Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future

Review by Susan Schenck for Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future
Rating:
David Wolfe has lived up to his reputation as an encyclopedia of nutritional facts with his new book on superfoods.

Why superfoods? The rationale is that the soil, as my own raw food book points out, is vastly depleted of minerals. If you cling to your cooked ways, adding superfoods can bring a huge boost to your health. But even if you eat 100% raw organic, you could have mineral deficiencies (and minerals are more important than vitamins). Quite simply, these foods make for tasty and nutrient-dense treats. I have recently begun combining a raw food diet with calorie restriction for longer life. I view the superfoods as essential because the fewer calories we consume, the more nutritious they need to be. Why take dead vitamin pills when you can get more bioavailable nutrition from these enzyme-rich foods?

David presents what he considers the top 10 superfoods, and these are not your every day superfoods. I have a whole shelf dedicated to superfood books, and most authors list items such as wild salmon, pumpkins, blueberries, broccoli and kale. The exotic ones chosen by David include the illegal-to-grow here (hemp seed), the unheard of (marine phytoplankton), the foreign (maca) and the controversial (raw cacao). But as David says in the intro, “Our nutrition potential has finally caught up to our technology,” meaning that we now can learn about and import foods from virtually anywhere in the world.

Each chapter, featuring a different super food, includes a section on history, facts and legends of the food; benefits; what to look for (how to determine if the food is high quality); how to use the food, and recipes for the food. There are also great colored photos and boxes with tidbits of information.

The last chapter includes “honorable mentions” of 7 other superfoods that didn’t make the top ten, so the book really educates you about 17 great foods. The appendices provide detailed nutritional composition of the foods as well as scientific studies proving their superiority.

I congratulate David on his fine research. Even though I have a master’s degree in Chinese herbs, I was delighted to learn a few tidbits on goji berries that were new for me.

Warning: do not read this book if you are fasting. Like most people who have eaten raw for several years, I have outgrown the recipe phase and don’t do much raw gourmet food, eating more simply. But I have to admit my mouth was watering over several of these recipes and I just might make some, such as the “White Goddess Chocolate” and “Maca Vanilla Ice Cream.”

Review by Lisa Riley for Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future
Rating:
For the reader considering a dietetically healthier lifestyle, Wolfe’s “Superfoods” is an effective reference to some top ranking world foods. Although some of these such as the Maca root or Yacon may be previously unknown to the reader, Wolfe’s teaching creates a quick familiarity and understanding of these “superfoods”.

Goji berries, cacao, maca, bee products, spirulina, aloe vera, hempseed and coconuts all make the list accompanied by some honorable mention superfoods. Marine phytoplankton or Noni as dietary considerations may open new life options for the reader just embarking on creating a clarified diet and perhaps even a raw food lifestyle.

Wolfe’s delivery is conversational, even when including more technical aspects of the foods, which can serve as a great comfort to many readers approaching a dietary change.

Some tasty and nutrient-rich recipes are shared to help guide the reader unsure of how to bring these foods into their dietary regimen. A glossary of the recipes’ ingredients is helpful to understanding what part each plays nutritionally.

This writing is informative, instructive and supportive in considering the Superfoods available to all. This is a thoughtful compilation that will save reading and researching on the part of the reader for what foods to consider for prioritization in their personal dietary profiles.

Enjoyable and educational, “Superfoods” continues to exhibit Wolfe’s passion for nutrition and sharing raw food wisdom.