I have a confession to make: I am a closet superfood-ophile. In fact, I would go as far to say that I am a bit of an addict. I mean, I am not “harming” myself for these little treats, but I do go out of my way for them, and in fact, have had to make other sacrifices to get my fix.
A bit of background . . .
What the heck are these so-called “superfoods”? From the Wikipedia entry on superfood: “Superfood is a term sometimes used to describe food with high phytonutrient content that some may believe confers health benefits as a result.” There is a comprehensive list of superfoods in that article that is pretty neat and I just updated to include a couple of my own favs: Physalis peruviana (aka Golden berry, aka Inca berry, aka delicious and amazing!) and Goji berry (aka Wolf berry).
My first encounter with superfoods (outside of the familiar blueberry, spinach, and the like) was when a new friend gave me a gift of dried golden berries. I was hesitant at first since they’re not very attractive dried, but he had spoken so highly, almost amorously of them, that I went ahead and popped a few in my mouth. Not knowing what to expect is an understatement; I was completely taken by surprise by their taste. Tart, with a hint of sweetness, and just a touch of something completely new (savoury almost). All in all - amazing!
Besides being a really unique berry taste experience, I looked over the touted health properties on the package: “These golden berries are rich in protein and fiber. This is an ideal source of B1, B6, B12 and phosphorus. Not only that, the Incan Golden Berries are a good source of vitamin A and C. It is a little known secret that the Incan Golden Berries contain vitamin P or bioflavonoid that has amazing antiviral properties. Moreover these are natural source of antioxidants that are natural slimming agents. It also helps in treating cardiovascular ailments. It is advisable to take these berries instead of popping multivitamin tablets.”
Oooh – Vitamin P?! I hadn’t even heard of Vitamin P before, let alone that I should be eating foods that contain it. I have always believed that whole food sources of nutrients and vitamins are better than taking supplements such as a multivitamin. Plus antiviral? Awesome. At the time, we were just coming up on another Toronto winter, which goes hand in hand with flu season. So this became my new “staple” and I made sure every week to stop by Kensington Market health food stores to grab a bag.
I started making a daily trail mix around that time to munch on throughout the day.
Ingredients:
A handful of each; all organic:
Golden berries (dried)
Goji berries (dried)
Cashews (raw – or at least as “raw” as I can get them)
Walnuts (raw)
Pecans (raw)
Cranberries or raisins or cherries or blueberries (dried)
Raw cacao nibs
This little mix has become my main sustenance; eating bit by bit all day until dinner time when I sit down for a real meal with friends or family. Almost religiously I go to the store when my supplies get low. Then I realized something – these superfoods are freakin' expensive!
Here’s a price breakdown of the above ingredients (in Canadian dollars and all organic) for about a week supply:
Golden berries – 16 oz - $25
Goji berries – 8 oz - $9
Cashews – approx. 16 oz - $10
Walnuts – 16 oz - $12
Pecans – 16 oz - $16
Dried blueberries – 8 oz - $10
Raw cacao nibs – 16 oz - $16
Total per week - $98
Holy cow! As you can see, this is one pricey food expense. That’s nearly $400 each month. Now before you go jumping to conclusions like, "Damn – give it up girl! Get yourself some counseling and get off the superfood crack before it leaves you penniless and high on cacao nibs."
Ahh, but just wait. I need to put those figures into perspective. Let’s say that instead of my superfood trail mix for lunch I eat deli meats. You know, the kind loaded with nitrates, cheese, beef and chicken - typical “lunch fare” for the average North American. Two important things to consider in this hypothesis:
1. The effect on the digestion and overall functioning of the human body (essentially feeling like crap)
2. The financial impact of dealing with health problems
(See The China Study for more info on the effects of a “high” quality protein diet)
Since we can’t understand in a scientific manner what negative health issues may arise (based on genetic considerations, lifestyle factors, etc) by someone eating a nitrate-filled, meaty lunch versus high antioxidant, superfood lunch, we have to exclude that from our analysis, but I think it should still weigh in, at least philosophically.
Here’s a price breakdown for a week’s supply of the above mentioned typical North American lunch fare:
Hotdogs + buns - $6
Cheese (sliced, deli) - $8
Ham (deli) - $8
Beef (ground) - $6
Spagetti + sauce (who eats plain ground beef??) - $6
Chicken (breasts) - $9
Bread for sandwiches (the fancy bakery kind) - $7
Fixins (tomato, lettuce. Who eats a dry sandwich??) - $10
Total per week - $54
Um, okay. So it’s about $40/week less than my superfood craze. But, besides the sandwich fixins, where’s the fibre? Where’s the fruit or vegetables? And look at my hips! That diet would have me whalin’ around after 3 weeks tops. So maybe saving $120 per month seems like a good idea, but consider the cost of health care, gym membership, and lost productivity. We could even consider the “carbon footprint” effect of eating a mostly meat lunch, although I don’t care to do so here. And don’t forget to take into account your overall energy level, mental acuity, and physical stamina. I mean when was the last time you ate a nice big bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce for lunch and then felt totally invigorated for the afternoon? Ha! After spaghetti, I am done for – good night, nurse! Following a couple handfuls of superfood trail mix, though, I feel alive and ready to focus on my work. I have even noticed less of a desire for the afternoon caffeine fix that I had come to expect after years of working in front of a computer.
For me, the choice is clear. Superfoods for lunch all the way. I’ll just have to take on a night job to support my habit ;)
What do you think? Is it compelling enough to give superfoods a shot; to take a chance on a possibly life changing (and pocketbook draining) new food?
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