Useless "superfoods"
Chia, goji, spirulina: you can eat, but you don't need to
Products widely advertised as magic remedies for strengthening the body and preventing all ailments are overseas chia seeds, goji berries, spirulina algae, green coffee and our buckwheat of the same color. On the air of the TV channel "Russia 1", Dr. Myasnikov reflects on how the so-called superfoods are really useful and whether it is worth spending a lot of money on them.
Fashionable and very expensive direction of health improvement promises the preservation of health and even youth. In the transfer "About the most important thing," Alexander Myasnikov admits that he does not have his own experience of studying these products, but he regularly reads the medical press, including Western ones, and either does not see any mention of these superfoods there at all, or they are mentioned in the context of scientifically unproven effectiveness.
Chia seeds. Those who believe in their miraculous properties attribute these poppy seeds to strengthening blood vessels and bones, improving memory, reducing the risk of developing breast and prostate cancer, improving the condition of skin and hair. Dr. Myasnikov is convinced: "All this is the result of a healthy lifestyle and sports." For example, the prerequisites for osteoporosis are laid in childhood: a set of bone mass occurs before the age of 15, and then only its loss.
Goji berries – supposedly a storehouse of unique biologically active substances – are simply delicious, the presenter said, tasting them right in the studio. And, like any dried fruits, they probably contain a lot of trace elements, in particular, potassium. At the same time, the doctor is sure that the benefits of "native" cranberries, cranberries, viburnum, which are also available fresh in the season and long after it, are no less. In addition, the origin of the superfood is unclear: Myasnikov says that he has been to Tibet twice, where goji supposedly comes from, but has never seen this plant there.
Spirulina. It is said that it improves the intestinal microflora, reduces allergy symptoms, slows down aging, normalizes blood pressure, relieves arthritis pain. "Algae are useful in principle – any. They contain iodine and vitamin B12, which we usually get from meat and fish," Alexander Leonidovich agrees. However, he suggests that the sea cabbage, which is known to all Russians for a penny compared to imported relatives, may well replace it.
Green coffee. Its manufacturers and sellers promise that it will speed up metabolism, reduce appetite and the risk of diabetes, reduce swelling and improve brain function. "Probably, when roasting coffee, like all vegetable products, some of the useful properties are lost,– says Myasnikov. – But there are a lot of useful substances in ordinary coffee, and it – competently roasted and freshly ground – is much tastier."
Green buckwheat. Does it really strengthen blood vessels and immunity, improve the functioning of the nervous system, reduce the risk of cancer and slow down aging? Buckwheat porridge is a useful product in all respects, the doctor confirms. But he has no data that green buckwheat is healthier than fried, but it is definitely much more expensive.
Summing up, Alexander Leonidovich stressed: the human body is not a machine in which you just need to pour fuel. Our well–being largely depends on our mood, and it largely depends on the pleasures we experience, and one of them is delicious food. If the above–mentioned products are to your taste and can afford - eat for your health, but as a doctor they cannot be recommended among the mandatory Butchers. And it's completely absurd to rely on them if you lead the wrong lifestyle and eat goji berries and chia seeds on a regular diet in the form of ready–made dumplings and sausages.
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