Haskap: New superfood or unnecessary hype?

We are investigating the question of whether the haskap berry is a new superfood or is it just unnecessary hype. There are also domestic alternatives to the much advertised superfood.

Does the Haskap berry belong to the superfoods and is it actually good for a healthy diet? Or, like many other superfoods, is it just commercially motivated hype? The supposed miracle berry is blue like our domestic blueberries and has the shape of rose hips. It originally comes from Siberia, but was cultivated in Japan from the 13th century. It was there that it got its common name today. Translated, Haskap means “the berry of eternal life“.

Is Haskap Healthier Than Domestic Berries?

What is the difference between the Haskap and the blueberry we know? Apparently not too much. According to the consumer advice center, domestic have brain, bromine and blueberries same effect. So the thought arises that the term “superfood” is above all one thing and has one goal: advertising and profit.

In terms of taste, Haskap should be a hybrid of the native berry varieties. You can eat them raw or in the form of berry juice. You could try an alternative to the plum crumble cake with Haskap. From a culinary point of view, the little berry can definitely expand your menu.

But don’t expect miracles in relation to your health. The Haskap berry is no better or worse than our local berry varieties. Meanwhile, Haskap is getting loud Consumer advice center also grown in Germany.

The advertised effect

According to advertising, the diet with the Haskap berry is said to have numerous effects, which, according to the consumer advice center, are not proven. The berries contain so-called anthocyanins, which have an antioxidant effect. So you protect against free radicals and thus prevent diseases.

However, the scientific studies on this are loud Consumer advice center quite thin. Apart from that, the blue berries from the east are said to contain a lot of vitamin C and minerals as well as iron. According to advertising, by consuming the haskap berries you should be able to protect your cells and blood vessels, lower your blood pressure, prevent cardiovascular diseases and reduce the risk of cancer.

Sounds great? You already guessed it: the advertised effects have not been proven. Nice words about the miracle effects mostly come from the manufacturers themselves. In other words: The advertising deliberately exaggerates in order to boost sales. But that’s not to say that Haskap is ineffective. The berries are always healthy, but the hype seems to be exaggerated.

Superfood: An advertising machine

So-called Superfood has been on everyone’s lips for a number of years, and not just proverbially. The berries and seeds, mostly marketed as exotic and particularly healthy, entice with promises of optimizing oneself. For example, they are said to increase physical and mental performance, protect the heart and slow down aging (Federal Center for Nutrition 2021).

But that’s not necessarily true. According to research by Eco test these are often empty promises. The positive effects of the fruits and seeds advertised in this way are usually not independently proven. On the contrary, they can even be partially harmful to health and have a poor ecological balance.

The good reputation of superfoods goes back to massive marketing by interest groups and seems to be primarily economically motivated. Local berries have less of a lobby, but they clearly have one better ecological balance because these occur naturally in our latitudes. Other varieties must be imported either as a finished product or as a basis for re-cultivation. The corresponding delivery routes worsen the Life cycle assessment and personal Carbon footprint.

Ultimately, the hype about Haskap and the trendy superfood is generally exaggerated. For sustainable, healthy and balanced nutrition you shouldn’t let yourself be carried away by the ads. In the words of Kant: “Have the courage to use your own understanding”.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Superfood: is the kernel business just a hoax?
• Superfood list: these berries, fruits and powders have it all!
• These regional superfoods don’t cost you a penny