Organic nutritional powders/superfoods for smoothies--worth it?

[Rasa]

I've recently been learning more about nutritional powders (usually sold as 'superfoods') and I'm wondering if they are a good nutritional investment for smoothies, etc. and whether they're a good traditional source of nutrition in their powdered form?

It started with lucuma, which I had in a dessert at a Peruvian restaurant and fell in love with the taste. I ran into an organic powdered version of it at my coop recently and next to it saw a bunch of other nutritional powders that I'm researching.

Specifically, (I've seen organic versions of these through Nativas Naturals and Nutsonline sells some non-branded ones): Camu, Chia (seeds/powder--really excited by these!), Yacon (excited by this as an occasional sweetener instead of raw honey), and then there's all the superberry type things like acai, goldenberry, goji.

I already use raw cacao in smoothies but like the idea of using these others to get berry flavors (wondering if they're nutritionally better or more varied, etc. than the frozen blueberries and raspberries in my freezer).

do any of you use these types of things/what do you think?

[deditus]

I try not to get sucked in by superfoods but I have to admit that I use them. My main objection is that we try to eat as local as possible and none of those things are local here.

I LOVE chia seed - I make pudding with it all the time and it is awesome in gluten/grain free baking. Camu, acerola, and goji are great for vitamin c. I think what they are marketing as goldenberry is just mulberry - which I don't know if they are native here but they are certainly naturalized so at least that could be grown locally. I enjoy chocolate flavors so I have some raw cocoa powder in my next Azure Standard order. I haven't tried the rest of them. So do I use them - yes. Do I think they are a great addition to a TF diet - not really. But I guess this would vary with what your goals are in eating TF - I can't deny they are nutrient dense items, but as I mentioned, TF to me means supporting my local food system as much as possible and there are local foods that are just as nutrient dense.

[Koalamom]

We use camu camu in place of vitamin C supplementing, but I do use other Vit C when I feel like I need even more. Still I am very picky about where I get it. Cheap camu camu is white an bitter and not as healthy.

Chia seeds are the best!! We use them all the time. Chia seeds are a TF to Apaches and my dh is native american. Very TF to him. I do try to rotate with other seeds and switch up with sunflower seeds and flax seeds. Pumpkin seeds for my dd and dh since I am allergic to them.

I do agree about eating local, but sometimes we need the other stuff. For local Vit C we use rose hipps.

[tngirl11]

I use Red Lightning in my smoothies. I'm not sure how effective it is, and I know we should try to get our nutrients mainly from the "real thing", but I honestly think it makes the smoothies taste really good! I get it half-price through my co-op, so that helps a lot. I use chia seeds too. I make chia gel sometimes and drink/eat it before I go workout.

[lindsayjean]

haha, I was reading Emily's post and thinking "hey, my friend Emily uses Chia seeds in her pudding" and then I realized it was her post HAHA. I like chia seeds, thanks to Em