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Superfood blends sound like a great idea

The definition of a superfood blend is a pre-packaged mix of a variety of superfoods, usually in powder form that is intended to be consumed in one go. Theoretically, a single serving should provide you with the healthy benefits of many superfoods.

Getting the benefits of multiple superfoods in one neat package sounds great in theory, but in practice, for some people, these blends can do more harm than good.

Why are superfood blends so popular?

Exploring the various superfood blends, you’ll notice that a long list of benefits on offer, like:

• Helping you to lose weight
• Making you more feel energetic
• Helping to prevent illnesses and making your body more immune
• Providing a steady supply of essential nutrients
• Improving the health of your skin
• Flushing out toxins from your system
• Improving your eyesight
• Making you stronger
• Making you feel happier

Overall, you can hope to get a quick, convenient fix of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Superfood blends can save time and potentially even money.

So, what’s the catch?

Well, everything is not exactly as it seems. For starters, there’s often very little information available about ‘what lies within’. The packaging doesn’t usually explain such things as:

1. What is the quality assurance for each individual ingredient?
2. Are the ingredients really all organic? If so, by what certification(s)?  
3. Are the individual superfoods traceable to the countries, regions and farms of origin?
4. What production standards are maintained on these farms?
5. Which independent organisations or governing bodies check and sanction the farming and production processes?
6. What are the possible side effects of each ingredient? How about when they are combined together?

The thing about Superfoods is that they can be very powerful. They are often intended to have a significant, albeit, positive effect on the body and mind. So it’s very important to know exactly what this impact will be. Unfortunately, when many superfoods are blended together, it’s almost impossible to determine which of these may be having adverse effects on you. Or worse, causing an allergic reaction or sensitivity.

How much is too much?

Typically the ratio of superfoods in the blend is calculated so that the individual ingredient levels are appropriate to consume on a regular basis. The problem with this, is that we are all different; men and women of different ages, with differing levels of fitness and wellness and as such our internal systems are working in a unique way.

Hence, just because a blend is full of ‘super’ foods, doesn’t mean that it’s super for you, at this time in your life.

Can you get to the science?

Just as importantly, does the provider of the Superfood Blend really understand how the ingredients interact with each other once they’ve entered your system? Has the effect of each level of interaction been studied conclusively? Is there sufficient evidence or research that you can rely on?

Superfood blends lack finesse, as Huffington Post wrote last year, “When it comes to nutrition, those with little to no training on the topic, seem to be the most influential.”

Finally...

Making superfoods a part of your daily diet is almost always of great benefit. But you need to understand what you’re getting into. Superfoods are powerful. You should be careful with them. Introduce your body to superfoods slowly, preferably one at a time from a reputable provider who really knows their product. Be wary of consuming too much and think about how much you are consuming and how often. Carefully observing the effect of each superfood slowly over time should ensure that you are gaining maximum benefit and avoiding any side effects or allergic relations.

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