the latest superfoods list

Results of the 12th Annual "What's Trending in Nutrition" Survey, with 564 registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) responding.

Yet another superfood list just hit on social media, “Top 10 Superfoods for 2024.” If that’s not enough to get you excited, then perhaps the description that followed will be, “This year the following 10 foods were named the most worthy of superfood status, according to hundreds of nutritionists who participated in the ‘What’s Trending in Nutrition’ survey.” Christina sent me a link to this list a few days ago and, as soon as I read through the food on the list, I had a visceral response. The list was as follows:

1. Fermented Foods

2. Blueberries

3. Seeds

4. Avocado

5. Nuts

6. Green Tea

7. Pulses

8. Mushrooms

9. Ancient Grains

10. Salmon

What does superfood even mean?

To most of us consumers a superfood designation would suggest that it is a food so incredibly nourishing, in every sense of the word, that it dwarfs any other possible food option. And, for most of us, it logically follows that if eating some of it is beneficial then buying and eating a lot of it is somehow going to make us superhuman? That mentality is exactly what the modern industrial food system is counting on. 

The stark reality is that the term superfood is complete nonsense. There is absolutely no substance to the term and any recommendations stemming from it is certainly not anything we should rely on when making important dietary decisions. It is simply another marketing gimmick disguised as something that is supposed to empower us to make healthier decisions. We all know deep down inside that there is no magic bullet that is going to single handedly save us from the current health crisis we are facing.

Another disconnect with our diet

Our disconnect is essentially what perpetuates the system. What gives terms like “superfoods” credibility is the vast length of our current food chain which forces us to ask others what we should eat. The gaps in our understanding are readily filled by industrial food system marketing campaigns designed to make profits with complete disregard for our health. 

A quick internet search revealed that there are a ton of conflicting definitions for the term “superfood.” I have a very difficult time relying on an ambiguous definition to determine what I should eat when no one, not even the “experts,” can decide on a definition.

Dr. Schindler's Criteria for Superfood

Nevertheless, as a mental exercise, if I were to create a definition for anything remotely close to deserving a title like, “superfood” it would be a food that is simultaneously:

1. Nutrient dense,

2. Bioavailable, and,

3. Safe.

So what food is a superfood?

Using that criteria, the ONLY food on the original list of Top 10 Superfoods for 2024 that even remotely meets all three is the very last food mentioned, salmon. And, that is only if it is wild.

Otherwise, every other food fails to simultaneously meet all three criteria. Sure, there are a few foods on this list I think should be part of a nourishing diet including fermented foods, avocado and mushrooms. But, they fail to be nutrient dense enough to warrant a title of super food.

And, many of the other foods on the list including seeds, nuts, pulses and grains can be downright dangerous if eaten in large quantities, over a long period of time, and if they haven’t been processed properly. 

Dr. Bill's Eat Like a Human Top 5

Instead of this nonsense, we should be basing our diet on truly nutrient dense, bioavailable, safe foods. Here is my list of the top 5 foods that meet all three criteria (in no particular order) that are much more deserving of a superfood title. If, of course, I believed in that term…

1. Bone broth

2. Offal

3. Meat

4. Fat from animal sources (fermented butter, lard, tallow)

5. Fermented raw dairy (kefir, yogurt, traditional cheeses)

Check out how we make ALL these things at the Modern Stone Age Kitchen!