Apparently, the latest “it” food is Irish Sea Moss. But not the kind traditionally harvested along the Atlantic coasts of America and Europe, which is used to make soups, custards and ice creams. Today’s version is manufactured into highly profitable tinctures, supplements, gummies and even “skin smoothies,” sporting incredible health claims and endorsed by multiple celebrities.
An article examining this latest trend(1) got me thinking about all the food fads and trends lobbed at us. Do they deserve more caution–and even skepticism–on our part?
Of course, if you live by the Atlantic coast and can buy real Irish sea moss then it could be good to include in your diet. Just like every other real, whole food from the earth, it supplies vital nutrients. That’s not anything unusual, though. That’s what all real whole foods do!
Meal Making Transformation Key to becoming a healthy eater is a clear-eyed understanding of what healthy eating looks like. That understanding gets tested all the time by food marketing campaigns that keep us darting here and there, chasing this fad or that trend.
Food Anxiety The long-term effect of this kind of marketing is food anxiety. It never feels like we’re doing enough so it’s hard to just relax and enjoy a simple meal of real, whole foods. Of course that’s the point of marketing, i.e., to trick our brains into fabricating a need or want that will drive us to buy a product we probably don’t need.
Hence, Commandment #1 for Healthy Eaters Be smarter than the clever kids in the marketing department.
Their job isn’t to mind your health. Their job is to please the boss, which means coming up with ideas to sell a lot of product and make the company a lot of money.
Red Flags If you see any of these red flags, run the other way:
- If a real, whole food has been morphed into high-profit-generating pills, powders, gummies, etc.
- If a product has been endorsed by a celebrity or produced by a celebrity’s company
- If a product’s benefit-listing is too amazing, suspiciously broad and/or hits all the common buzzwords: “supports immunity,” “reduces body fat,” “improves gut health,” “clears skin,” “detoxifies the body.” (There is another easier and cheaper way to obtain these amazing benefits. It’s called a steady diet of real whole foods, especially vegetables!)
Magic Foods Despite the claims of food marketers, there are no magic foods, pills, etc. Our bodies are exquisitely complex and amazing creations. They require a lot more than a single sea moss supplement, or kombucha, or acai berries or jack fruit or any one of the many other food fads du jour.
Our bodies need–and thrive best–on the widest array of real, whole foods we can give them. Stay steady, don’t let ads make you anxious or get distracted from that simple prescription, and please do enjoy a rich and varied diet filled with nuts, grains, vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs, meats and legumes. That is enough!
(1) “Sea Moss Is the Hot New Wellness Ingredient. Does It Live Up to the Hype?” Rina Raphael. The Wall Street Journal. March 13, 2023. p. R7