Experts debunk superfood myths and share key items you should include in diet
These trending brain superfoods have flooded the internet in popularity over the years which has led to people changing their diets and swearing by them - but are these herbal teas and fruits all they are cracked up to be?
Experts at Brainworks Neurotherapy and health service Nutrable have weighed in on supposed superfoods avocados, matcha tea and açaí and debunked the myths behind them. It comes as nutritious information has been spoiled by a growing number of social media users who have shared fake fads on platforms. Now, the team have debunked the myths behind avocados, matcha tea and açaí and has offered some cheaper alternatives to some of them.
Avocados are a popular hit online (Getty Images/TongRo Images RF)Avocados
Avocados have largely become a topic of conversation amongst the Gen Z demographic and have been incorporated into people’s daily diet. It has amassed around 9.2 billion views on TikTok - as users claim it can add to brain health, reports Daily Mail.
Nutritional therapist Caroline Hind, from Nutrable, said although avocados have health benefits, eating them isn’t "essential for brain health." She explained there are more common food items which have the same effect and said: "Eating a variety of nuts, seeds and green vegetables can meet the body’s vitamin E needs and also provide the brain-supporting B vitamins that are also found in avocado."
Matcha
Matcha tea includes an amino acid which helps relieve stress (Getty Images)You may have spotted Matcha on influencers’ profiles as they pose with the variant of grounded green tea. The term has 6.4 billion views on TikTok with people sharing their new-found recipes on the platform. Users have shared that it could have more health benefits than normal green tea because it contains L-theanine (an amino acid) which can help decrease stress and regulate sleeping patterns.
James Roy, of Brainworks Neurotherapy, admitted that L-theanine and caffeine in matcha have been proven to have a positive effect on the brain. However, he said that the difference isn’t largely noticeable. He said: "Regular green tea offers many of the same cognitive benefits due to its rich content of antioxidants, L-theanine, and caffeine, without the potential cost and preparation complexities associated with matcha."
Açaí
Social media users have been sharing their acai bowl recipes (Getty Images)Açaí has been viewed as a favourite due to its rumoured antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It has become a popular recipe with Açaí bowls where people share their videos of blended berries topped with nuts and Greek yoghurt. It has gathered around 2.2 billion views on TikTok as users claim the berries could boost memory and guard the brain from neurodegenerative diseases.
However, James Roy believes the rumours should be looked at with "caution" as there is "limited direct evidence" to support the claims. While Caroline Hind said the same benefits can be found with cheaper alternatives. She said: "When it comes to açaí, other darkly-coloured berries can provide similar brain-boosting benefits. Eating some blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and raspberries every day is a good strategy if these more exotic berries are not available."
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