Nowadays, more and more "superfoods" are appearing on the market, and their various miraculous effects dazzle us, leaving us at a loss on how to choose. But are these amazing fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs really that powerful? Can they truly cure all diseases as claimed? Let's unveil the mystery of these foods and see the truth hidden beneath!
Black Goji Berry vs. Red Goji Berry
According to reports, in 2008, agricultural and forestry workers in Golmud discovered wild black goji berries during an investigation. Tests showed that their medicinal value is much higher than that of ordinary goji berries, thus earning them the title of "soft gold." Many merchants also claim that black goji berries can lower blood pressure, lipids, and blood sugar, as well as fight fatigue, aging, and cancer. However, experts believe these claims are exaggerated.
Renwang Ciren, Executive Director of the Chinese Association of Ethnomedicine (Source: Health Times Network): In traditional Tibetan medicine, black goji berries are mainly used to treat diseases related to the three yin, and they can nourish qi and blood, but they are not considered a rare medicinal herb. Black and red goji berries only differ in color, and there is no significant difference in their efficacy.
Liu Chunsheng, a Chinese medicine identification expert at the School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (Source: Health Times Network): The main difference between black and red goji berries is proanthocyanidin, which has become the main marketing gimmick. Currently, there are no clinical trial data to prove that black goji berries can fight aging or prevent cancer; these claims are exaggerated. To supplement proanthocyanidins, you can choose common plants like purple sweet potatoes, blueberries, eggplants, grapes, and mulberries, which are much cheaper.
Kiwi vs. Chinese Gooseberry
Yu Liang, a member of the Beijing Nutritionists Association (Source: People's Health Channel): Chinese gooseberries and kiwis both belong to the genus Actinidia. Kiwi originated in China and was taken to New Zealand over 100 years ago, where it grew into a new variety.
Teacher Zhang from the Horticulture College, Shanxi Agricultural University (Source: Shanxi News Network): There is no difference in the nutritional value between kiwis and Chinese gooseberries. However, because kiwis are imported fruits, their price is higher than that of domestically grown Chinese gooseberries. A small reminder: whether it's a kiwi or a Chinese gooseberry, they taste better when they are soft.
Black Rice vs. White Rice
Black rice costs more than ten yuan per jin, three to four times the price of ordinary rice. Is black rice really worth the price?
Shi Jun, a member of the Science Squirrel Club and a Ph.D. in botany (Source: Guokr.com): The most fundamental difference between the two is that black rice contains anthocyanin, while white rice does not. The phosphorus (356mg/100g) and potassium (256mg/100g) content in black rice is higher than in ordinary rice (110mg and 103mg per 100g, respectively); the protein content in black rice (9.4g) is slightly higher than in ordinary rice (7.4g); however, the iron content in black rice (1.6mg) is lower than in ordinary rice (2.3mg).
Overall, rice mainly provides starch. Moreover, when we eat black rice, we usually eat it with the bran. If the bran is included, the nutritional components of black rice and white rice are almost the same.
Black Pork vs. White Pork
The money to buy one jin of black pork can buy five jin of ordinary pork. Yet, when ordinary pork becomes expensive, no one buys it, but the more expensive black pork gets, the more people buy it.
Song Chunyang, a professor at the College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University (Source: China Agricultural News Network): Black pork tastes better because of its high intramuscular fat content. The intramuscular fat content of ordinary pork on the market does not exceed 3%, while that of many black pigs can reach 4%-5%.
Qiao Shiyan, a professor at the College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University (Source: China Agricultural News Network): From a nutritional perspective, the difference in the content of various nutrients between black pork and white pork is extremely minimal and almost negligible. The reason for the high price is not only the better taste but also the long breeding cycle and high cost.
After these comparisons and expert opinions, you can see that novel and rare varieties are not necessarily better ingredients. So, when choosing, be sure to keep your eyes open!