Superfoods - the Ultimate List

Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician, often called the “father of medicine” stated “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”  This has become one of my favorite quotes; as Hippocrates believed, so do I; diet is the foundation of good health and therefore, I cannot delegate to others the duties required to identify beneficial aspects of my diet and that of my family, nor depend totally on others to provide access to quality foods in support of good health.

Recent studies have brought certain dietary guidelines recommended by the federal government into question. A prime example, Americans were told for decades to pursue a “low fat diet” combined with a diet high in whole grains to promote good health. As a result, many Americans avoided eating meat, dairy, and natural oils that contained fat, such as coconut oil, etc. Now, studies are being published arguing the opposite - the human body requires a certain level of “good” fats in order to stay healthy, so the pursuit of a “low fat” diet in combination with a diet high in grains, according to these studies, has not benefited our health.

Combine this with new diet plans from private industry – seems like a new one pops up regularly to add to the confusion - the Mediterranean Diet, the Paleo Diet, and the Adkins Diet, just to name a few. And let’s not forget Veganism – the avoidance of eating any animal products.

Additionally, how can one give serious thought to diet without considering the politics surrounding our food system? From the foreign trade deals that have resulted in massive amounts of foods from other countries being imported into the U.S., often from countries that have questionable agricultural and processing practices, to our own agricultural, medical and pharmaceutical industries and their drive for monetary gain, the best interests of the American consumer, in my opinion, often gets thrown under the bus.

The matter of diet in pursuit of good health can be confusing and in some instances just down right daunting. While wading through the miasma between truth and marketing hype to identify foods capable of contributing to good health, I began noticing the term “superfoods” splashed across the Internet and in books. Article after article stated we need to be eating “superfoods” to support good health.

I was curious - what are “superfoods”? As I read the articles, I realized not everyone is on the same page about what is and is not a “superfood”, in fact, some people believe “superfoods” are nothing but a made-up name for a new marketing scheme; while others believe they represent certain nutrient-packed foods very beneficial to human health.

Okay, on a personal level, I can agree nutrient-dense foods could be considered “superfoods” – now, which foods are “superfoods”?

Trying to get an answer to that question is when it became obvious to me there is no definitive “superfoods” list. After searching through 20 different sources (Internet and books) ranging from those provided by doctors, health and exercise gurus, well-known chefs, etc., I realized in many cases it appeared each list was more or less the individual author’s opinion as to which foods fell into the “superfoods” category.

Among the sources there were some commonalities as to which individual foods could be considered “superfoods”, many commonalities among food categories, and then there were some – hmmm, what is this stuff?

At this point, I am asking myself how I can apply this information to get the most return for my time. Ultimately, I decided I wanted the information to become a tool to, 1) help identify a broad list of “superfoods”, 2) to aid in focusing on the most nutrient-dense foods, 3) to identify which “superfoods” could be raised on the ranch, and 4) to help in future planning.

I needed to organize the 20 different lists to allow for analysis, so I created a spreadsheet to input each food designated as a “superfood” from each source and then separated the foods into categories.

Once this was done, I assigned a number (a point) to each individual food; every time a particular food was mentioned from one of the sources, it received 1 point. For example, in the “berries” category, 8 different types of berries were mentioned with blueberries being mentioned a total of six times in the sources polled. Blueberries received 6 points, this was the most points received by any one berry. So, blueberries became the “superfood” within the “berries” category. I followed this same plan with each of the foods listed in each category. This took some time to work through; but, when finished this is how the foods ranked:

Category	Foods Listed	Ultimate Superfood
Berries	Acai, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Goji Berries, Lingonberries, Raspberries, Strawberries	Blueberries
Seafood	Mackerel, Oysters, Wild Salmon, Sardines, Scallops	Salmon
Grains	Barley, Bran Flakes, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Oats. Wheat germ	Oats
Legumes	Alfalfa Sprouts, Beans, Lentils, Red Beans, Sprouts	Beans
Fruit	Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Bananas, Cherries, Dried Plums (Prunes), Dried tart cherries, Grapes, Kiwifruit, Noni, Papayas, Pears	Apples, Avocadoes
Citrus Fruit	Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Oranges	Oranges
Vegetables	Alliums, Asparagus, Potatoes, Beets, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Endive, Kelp, Leek, Olives, Pumpkin, Red Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers, Scallion, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomato	Sweet Potatoes
Cruciferous Vegetables	Arugula, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Horseradish, Kohlrabi, Maca, Radish, Rutabaga, Turnip	Broccoli
Dark, Leafy Greens	Bok Choy, Cabbage, Collard Greens, Dandelion greens, Iceberg Lettuce, Kale, Mustard Greens, Romaine lettuce, Sauerkraut, Spinach, Swiss chard, Turnip Greens, Watercress, Chinese Cabbage	Spinach
Seeds & Nuts	Almonds, Chia seeds, Flaxseed, Pistachio Nuts, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts, Quinoa	Walnuts
Dairy	Eggs, Fat-free milk and yogurt, Ghee, Grass-fed organic yogurt & kefir, Greek Yogurt, Raw, organic, grass-fed butter, Whey Protein Concentrate, Yogurt Spinach	Eggs
Misc.	Chicken Bones (Broth), Chicory, Coconuts & Coconut Oil, Dark Chocolate & Cocoa, Oregano, Parsley, Peanut Butter, Popcorn, Red Wine, Sugar (blackstrap molasses), Tea (green or black), Turkey, Turmeric, Watermelon	Dark Chocolate
Soy	Bean sprouts (soy), Black Soybean, Edamame, Natto, Soy milk, Soy nuts, Tofu	Soy Milk, Edamame

The foods listed as “ultimate superfoods” were the ones most identified in the sources as “superfoods” – but, and there is always a “but” – as I noted earlier some of this appears to be the opinion of the individual authors. Example: from previous research, I consider blackberries more nutrient-dense than blueberries; blackberries are higher in fat, higher in vitamins and minerals, etc. The one thing blueberries have going for them that blackberries do not – no seeds! In reviewing the “Berries” category as a whole, I identified several berries the authors considered “superfoods” that can be grown on the ranch. So, I will include them in future gardening plans for variety and to extend the growing season, especially blueberries.

With the exception of soy, which I avoid whenever possible, I enjoy all the foods identified as “ultimate superfoods” along with many of the other foods in their respective categories.   I feel very comfortable with the results as a whole. Being a “chocoholic”, the dark chocolate was definitely a winner! J

While there are things I cannot produce on the ranch, there are many that can be done so easily. It presents a challenge to try and incorporate as many as possible of the different foods in my future plans, particularly those that have value as herbal remedies, such as horseradish and oregano. For example, oregano is a great companion plant in the garden as it deters many garden pests.

The foods listed as “ultimate superfoods” are definitely something to consider including in one’s diet; however, I encourage readers to remember - moderation in all things – too much of a good thing, may not, in the end, be a good thing; include these foods as part of a varied diet for the best results.

Another of my favorite quotes –

“If one oversteps the bonds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.”

Epictetus (AD 55 – 135)

Many of the foods identified lend themselves to being grown in containers, so even those with limited space can take more control over their diet by growing “superfoods” organically!

I hope others gain value from this information and use it as a tool to improve their own diet and that of their families. May we all be blessed with good health!