The Public’s Understanding of Superfoods

Kirsch, Fabian; Lohmann, Mark; Böl, Gaby‐Fleur

doi:10.3390/su14073916

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Higher income is further assumed to correlate with a higher average age of avocado consumers. Although studies on superfoods have found that consumption and positive attitudes towards such products tend to be associated with a younger age ( 18 , 107 ), these samples were older overall, whereas respondents in the present study were relatively young. An interesting finding, however, is that a large proportion of avocado consumers are located in urban regions.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 81%

Sustainable choices of plant-based (‘super’) foods: examining the consumption patterns of German consumers on avocados

Ohlau,

Huning,

Spiller

2023

Front. Nutr.

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This paper aims to better understand consumer awareness of the environmental impact of plant-based (‘super’-) foods, using avocados as an example. Since all food production impacts the environment, both meat-based and plant-based, there is scope for more sustainable food choices. Avocados have positive health properties while being considered critically for the potential negative environmental impact of their production. This study examines the avocado consumption behaviour of German consumers and the extent to which knowledge and dietary patterns are related to this. Data from 373 respondents from Germany were collected through an online consumer survey. Bivariate comparisons for avocado consumption and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore avocado consumption behaviour. The frequency of avocado consumption among respondents was moderate, averaging once per month. Avocado consumption was related to a flexitarian diet, older age and higher income, and urban dwellers. Knowledge of the environmental impacts of avocado cultivation had no influence. Respondents’ self-assessed knowledge about avocados was low. To help consumers in making conscious, sustainable choices for plant-based foods, it is necessary to provide accessible and comparable information on the environmental impact of food products. However, further life cycle assessments on avocado production are clearly needed in order to produce valid information material. A flexitarian diet with reduced consumption of animal foods is an important prerequisite for environmental sustainability. Drawing attention to environmentally friendly plant-based food choices for flexitarian consumers could further encourage them to become food innovators for a healthy planet by reducing climate impact, land use, and energy and water consumption.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 81%

Sustainable choices of plant-based (‘super’) foods: examining the consumption patterns of German consumers on avocados

Ohlau,

Huning,

Spiller

2023

Front. Nutr.

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“…The term is commonly used in informal communication, on social media and by popular influencers, which increases the popularity of a wide variety of foods [4]. Although the scientific literature endorses the health benefits of 'superfoods', other considerations must be contemplated, such as the factors that influence the chemical composition of foods and the potential health risks of consumption of some 'superfoods' [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The classification of foodstuffs in the category of 'superfoods' could affect the demand, the consumption and the attitudes of consumers towards them; many studies related to these effects can be found [2,3,5,9]. Moreover, a great attention has been paid in recent years to the new digital sources that people use for getting information about health, nutrition and food [8,[10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Superfoods’: Reliability of the Information for Consumers Available on the Web

Cobos

Dı́az

2023

Foods

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The term ‘superfoods’, used frequently with marketing purposes, is usually associated with foodstuffs with beneficial health properties. ‘Superfoods’ appears in many information sources, including digital media. The information they provide is easily accessible for consumers through Internet search engines. The objective of this work is to investigate the data that web pages offer to consumers and their accuracy according to current scientific knowledge. The two main search engines were utilized for English language websites search, introducing the term ‘superfoods’. In total, 124 search results were found. After applying the selection criteria, 45 web pages were studied. A total of 136 foods were considered as ‘superfoods’ by sites; 10 of them (kale, spinach, salmon, blueberries, avocado, chia, walnuts, beans, fermented milks and garlic) were mentioned on at least 15 sites. Nutritional and healthy properties displayed on sites were compared to scientific information. In conclusion, websites present the information in a very simplified manner and it is generally not wrong. However, they should offer to consumers comprehensible information without raising false expectations regarding health benefits. In any case, ‘superfoods’ consumption can have salutary effects as part of a balanced diet.

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“…With the emergence of many oxidative diseases, a lot of the so-called 'superfoods' have also been emerging [24]. Although there is no clear scientific basis, superfoods are foods that are considered superior owing to their bioactive properties [25]. One such superfood is barley.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of the contents of total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and flavonoid derivatives in unfermented and fermented barley sprouts

Uy,

Lee,

Byun

et al. 2023

JABC

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Barley (Hordeum vulgare) belongs to the Poaceae family. This study compared the polyphenol and flavonoid levels of unfermented and fermented barley sprouts using spectrophotometric assays. The findings indicated that fermentation greatly boosted the flavonoid content but caused only a slight increase in the polyphenol content. However, this does not imply that fermentation has no effects whatsoever on the polyphenol content of barley sprouts. This was due to the fact that some flavonoids cannot be detected by the wavelength used to calculate the overall polyphenol concentration. Both samples were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis and detected the flavonoids lutonarin, saponarin, isoorientin, isovitexin, and tricin-all of which have bioactive properties-most notably known for their antioxidant activity. These results augment the ongoing phytochemical profiling research and can possibly valorize the already thriving barley industry.

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The Public’s Understanding of Superfoods

Cited by 7 publications

References 35 publications

Sustainable choices of plant-based (‘super’) foods: examining the consumption patterns of German consumers on avocados

Sustainable choices of plant-based (‘super’) foods: examining the consumption patterns of German consumers on avocados

‘Superfoods’: Reliability of the Information for Consumers Available on the Web

Comparison of the contents of total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and flavonoid derivatives in unfermented and fermented barley sprouts

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