Superfoods: What the Word Means and Does Not Mean

The claim as marketed

"This superfood protects your heart, calms inflammation and keeps you young." Claims like this attach to berries, seeds, powders, roots and drinks. Evidence label for the word itself: marketing claim. The sections below separate the word from the research on individual foods.

What the sources say the word means

A 2018 systematic review of human intervention trials says that "superfoods" is a term introduced to describe foods with additional health benefits, and that no generally accepted definition exists. [1] A 2025 perspective article in a food chemistry journal describes superfood as a word in the American vernacular for mainstream foods perceived as healthy, and says there is no regulation and that the main source of information is the Internet. [2] That is the view of one author, not an agency. A 2021 marketing study in Germany describes superfoods as former traditional foods that in some cases are now regarded as new healthy luxury food products. [3]

We did not find an official U.S. definition of "superfood" in the FDA pages we read. The FDA does define which claims can appear on food labels: health claims, nutrient content claims and structure/function claims. [4] In the European Union, the Commission says claims on food labels and in advertising must be clear, accurate and based on scientific evidence, and that foods bearing claims that could mislead consumers are prohibited on the EU market. [5]

What research found for foods called superfoods

The 2018 review ran an Internet search to find foods described as superfoods, then looked for controlled human trials on metabolic syndrome measures (waist size or BMI, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose). [1]

This is a result for these foods and these outcomes. It does not say the foods are useless. It says the trials, as of 2017, did not show a consistent effect on those measures. Newer trials may exist, and each food's own guide describes what we found.

Why the word is hard to use

• No fixed list. The review had to build its own list from an Internet search. [1]
• Whole food versus powder. A trial of a powder, juice or extract is not a trial of the food. See Fruit Juice vs Whole Fruit.
• Single foods versus patterns. Official guidance talks about whole eating patterns. The WHO says a variety of minimally processed and unprocessed foods low in unhealthy fats, free sugars and sodium are the foundation of any healthy diet. [6]
• Headlines. One BMJ study found that 33% of the UK university press releases it examined contained exaggerated causal claims. [7] That study covered biomedical and health research in general, not only food.

What a reader can do

Check what was studied (the food or an extract), who was studied, what was measured, and whether the claim names a disease, which would be a drug-type claim on a U.S. label. [4] A pharmacist or dietitian can help with a specific food or medicine. Related: Food Claim Checks, Blueberries and Flaxseed vs Chia Seeds.