5 "super foods" that really do not deserve this title

The exotic fruits from the other side of the world, the famous juice that every nutritionist knows and the oil that has replaced the traditional olive oil in many people - these are the foods that have been overly hyped but can't really stand it.

Walla!

health

26/02/2022

Saturday, February 26, 2022, 10:26 p.m.

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

Human society has always been influenced by changing trends and fashions - and this has undoubtedly only intensified in the days of digital and social networks.

In the field of nutrition, one can not miss the "super foods", those foods that promise to fight disease, prolong life and improve health.

In general, many of these foods do provide many health benefits, but some experts believe that their labeling as "superfoods" also relies on marketing motives and should be taken with limited caution.

More on Walla!

A healthy diet can extend life by 10 years.

So what should you eat?

To the full article

Labeling foods as "superfoods" may lead people to believe that if they just eat them every day, they will inevitably be healthier and this will also atone for the less healthy choices they make.

In practice, it is important to remember that the more varied and rich the diet, the greater its contribution to health.

And while there are plenty of fruits, vegetables and other foods that are definitely recommended to eat a lot of - there are some that are labeled as "super foods", but in practice simply enjoy unjustified "hype".

Here are some of them:

Coconut oil

To (Photo: ShutterStock)

Coconut oil, like other oils used in cooking, has good fatty acids that play important roles in various body systems.

A few years ago, coconut oil was perceived as a popular choice among many people who wanted to improve their health without giving up greasy foods.

In practice, a comprehensive review of the subject determined that the oil may increase the rate of "bad cholesterol" (LDL) in the body by a rate similar to that of butter.

More on Walla!

• Scientists have rated thousands of foods and determined who is healthiest and who is most harmful

• 5 healthy foods that you do not eat right

• The healthiest foods and drinks we should adopt this year

• Due to the growing demand for effective treatment of pain: B-Cure laser in a special operation

In 2020, the American Heart Association (AHA) also published a review that compared 16 types of oils to understand how they affect health.

Coconut oil has been described there as one of the most harmful in terms of its effect on cholesterol.

The same review noted that one of the healthiest oils is still olive oil, which in controlled consumption may actually be beneficial to health.

Wheatgrass juice

No, it does not prevent cancer.

Wheatgrass juice (Photo: ShutterStock)

We know what you think - how can such a green and natural drink, which smells like a lawn mower - not make us healthier?

So yes, wheatgrass, like other green plants, contains chlorophyll which gives it its green color and provides a significant contribution to health.

The problem starts when you think it is beneficial for situations where there is no evidence that it will actually help them - such as preventing cancer for example.

Some people believe that wheat germ plays an important role in cancer prevention and sometimes even cancer treatment.

This is after the publication of an encouraging study conducted on the subject.

The problem is that the study in question was not conducted on humans, and when scientists did try to test this hypothesis on humans, they found no conclusive evidence as to the ability of wheat germ to prevent cancer or treat the disease and its symptoms.

As mentioned, wheat germ does have many benefits - but it is no more "superfood" than vegetables and other chlorophyll-containing leaves.

honey

By and large, it's sugar.

Honey (Photo: Giphy)

When sick, one of the most familiar ways to make ourselves feel a little better is to make a cup of tea with honey and lemon.

The heat and sweetness help relieve the burning throat, but some people go further with their expectations of the drink and think that honey will at least be healthier than white sugar and may even be able to treat the disease and aid in recovery.

In practice, consuming sugar of any kind significantly increases the risk of heart disease, obesity and of course diabetes.

This is also true of sugar from more natural sources - such as honey, maple and agave.

The way the body processes all types of sugar is the same, so the potential harm will be the same.

And when people think that honey is less harmful than sugar - they can consume more of it, without believing that they are causing harm.

We emphasize that honey does contain antioxidants that contribute to health, but as mentioned, it is best to avoid excessive consumption.

However, quite surprisingly, studies have found that honey is actually effective in shortening the healing of wounds or skin diseases - especially burns, cuts, scars and even herpes and psoriasis.

almond milk

Harmless, but also not helpful.

Almond milk (Photo: ShutterStock)

If you chose to abandon cow's milk and switch to plant alternatives - you must have also tried almond milk, which is considered one of the leading choices in the field.

First of all it is important to emphasize, almond milk will probably not harm health and it is indeed a worthy alternative to cow's milk, but in practice, it is worth shattering some myths that accompany its choice.

Almonds, like other nuts, contain a long list of nutrients such as antioxidants, proteins, fiber and minerals.

However, most of these components are found in the almond peel, which is not used to produce the milk substitute.

In practice, almond milk loses most of its nutrients in the production process, so the final product does not provide the same contribution to the health of the almonds themselves.

While this does not make it harmful as such, it is also not the "super drink" that some people think it is.

Any exotic food that is marketed to you in exaggeration

Healthy, like any other fruit that costs much less.

Acai (Photo: ShutterStock)

You've probably seen quite a few publications in recent years (admit we do too), about exotic fruits and plants like goji berry, acai, mangosteen or dorian - which have made it all the way from far-flung regions around the globe, to provide you with unique benefits that will make you healthier and happier.

It would not be true to say that these fruits do not contribute to health, but their contribution is not much different from that of apple, banana and orange.

However, their price tag is usually much higher than that of the local fruits of course.

In general, if you really want to be healthier, a long line of studies shows that you should just eat lots of fruits and vegetables in all the colors of the rainbow.

You do not have to choose specific, expensive or exotic products - just the ones that will be delicious and also worthwhile in the long run.

• health

• Nutrition and diet

• Preventive nutrition

Tags

• Foods on

• Coconut oil

• honey

• diet