Superfood at a glance
- Definition: Superfood is a marketing term for foods believed to have an especially high nutrient density – not a protected or scientifically recognized label.
- Origin: First mentioned in a Canadian newspaper in 1949, it became a global food trend from the 1990s onward.
- Well-known examples: Chia seeds, beetroot, goji berries, berries in general, kale, turmeric and many more.
- Nutrients: Often rich in vitamins, fiber, minerals and antioxidants such as polyphenols.
- Legal status: The word "superfood" itself isn't protected – but in the EU, any specific health claim about a food has to be scientifically reviewed and approved, regardless of the term used (Health Claims Regulation, since 2007).
- Common forms: Superfoods are usually eaten whole, dried, as a powder, or as juice – depending on the nutrient and its bioavailability.
Description
Superfood usually refers to plant-based foods – fruit, vegetables, seeds, roots or grains – with a strikingly high content of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, or plant compounds. These substances play different roles in the body, for example as building blocks for metabolism or as antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals.
Here's what surprises many people: there's no official definition, not from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) nor from any other regulator. Any company can, in principle, call any food a superfood – the word itself doesn't require approval. Since 2007, however, the EU's Health Claims Regulation applies regardless of the term "superfood": any specific health-related claim about a food – like "boosts your immune system" – has to be scientifically reviewed and approved by the EFSA. In plain terms: if you attach a specific effect to a food – say, "strengthens your defenses" – you need to be able to back that up. Otherwise it's just empty marketing talk.
Another typical pattern in the superfood trend: exotic, imported foods often get more attention than local alternatives with a comparable nutrient profile. Blackcurrants, rosehips, or sea buckthorn, for instance, deliver about as much vitamin C as many imported berries – they just get less of the spotlight.
Historical background
The term "superfood" is older than most people think. According to language researchers, its earliest traces lead to a Canadian newspaper from 1949, where it appeared in connection with a muffin. Even before that, during the First World War, the United Fruit Company used a similar concept to boost sales of imported bananas – an early example of how closely the term has been tied to trade and advertising from the start.
Superfood only became a global mass phenomenon in the 1990s and 2000s. Açaí berries, chia seeds, and goji berries took over the shelves of Western supermarkets, often accompanied by stories about ancient healing cultures and mysterious places of origin. In 2007, the EU's Health Claims Regulation came into force, restricting unproven health claims on all foods – including those marketed as "superfoods". Even back then, the business behind it was already huge: in 2007, the global superfood market's annual revenue was projected to exceed one billion US dollars, fueled by online retail and the emerging supplement industry.
Well-known superfood examples
Chia, beetroot, goji – these three names probably come to mind first when you think of superfoods. Time for a closer look.
Chia seeds
You probably know these tiny black specks from chia pudding on Insta. Chia seeds come from the plant Salvia hispanica, a type of sage native to Mexico and Guatemala. The Maya and Aztecs already swore by them – the name "chia" comes from the Maya word for "strength". And they really do pack a nutritional punch: plenty of fiber, plant-based protein, and the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid. Fun fact: the EFSA only officially approved chia seeds as a novel food in 2013 – and recommends a maximum of 15 grams a day, since long-term studies on higher amounts are still missing.
Beetroot
Beetroot is a proper local vegetable – no import hype here, just the root that's been growing in grandma's garden for ages. Its strength: a high nitrate content, plus the pigments betanin and betaine that give it its deep red color. In the body, nitrate is converted through several steps into nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels. No wonder beetroot juice is so popular in endurance sports – studies suggest a link between nitrate content, blood flow, and endurance performance. That said, it's not fully proven yet.
Goji berries
Those little red berries you know from the cereal aisle originally come from the Ningxia region in China. Goji berries are the fruit of the common box thorn (Lycium barbarum), which has been cultivated there for centuries and still supplies most of the world's harvest today. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, they've been considered a tonic for centuries, and they genuinely deliver solid amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, and iron. But: when the EFSA reviewed the evidence, it found no proven health benefits. The nickname "queen of superfoods" is mostly marketing – even if the nutrient density is real.
Superfoods and the immune system
Few claims get attached to superfoods as often as "boosts your immune system". And yes, some superfoods really do provide vitamin C, zinc, or other plant compounds that your immune system can use – vitamin C, for example, found in rosehips, goji berries, and citrus fruits.
But let's be honest: no single food "boosts" your immune system at the push of a button, and none of them will protect you from your next cold. What's actually true: certain micronutrients help your immune system function normally – but only as part of an overall balanced diet. A single superfood doesn't make a healthy diet on its own.
Interesting facts
- From birdseed to trendy food: Chia seeds used to be sold mainly as bird feed – today they're marketed as an expensive superfood.
- A myth about living forever: Goji berries come with the unproven legend of Li Ching-Yuen, a Chinese man said to have lived to the age of 256 – a classic piece of superfood marketing lore.
- Clickbait isn't new: In the early 2010s, fake "news" sites flooded the US internet, claiming shocking weight-loss results from açaí berries – in reality, it was pure advertising dressed up as journalism. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took several of these sites to court, forcing them to stop the ads and go offline.
- Leaves count too: Moringa, made from the dried leaves of the moringa tree, is also frequently marketed as a plant-based superfood. Usually the leaves end up as a powder in smoothies or as a tea-style infusion – similar to green tea, but caffeine-free.
