Spirulina, Chlorella, Coconut oil, Cacao, Maca Root, Goji berries and Bee Pollen. Superfoods?

Options
Darton2010
Darton2010 Posts: 137 Member
edited December 2016 in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone,

Let me know if any of this stuff is great or over rated. Have you had luck with any of it?

How do you incorporate it into your diet?

Just figured I would ask before I waste my money on over rated products. Thanks

John

Spirulina, Chlorella, Coconut oil, Cacao, Maca Root, Goji berries, Bee Pollen, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with "Mother"
«1

Replies

  • Darton2010
    Darton2010 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Hype. Use your damn... food diary.

    Have you used them all?

  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    Options
    They aren't magic. What do you expect them to do? I've eaten cacao, goji berries, and coconut oil. I prefer my bee pollen to stay with the bees.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    examine.com is a really good resource to check out supplements. It's knowledge and research based - not based on trying to separate the naïve from their hard earned money.

    No I don't take any of those listed.
    My (unsolicited) advice would be to concentrate on an overall healthy diet and not rely on hyped miracle supplements.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    Options
    Hype.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    Options
    I've tried a few of them and yeah, hype.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
    Options
    I use local bee pollen - I find it helps with allergies. Might be a placebo effect. Doesn't do anything for weight loss though.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
    Options
    I had to throw a trail mix out a while ago because it had goji berries in it that tasted horrid. I remember not liking them particularly the first time I tried them, but this time they were inedible. I find it hard to believe I can't get the nutrients I need eating food I like.

    I used coconut oil to cook with for a short period of time till I did some reading. We use it on occasion here now in certain dishes, but because of its flavour not any super powers.

    My husband took bee pollen back when I first met him in 1978. Disgusting stuff. I'm surprised it's still a thing.

    Nothing wrong with looking around and experimenting a bit as long as it doesn't distract you from a good overall diet.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    Options
    Darton2010 wrote: »
    Hey everyone,

    Let me know if any of this stuff is great or over rated. Have you had luck with any of it?

    How do you incorporate it into your diet?

    Just figured I would ask before I waste my money on over rated products. Thanks

    John

    Spirulina, Chlorella, Coconut oil, Cacao, Maca Root, Goji berries, Bee Pollen, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with "Mother"

    I hesitate to respond to this post, since I'm sure there are many people much smarter than me who will jump in to disagree. :)

    With that said, I typically take the following daily: Cod Liver Oil for Omega 3 to aid heart/brain health, and Spirulina /Chorella for chlorophyll to help maintain cell membranes (if memory serves me, I think chlorophyll helps cells maintain elasticity as we age).

    In answer to your question: Do I feel a big difference from these? No. Do I think they are providing some health benefit? Yes, or I wouldn't buy them. ;)

    I also include coconut oil and/or cacao occasionally, (cause I enjoy eating both) but I really rely on Epsom Salt baths to provide me with magnesium. I definitely feel relief in my leg muscles after a 15-20 minute Epsom Salt soak. I typically do this after my long runs on weekends.

    Summary: My goal is to try to eat a high quality diet that and provides lots of energy, so I can continue to be very active as I age. (I'm 59). I don't believe the items I mentioned will provide any SUPERFOOD benefit to me in losing fat or gaining muscle. That is not my intent in taking them. I do believe that they can be helpful as part of my long term effort to eat a diet that provides me with the best health possible as I age.

  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    Options
    Just for kicks, I followed an earlier poster's suggestion above and went to examine.com to refresh my fuzzy memory . Here's an interesting editors note regarding Spirulina:

    Editors' Thoughts on Spirulina
    C-Phycocyanin; the molecule that pinpoints NADPH oxidase as central to disease processes and its inhibition now therapeutic.
    I really did not see this coming, I though Spirulina would have just been some hippy thing to consume for the B12 that is kinda healthy (like Chlorella turned out to be) but then C-Phycocyanin showed up and rocked my world.
    I love this compound.
    And yes, there is a study saying this can reduce arsenic buildup in the body. Guess what compound actually has evidence for detoxification rather than just being needlessly said to 'detoxify'? This guy.

    Kurtis Frank
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Options
    Cacao: I buy it because I really like the taste of it. I don't consider it to be any more nutritionally effective than cocoa powder, a food that we already know to be rich in vitamins and antioxidants. I like it in smoothies and mixed with mashed sweet potatoes.

    Maca root: I put this in smoothies sometimes -- it has some vitamins and fiber and it adds a malty taste that I really enjoy.

    Coconut oil: I love the taste and texture of coconut oil. It's amazing to saute vegetables or for desserts.

    I don't really pay much attention to whether or not something is a superfood, but I enjoy these foods enough to make them worth it for me. My diet is varied enough in vitamin-rich foods that I wouldn't even begin to know if these specific foods "made a difference" for me. I'm usually eating different foods everyday, so I would just have to go by how I felt the day after and that doesn't seem like a very rational way to determine if they have an actual benefit.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,619 Member
    Options
    Darton2010 wrote: »
    Hey everyone,

    Let me know if any of this stuff is great or over rated. Have you had luck with any of it?

    How do you incorporate it into your diet?

    Just figured I would ask before I waste my money on over rated products. Thanks

    John

    Spirulina, Chlorella, Coconut oil, Cacao, Maca Root, Goji berries, Bee Pollen, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with "Mother"
    Didn't you just make a thread about "man made" supplements and cancer risk? You're NOT going to get any of these without them coming out of bottle and to get the natural form of them, you'd be eating some pretty distasteful stuff.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
    edited December 2016
    Options
    "Superfoods" is just good, clever marketing. That's not to say that there aren't good nutritional properties in these things...but "superfood" is just marketing.

    I use coconut oil regularly as I enjoy the flavor...I also use olive oil, avocado oil, and butter a lot as well. Ironically, not so long ago, coconut oil was one of the greatest dietary demons on the planet...so much so that movie theaters were required to stop using it for their popcorn...now it's a "superfood"...go figure.

    I eat a pretty healthy and varied diet...it would be impossible to say if any "superfood" made any difference whatsoever...while I don't consume much of which is on your list, I do consume many other "superfoods"...like avocados, blueberries, etc...I consume them because I like them, not because I'm convinced that they have super powers.
  • Darton2010
    Darton2010 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Darton2010 wrote: »
    Hey everyone,

    Let me know if any of this stuff is great or over rated. Have you had luck with any of it?

    How do you incorporate it into your diet?

    Just figured I would ask before I waste my money on over rated products. Thanks

    John

    Spirulina, Chlorella, Coconut oil, Cacao, Maca Root, Goji berries, Bee Pollen, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with "Mother"
    Didn't you just make a thread about "man made" supplements and cancer risk? You're NOT going to get any of these without them coming out of bottle and to get the natural form of them, you'd be eating some pretty distasteful stuff.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    Yes I did but on this one asked about the ingredients listed above, if you have experience with any let me know. Thanks

  • Darton2010
    Darton2010 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    And thanks for the replies, I just wanted to throw the definition of super food out.

    A superfood can essentially be classified as any food item that contains an extremely dense concentration of vital nutrients, vitamins and/or minerals, as well as antioxidants, good fats, healthy enzymes, or other healthy properties that help to treat, lower the risk of or prevent specific diseases and maladies.

    I'm mainly after foods that are dense Nutrients, Vitamins ext ext. I don't expect anything to be used as a medicine or be life changing, just adding to the diet. Please don't get hung up on the commercial term "Superfood"
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    Options
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    I can't believe no one posted this yet http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/superfoods/

    ^ Exactly.

Categories