Where Uber-Delicious Meets Ultra-Nutritious for Optimal Health—and Performance
su·per-food·ie, adj sü-per-,fü-d?
What exactly is a Superfoodie—and are you one? To answer that, it helps to know both the origin of the word “foodie”—and what superfoods are all about.
Anyone who’s passionate about food in some way might be called a “foodie” these days. Foodies don’t just eat for hunger or convenience; for them, food is a hobby or passion. To be a foodie is to be interested in or devoted to any/all things culinary, from preparation and ingredients to creativity and pleasure, to history and color, texture and presentation of food.
The word’s been embedded in popular culture for about 35 years, often attributed to being born in a 1980 New Yorker article. But here in 2015, I think it’s time for a new derivative to be coined: Superfoodie. That’s a foodie who cares about all of the above—plus something else that is just as important (or more so).
Superfoodies love good food that’s health-promoting and disease-fighting. And we enjoy an abundance of those foods—without giving up the passion. We eat to live and live to eat—healthfully, joyfully, and wisely.
Superfoodie standards include but go beyond taste. We want health, high performance and longevity, ethical sourcing and preparation, and premium nutrition, relishing taste and variety.
What Is “Superfood,” Anyway?
Superfood has become a buzzword in recent years, but those who care about and study nutrition know there is real substance behind the hype.
While there is no scientific definition of “superfood,” it’s widely agreed that a superfood is a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. Generally, superfoods are nutrient-dense, outstanding sources of antioxidant phytochemicals, essential vitamins, and minerals, and promote good health or fight disease.
While the media loves to make lists of “top superfoods” that can vary wildly, there’s a wonderfully wide range of these nutrient-rich foods that everyone can include in their diet—and that scientists agree are powerhouses with superior health benefits.
By all accounts, superfoods have the power to fight, slow, or even reverse negative effects of aging and disease progression. They nourish and detoxify our bodies, stabilize and strengthen our immune systems, boost our brainpower, sharpen our eyesight, brighten our skin…and the list goes on and on. Barely a day goes by that a study doesn’t affirm yet another benefit of a well-known superfood.
The vast majority of superfoods are antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and beans and legumes. And there is a huge variety of superfoods to choose from! Kale, spinach, watercress, mushrooms, onions, blueberries, strawberries, flax seeds, chia seeds, black beans, and lentils are popular options.
With countless superfoods to enjoy and build a lifestyle around, a health-conscious foodie has a platform for becoming something greater--someone who not only revels in the joy of exploring, preparing, and eating delicious food, but who discovers food that is savory and health-promoting.
The Next (Healthy) Generation of Foodie
And that’s where Superfoodies come in! Superfoodies know that fueling the body with superfoods is not only smart but tasty and fun. We know that tasty food and great health and well-being is not an either/or proposition.
As a result, Superfoodies simply eat more of these superfoods than most people. We love to explore and learn about the amazing variety of foods that can fuel us healthfully.
The Superfoodie revolution is not an exclusive club. We come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. And we can be vegetarians, vegans, flexitarians, omnivores, Paleo, gourmet connoisseurs, or chefs.
Superfoodies may have different dietary preferences, but we agree on one thing: eating lots of superfoods rich in micronutrients and phytochemicals maximizes the positive impact of our foods.
The Power of Plant-Based Superfoods
Even if we’re guided by similar nutritional principles, Superfoodies eat in many different ways. But I’ve noticed that many Superfoodies eventually end up eating primarily (up to 80%, 90% or more, even 100%) plant-powered diets over time. Why is that?
As mentioned above, the vast majority of foods you’ll find on any “top superfoods” list—whether offered by a scientific journal or a popular health magazine—are plant-based. Study after study corroborates the dominance of plant foods in the superfood lexicon. There’s simply no getting around it: the plant world rules the superfood landscape and the Superfoodies’ plate.
Health-conscious foodies who become Superfoodies learn this not only from reading about it, but through their own personal experience. Those most interested in well-being and high performance quickly learn that the more plant-based their choices, the better they feel and perform.
What’s Not to Like?
Being a Superfoodie is delicious, healthy, performance-enhancing, sustainable, flexible, and empowering. And the beauty is you can start wherever you are, foodie or not. Start by adding just one superfood to your plate today. Try slipping superfoods into your meals and eat snacks that infuse you with nourishment. I’m betting the results you’ll see and feel will encourage you to eat more and more of them—naturally changing your eating habits over time.
Eating superfoods can be transformative. Including them in your diet will stabilize your hunger and weight, sharpen your mental clarity, and enable you to supercharge your energy, improve your sleep and mood, and more.
Simply put, you’ll feel happier and healthier when you eat superfoods. Being a Superfoodie is one of the best ways to embrace health and higher performance through nutrition.
