so spectacular that NASA has done in-depth studies to assess it as a potential food to be fed to astronauts and grown in space during long interplanetary missions thanks to Chlorella’s high nutrient density and extraordinary medicative properties.

Its health benefits includes, Repairing and Strengthening of DNA. Also protects you against free radicles and oxidative stress damage, making it an anti-ageing food.

Maca roots :

Maca is a medicative plant that primarily grows high up in the mountains of Peru in harsh conditions.

The reason why it is considered as a superfood is that its root powder is very nutritious, and is a great source of several important vitamins and minerals.

Maca root is a good source of carbs and protein, is low in fat and contains a fair amount of fiber. It's also high in some essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, copper and iron.

Furthermore, the superfood contains various plant compounds, including glucosinolates and polyphenols.

Maca Roots powder is very much famous among athletes and bodybuilders, as it can help increasing strength, muscle gain, boost energy and improve exercise performance.

Further, some studies have shown that it may improve memory, and learning. Researches are still going on, for healt benefits of Maca.

      Kale :

Kale plants

Last but definitely not the least in our list is Kale, a popular superfood, It is superrich in nutrients packed with antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin & kaempferol. As it is also rich in antioxidants just like acai berry, it also have similar effects on reducing the free radicals from our body, which can help your skin look good and healthy. Also it is significantly rich in vitamin A and Vitamin K.

Another vital health benefit of Kale is its anti-cancer property. It contains several glucosinolates which when we eat converts into isothiocyanates in our body. These isothiocyanates protects body from various carcinogens. Which definitely makes Kale in list of top Superfoods.

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How much lead in your food is SAFE ?

After the Supreme Court revived the action suit against Nestle, the company admitted to the presence of lead in the popular instant noodles. Do you know how much lead in your food can harm you?

How much lead in your noodles is safe for your health?

HOW MUCH LEAD CAN ACTUALLY HARM YOU ?

The Supreme Court revived the action suit against Nestle on Thursday by NCDR by questioning the content of lead in their Maggi noodles. The lawyers representing Nestle admitted that the popular product contains lead. However, they argued that the lead content in the noodles was within permissible limits.

They argued that lead is present everywhere and it is unintentionally added to their product, but it is not added in any of the processes intentionally.

How much lead content is actually safe ?

Actually no amount of Lead in blood can be considered as safe. Even very low quantities even as low as 50 ppm (5 mg per deciliter) can lead to health issues in children.

Lead is a highly toxic metal and also a very strong poison. Consuming even small quantities of lead can cause fatal health conditions. It can lead to situations like physical and mental impairment. So, products with lead must be consumed at very much limited amount or must be avoided as much as possible especially children should not consume such products.

Children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning as their brain & nervous system are in development process.

Symptoms of Lead poisoning & Diagnosis

Lead poisoning slowly builds up in body, generally. So, consuming small quantities of lead again and again will eventually lead up to its toxicity.

According to Healthline, some of the symptoms of lead toxicity in adults are abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, aggressive behavious, sleep problems, constipation, irritability, headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, memory loss and anemia among others.

In children, symptoms can be identified in the form of intellectual disability. For example, a child having behaviour problems, low IQ, poor grades at school, growth delays, etc.

Emergency symptoms in case of a high toxic dose of lead can be severe abdominal pain and cramping, vomiting, muscle weakness, seizures and coma. Lead poisoning can be diagnosed with a blood lead test. 

If these symptoms are seen, you must immediately contact your doctor and take proper medications for same. 

To be safe and healthy avoid regularly having products having lead  present in it does not matter how much lower quantity it is. Since it accumulate in body and repeated exposure may lead to serious health conditions.

Also Read : Consuming artificial sweeteners to avoid sugar ? Study says it may not be effective

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Consuming artificial sweeteners to avoid sugar ? Study says it may not be effective

"With increased consumer interest in reducing energy intake, food products containing non-sugar sweeteners (NSSs) rather than simple sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides) have become increasingly popular", the study stated.

Artificial sweeteners may not be effective : Study

FOR THOSE WHO ARE OPTING FOR ARTIFICIAL SUGARS ....

For those who are trying to avoid sugar by option for Artificial Sweeteners as a substitute. A new study has come up which reveals that consuming artificial sweeteners (or Artificial Sugar) may not be a good idea after all.

Study says”Growing concerns about health and quality of life have encouraged people to adapt healthy lifestyles and avoid the consumption of food rich in sugars, salt, or fat to prevent obesity and other non-communicable diseases. With increased consumer interest in reducing energy intake, food products containing non-sugar sweeteners (NSSs) rather than simple sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides) have become increasingly popular”.

The study titled ‘Association between intake of non-sugar sweeteners and health outcomes: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials and observational studies’ was led by the University of Freiburg and published in the BMJ.

It studied the effect of replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners in soft drinks and said "replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners used in Diet Coke and other soft drinks has no effect on weight loss and their long-term health effects are still poorly understood".

The study also pointed up the absence of good research on the long-term health effects of sweeteners when consumed over years or decades. In this comprehensive systematic review, a broad range of health outcomes was investigated to determine a possible association with non-sugar sweetener used by a generally healthy population.

“The studies were set up to look at different types of sweeteners, measuring weight, blood sugar (glycaemic) control, oral health, cancer, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, mood and behaviour in consumers. For most of them, there was no statistical difference in weight loss or health benefits of adults and children using higher doses of sweeteners rather than small amounts or none”, a "The Guardian" report stated.


This comprehensive systematic review covers a vast range of health effects including benefits & harms of Non Sugar Sweeteners in a general healthy population including both adults & Children. The study is conducted on various parameters following complicated study methods.

“Overall, we included 56 studies of adults and children, which assessed the associations and effects of NSSs on different health outcomes.
For most outcomes, there seemed to be no statistically or a clinically relevant difference between NSS intake versus no intake, or between different doses of NSSs. No evidence was seen for health benefits from NSSs and potential harms could not be excluded. The certainty of the included evidence ranged from very low to moderate, and our confidence in the reported effect estimates is accordingly limited”, the study stated

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What is Gluten ? The Science behind dough Formation....

Gluten plays a crucial role in formation of your bread dough from wheat.

GLUTEN - A Combination of two proteins ....

Gluten, Seems and wrongly assumed to be like a plastic like substance or rubbery mass, is commonly known as Wheat Protein.

It is formed when two wheat proteins namely ‘Gliadin’ and ‘Glutenin’ are mixed with water. The two proteins have uniquely high content of amino acids like glutamine and proline with low content of charged amino groups.

Real Science behind formation of dough from flour and essential role of Gluten in it  ....

Typically, Gluten affects many properties related to wheat dough formation like water absorption capacity,elasticity, viscosity and cohesiveness of dough.

As it is already mentioned above that Gluten is made of two proteins, among

which gliadin is soluble in water or alcohol and glutenin is insoluble.

Both the proteins contributes to the rheological property of dough, but they have different functions. Like hydrated gliadins contribute mainly to viscosity and extensibility of dough as they have little elasticity and less cohesiveness on the other hand hydrated glutenins are responsible for elasticity and strength of dough due to their high cohesiveness and elasticity. For good viscoelastic dough a proper mixture of both proteins are required.

Cystine a minor amino acids present in Gluten have most important function in networking and functionality of gluten as it formed inter-chain disulphide bonds between proteins. These bonds are mainly affected during dough preparations and baking.

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