If you peek into any of the specialty coffee and tea establishments that, for a few years now, have been everywhere in any city you go, you’ll discover that a large portion of the clientele has a matcha in hand. This green drink is much more than a pretty photo on Instagram. It constitutes one of the most widespread superfoods and has become the symbol of a new way of taking care of yourself.
The pursuit of well-being, the desire for steady energy, performing in sport without exhausting ourselves, or seeing a brighter complexion in the mirror are at the origin of this trend of consuming superfoods on a daily basis. “When we eat better, our body responds quickly and it shows in everything: energy, sleep, digestion… Also, of course, in the skin,” says Sandra Chikhani, nutritionist and Global Health Coach at KO Urban Detox Center. She works with young women, athletes and people seeking balance in moments of stress or heavy wear.
For Chikhani, these nutrient-dense foods “are an easy way to give the body what it needs, without complicating things or feeling that we have to follow a strict diet.” The matcha, for example, provides energy without anxiety and helps to concentrate, something especially useful on long days in front of the computer. “It should be prepared at between 70 and 90 degrees to preserve its antioxidants,” explains nutritionist Paula Valiente, one of the professionals who checks this daily habit change in her consultations.
Besides matcha, another one given “superpowers” is pure cocoa, which is considered almost therapeutic: it lifts mood, relaxes the mind, provides minerals and leaves that little sense of well-being hard to describe. Turmeric is also there, which is the anti-inflammatory ally for those who train hard or need to de-bloat. Maca provides sustained energy, the kind that does not spike and crash like a sugar rush; oats and sweet potato (or yam) stabilize glucose and with it mood and mental clarity; and the good fats present in nuts, avocado, seeds or extra-virgin olive oil smooth the skin from within and are key to balancing hormones. Its popularity is aided by the fact that they are versatile and easy to incorporate into real food, without giving up eating in a tasty and healthy way.
The Dark Side of Superfoods
But not everything is virtue and here is the part that isn’t always told. Dr. Jorge Dotto, an expert in genetics and personalized nutrition, sums it up in a sentence that debunks myths: “It’s not the food: it’s how your body processes it.” In other words, not all bodies function in the same way. Many people, without knowing it, have genetic variants that make it difficult for them to process histamine-rich foods, such as kefir, kombucha, tomato or even cacao.
And this doesn’t mean they are “bad” foods, but that their bodies do not assimilate them well and, what for some is vitality, for others can be fatigue, acidity or bloating. Dotto insists on looking beyond the trend: “Personalized nutrition will be the foundation of wellbeing in the coming years.”
The personal trainer Crys Díaz checks this daily. She knows that nutrition is involved in more than we think: performance, mood, even the texture of the skin. “If you feel tired, you lack energy or your skin looks dull, many times the problem is what you eat,” she notes. For her, superfoods are not a magical solution, but a way to place the body on your side. That said, she always reminds that there is no perfect diet for everyone.
“The best nutrition is the one that works for you,” she says, agreeing with Dr. Dotto. But she also acknowledges something that her athletes confirm daily: when they begin to include more antioxidants, high-quality proteins, and less sugar, the change is visible and tangible: “Performance increases, energy becomes more stable, and the skin reflects it,” she adds.
Nutritionist Paula Valiente explains a detail that is rarely mentioned and makes a difference: “Right after training, the body is more receptive and it is the best moment to give it protein, antioxidants and quality carbohydrates,” she says. It is a small, almost automatic gesture, but it impacts both muscle and skin. How is it noticeable? “Inflammation is reduced, you rest better,” and your skin wakes up calmer.
From there, the basics are what build real results: sleep well, eat dinner early, move a little after eating. These are quiet actions and very easy to carry out because they are part of our routine and, even though they do not shine on social media, they sustain everything else. The nutritionist recognizes that part of the superfoods boom is aesthetic: “They are appealing for those seeking to improve health, performance or image.” But there is also something deeper, as Sandra Chikhani states: “Women want to feel truly well. Not just look good.”
Miracles do not exist. And perhaps that is the key. Superfoods are not miraculous, as the experts say, but they are indeed a doorway to something much more important: the act of stopping for a moment to listen to ourselves, to notice how we feel when we eat something that truly nourishes us, to confirm that we sleep better, that we move a little more and that our skin looks less stressed.
The key is to know that incorporating them does not have to be a complex ritual nor a religion of supplements. Sometimes it is enough to swap coffee for matcha on a nerve-wracking day, add pure cacao when we need calm, or opt for healthy fats to give a rest to our hormonal system. They are small changes that, added to a healthy life, return to us a sense of control and relaxation often yearned for. And, above all, they help remind of something important that, as Jorge Dotto says, will be increasingly relevant: “Knowing yourself is the first step to taking better care of yourself.”
In the end it is about finding what works for each person, without comparing yourself to others. Each body has its needs and the same lifestyle does not meet them for everyone. It is about finding a balance that can be maintained over time and that is not just a passing situation, because it is in the medium term that you will see the real changes that superfoods bring to your skin and your body. You will no longer need anyone to tell you or promise you. You will prove it yourself, which is the truly valuable thing.
