Superfoods

Never before in history, nutrition has been so manifold - also in consequence of globalisation. It would, thus, be easy for us to eat healthy food. Many actually do, many don't. The gap between healthy food and junk food is getting impressive. At the same time, food is scrutinised more consciously and often made responsible for the various problems of our technical world - no glutene, no nuts, no animal protein, none of this, none of that... The lists grow progressively. Fashion trends boost the development - nutrition turns more and more into a part of a certain lifestyle.

Plants that are used in traditional medical or nutrition systems (such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Inka Foods) shift into the focus of public attention. Often real miracle effects are ascribed to these plants. Superfoods such as Goji, Moringa, Stevia or Chia are then suddenly flooding the shelves in the supermarket.

When the demand for a particular plant boosts in a short time, and when this plant was only locally traded before, this will not only boost the price, but also lead to shortages. When the corresponding plant is, in additiona, exotic, and the traditional, vernacular, names are ambiguous, this causes a situation fostering false declaration, surrogates, and even adulteration.

In a combination of microscopical diagnostics, carefully validated reference plants that are kept in our Botanical Garden, and molecular methodology we address some of these superfoods and not rarely reveal astonishing problems in commercial samples.