What are Superfoods?

Text by Eugenia Chow

‘Superfood’ is a buzzword that has undoubtedly picked up over the last few years. With a greater emphasis on health and wellness, individuals are now looking towards better nutrition to nourish their bodies. 

In short, superfoods are foods that offer maximum nutritional benefits for minimal calories. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—essential nutrients for the body to thrive and fight against chronic disease and other deficiencies. 

The majority of superfoods are found in nature, and this mostly includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, grasses, seaweed (or algaes), and leaves. Packed with nutritional density and antioxidants, they help decrease or reverse the effects of free radicals that have close links with health problems such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, etc, while improving immunity and decreasing inflammation. 

As ‘nutritional powerhouses’, superfoods are much more effective than supplements when it comes to eating a healthy, balanced diet. Rather than consuming isolated nutrients, by consuming superfoods, you end up eating a variety of micronutrients that the body can use—that is better for health and well-being in the long-run, too!

There are many ways to incorporate superfoods into one’s diet, but the most common way is through powdered form in smoothies, oatmeal, water, and dressings. 

Eugenia Chow Born and raised in Hong Kong, Eugenia is passionate about environmental justice and social responsibility. As a strong believer that individual actions carry tremendous weight, she runs a blog and Instagram page (@eugreenia), writing about how to live more consciously in Hong Kong. She also loves eating, exploring, or baking up some vegan goods!