Super Food Or Super P#ony?

Get the 411 on the trendiest, most hashtaged foods and drinks. Are they worth the dough? Read on to find out.

- Matthew Kadey, MS, RD

Scrolling through your social media feed might tempt you to run out and drop some serious cash on mushroom coffee or an acai bowl, but what among the food porn is just eye candy and what is truly good for you? The trend cycle of healthy, wholesome foods and drinks is in constant flux, and it’s easy to get duped into buying an overhyped product whose only true power is draining your bank account. Still, hopping on board the trend train is a great way to add variety to your diet and keep healthy eating interesting and fun. Here, we separate the science from the sales pitch and reveal what is worth the splurge — and what isn’t — so you can put your money where your health is.

SPLURGE MATCHA

Matcha is essentially powdered tea leaves, and its popularity has been slowly picking up steam — with good reason. For starters, it contains a mother lode of antioxidants, including a next-level compound called ECGC, which may help ward off certain cancers and bolster bone strength. One study found that — since you’re consuming the entire tea leaf — matcha contains up to 137 times more antioxidant firepower than typical green tea.

Matcha has a bigger caffeine kick than black tea (but still less than coffee), and a study in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that the combination of ECGC and caffeine in matcha may amp fat burning during exercise. Plus, matcha’s smooth, grassy taste is strangely habit-forming. Just be cautious when ordering commercially made matcha lattes because many include hidden sugary ingredients, like flavored milks or syrups.

SKIP BONE BROTH