Super food or Superstition

Have you ever been shopping or scrolling through the internet and seen the word ‘superfoods?’ Do you know what this means?

‘Superfoods’ is a term that is frequently used in social media and in marketing to describe a food that contains beneficial nutrients that may help human health, however many of these ‘superfoods’ do not have robust scientific evidence to support these claims. Influencers on social media often use the term ‘superfoods’ to promote products on Instagram or Facebook, however, the average consumer would not be equipped to identify which ‘superfood’ claims are real. This results in consumers purchasing foods that they hope will improve their health. Our research has now looked at the nature and accuracy of superfood claims on the most common social media platforms (Google, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram), and had these claims assessed by a panel of experts. By determining how accurate these superfood claims are to the public, we can start to identify which areas require additional work to inform consumers so they can make the healthiest choice.

This program is for Teens and Adults