superfood

Everyday

1. A superfood is a food that people say is extra healthy because it has lots of vitamins, minerals or other good things in it, like blueberries, kale or salmon. tree →
2. It is mostly a word used in adverts and magazines, not a scientific term. tree →

In the lessons

In health and food lessons, the word helps pupils learn that many fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish are very good for you, but no single food can keep you healthy on its own; a balanced diet matters most. In media lessons it is a good example of marketing words that make food sound magical so it sells for more. Phrases: «so-called superfood», «superfood smoothie».

Examples

• Mum says blueberries are a superfood. tree →
• The café sells a green superfood smoothie. tree →
• Our teacher said there's no magic superfood; you need a mix of foods. tree →
• Kale was called a superfood in the magazine. tree →
• The advert claimed the seeds were a superfood that would make you clever. tree →
• Salmon is often called a superfood because of its healthy oils. tree →
• We made posters about real healthy eating, not just superfoods. tree →

Note

Countable noun: one superfood, many superfoods. Myth trap: calling something a superfood does not prove it is better than ordinary vegetables; it is a selling word. Written as one word.