VERY broadly speaking, we believe that Superfoods are foods that give more to the person consuming them than another food would for the same weight or volume - the thing the superfood gives could be a greater nutrient density, digestive support, a positive affect on the nervous system…. When I think of superfoods I’m looking for the affect it has on my experience of life.
Like any food, I believe that the power of superfoods is not a binary. Moving away from yes or no, good or bad because foods and us humans are all so different and unique.
People do love categories though, and categories can be useful for communication (Superfoods being the example here) but categories can also be limiting because of the massive variables within any given category and also the readers perception and experience of those categories.
Digestive capabilities and individual nutrient needs are two important variables that change depending on many factors such as season, age (season in life), training style, where you live, stress levels, happiness, etc and I find superfoods are a brilliant way to help balance or meet those variables.
Some people consider probiotic foods (Kombucha, Jun, Sauerkraut) superfoods because of the affect they may have on the digestive system, other people lean towards berries, cacao or greens because of their nutrient density, or like me, ancient mushrooms like Reishi (calming/immune support), Chaga Extract (immune/antioxidants) and Lions Mane (clarity, focus and digestion).
TIMING
Certain superfoods, may or may not be right for you right now but they might be later one…
Let me elaborate a little…
Acai is a beautiful berry that fits well within the category Superfood, but my personal experience is that it doesn’t particularly agree with my body - my skin gives me messages to avoid Acai. Reishi on the other hand is a dream like tea for my body at this time. Perhaps there are certain vitamins and minerals that my body is needing, perhaps its my nervous system enjoying the effects, or perhaps it’s a combination of un-categorizable benefits that I just accept and enjoy!
TUNING IN
By tuning in to the messages my body is giving me before, during, and after I eat a certain superfoods (any food for that matter) I can then enjoy them as part of an ongoing balancing act.
Having made a load of mistakes (that’s often how a lot of people come to be so fascinated by food) much of my philosophy on food selection now comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Balance and being in tune with the seasons - treating food like I do my wardrobe - when it's cooler outside I choose clothes more suitable to this climate - foods and teas can be enjoyed in the same way.
THE EXCITING OPPORTUNITY
To me the category superfoods means an exciting array of foods, a Smörgåsbord of colours, textures, tastes and nutrients that have huge potential for humans!
Get painting, and get excited to experiment with different paints (superfoods) and canvas(your body) is changing throughout your journey on this planet!
Rich and the Enrichd Team
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