“Superalions”: a useful qualifier or a simple marketing strategy?

Bilberry, raw cocoa, lawyer, beet, salmon, chia seeds … However, The world’s size of “supervision” reached 213 billion euros in 2025 with an estimated growth at 386 billion in 2033. Similarly, Convinced that health goes first by the plate, 62% of world consumers are looking for rich and functional food products. Therefore, But, what about these supermarkets?

The fuzzy attributes of a “superfood” – "superalions": useful qualifier simple marketing

Despite the omnipresence of the term ‘superality “in the media, there is no official or legal definition of a superfood.

L’Oxford English Dictionary. for example, defines a superfood as “A food rich in nutrients, considered to be particularly beneficial in “superalions”: useful qualifier simple marketing terms of health and well-being”, while the American dictionary Merriam-Webster describes it more simply as “A highly nutritious food, containing a large amount of vitamins, minerals, fibers, antioxidants, and/or phytonutrients”

According to Cancer Research UK, “The term super-food is only a marketing tool with little scientific basis”.

Indeed. Moreover, several parameters make it possible to doubt the scientific validity of studies having highlighted that this or that food had beneficial effects higher than those of other foods.

The scientific results of studies relating to these potential “superfoods” can be called into question because:

• The high levels of nutrients studied are not compatible with a normal diet. Consequently,
• The beneficial effects are observed over short periods;
• Studies are mainly carried out on animal models or human cells in vitro;
• The results are difficult to apply to real diets where the interaction between the nutrients of a food bowl “superalions”: useful qualifier simple marketing plays a crucial role. However,

As the European Food Information Information Council points out: “Research concerning the effects on humans is complex to conduct: diets. Similarly, genes and lifestyles vary from person to person, It is therefore difficult to study the effects of healthy nutrients. Similarly, Ideally. In addition, intervention studies should be combined (during which researchers vary the diet to determine the effects of food or nutrient) and observational studies (researchers observe the effects of natural differences between the food diets of individuals) ”.

Some examples of “superality”

We distinguish in the market of supervision the superfruits (bluets. açai bays, goji), the superseeds et supergrains (Chia seeds, flax seeds and quinoa), edible algae (Karlovy Vary, Spiruline), Matcha Powder.

This term of super-fruits is used commercially for the first time in 2004 in the United States. It has no official definition “superalions”: useful qualifier simple marketing and is used as a marketing term by manufacturers. Fruits including a high content of vitamins and minerals, or even antioxidant can be classified as super-fruits.

Used in full. as juice or integrated into energy drinks or food supplements, The superfruits were in 2008 in the world’s top 10 in terms of consumer product.

This market. carried in particular for example by the cranberries, the bays of Goji or the bays of Açai, experienced a drop in 2013 with fewer new products and more skeptical consumers on their health impacts And also, more and more reluctant in the face of their high prices.

Consumers who doubt all

Several constraints exist on the market “superfoods”. Let us cite first the high cost of these productsand especially when the supervisors are integrated (in small quantities). in preparations such as “superalions”: useful qualifier simple marketing smoothies. This is how one in two consumer considers that superalions are expensive compared to other conventional products.

Other risk: a significant lack of standardization in the product manufacturing chain. Indeed, one of two supra -trees lacks recognized quality certification. In this context, many suppliers have non -transparent supply chains (harvest, storage, transport).

Another lack of confidence expressed by consumers: The growing questioning of the authenticity of health allegations. Nutritionists are increasingly contacted by consumers who require details and doubt health allegations disseminated by brands. These questions are also lively since the media coverage of new “supervisors” in the press. on social networks is permanent. In recent months. the beautiful part has been given to the Skyr, the Sea Moss (white Goémon), the Ube (a variety of sweet potatoes) or even a ppker, a fire vegetable.

Let us thus retain these recommendations from the European Food Information Council: “To ensure “superalions”: useful qualifier simple marketing balanced consumption of nutrients necessary for good health. it is more effective to diversify the foods of our diet than to focus on a few so -called “great” foods. This implies in particular the consumption of a larger quantity and a greater variety of fruits and vegetables. To help us achieve this goal, many European countries have also published nutritional recommendations. ”

Sources