Superfoods

"John27onthefarm" suggested via email that I should grow moringa as a cash crop to support my farm. Thanks for the suggestion, but no thank you just the same. I'm always open to kind suggestions, but please don't think I'm a jerk by declining the suggestion. My thoughts on this.............

It always amazes me that people are quick to jump on the next superfood being discovered. Perhaps it's because I'm not a fad oriented person, but I can't help but be leary of the fantastic claims I see. And for some reason (by the way, I think it's really sweet)  my blog readers feel the need to alert me to the latest food that will improve my health, extend my life, cure my aches, fight disease, increase my energy, clean out toxins hiding in my body, cure cancer, lower my cholesterol, lose weight, .....and lastly, improve my sex life. Yeah, it's the sex life thing that's always the clincher!    ;)    A few blog followers suggest that I should quick grow some of them as a business venture. Sorry, but I just can't bring myself to sell snake oil. Not that all fad foods are frauds, but far too many have questionable claims and merit. 

I can't recall which order they came in, but do you remember when these foods were being hyped?

...blue green algae powder

...mega vitamin C

...apple cider vinegar

...green coffee beans

...goji berries

...acai berries

...yogurt

...oatmeal

...hemp seeds

...chia seeds

...wheat grass juice

...pomegranate

...noni

...cacao nibs

...bee pollen

...lions mane mushrooms

...avocados

...broccoli

...wheat germ

...apricot kernels 

...turmeric

...ginseng 

...soy

...beans 

...mangosteen

...seaweed

...maca powder

...kefir

...nutritional yeast

...black garlic

Nowadays it's......

...green tea

...kombucha

...kale

...dark chocolate

...wild salmon

...spirulina

...blueberries

...moringa

...coconut oil

...quinoa

I've learned that food fads come and go. Some items in the list actually have merit to one degree or another, while others have proven to have been 100% commercial hype. Getting past the hype, at least most of the foods are just fine, as long as one doesn't expect miracles to happen. 

(Above, even if the health food claims are wrong, at least coconut oil makes veggies taste great.)

Many decades ago I use to collect old patent medicine bottles. Dr. Daniels were my favorites because they were aimed at veterinary medicine. I loved the descriptions on the labels....guaranteed to be good for sprains, weak kidneys, sleeplessness, liver spots, consumption, and of course, "female problems". I guess life hasn't changed much from back in those days. People still want to buy "magic pills". 

Back to John27onthefarm's suggestion. I do plan to grow a bit of moringa and try it for my own use. I'm willing to add locally grown foods to my diet. And the livestock might like it. So I will start out with one or two trees and go from there.