With health consciousness on the rise, "superfoods" have suddenly become a hot topic in Japan. The food section on the basement floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building offers a wide variety of superfood-based dishes, including prepared meals, bread, and sweets. What exactly are superfoods? We explore their appeal.

According to Ayumi Katsuyama, director of the Japan Superfood Association, "The concept of superfoods was popularized by doctors in the United States and Canada in the 1980s. In recent years, the concept of self-medication has taken hold worldwide, and health consciousness has increased, with people seeking to improve their health through food and avoid medical care. This has led to interest in nutritious superfoods. The influence of Hollywood celebrities like Madonna and Miranda Kerr also played a major role in creating this boom."

Superfoods are defined as "foods that are nutritionally balanced, have higher nutritional value than regular foods, or contain exceptionally high amounts of certain nutrients and health components." Recently, chia seeds, a plant in the mint family, have become a hot topic, and many people have likely heard of them. Other ingredients long loved by Japanese people, such as buckwheat, miso, and matcha, are also being recognized as "Japanese superfoods." These are highly regarded overseas, with matcha in particular experiencing a huge boom. Katsuyama recommends the superfoods spirulina and amaranth. Spirulina, characterized by its beautiful green color and seaweed-like flavor, contains over 50 health and nutritional components. One spoonful contains the protein of half a chicken egg, beta-carotene, and iron equivalent to 120 grams of green and yellow vegetables. Amaranth, a small grain, contains approximately twice the protein, 32 times the calcium, 12 times the magnesium and iron, and 15 times the dietary fiber of white rice. Its exceptional nutritional value has earned it the nickname "grain of the hermit."

Katsuyama says, "In addition to smoothies, spirulina is also delicious when mixed into dishes like tamagoyaki (rolled eggs) and miso soup. In Thailand, it's also used in coffee. Amaranth is actually a food ingredient that has been eaten in Japan for a long time, and it goes well with rice, pasta, and salads. Overseas, supermarkets, drugstores, and juice stands have a 'green' category, but it may not be as popular in Japan yet. Superfoods are highly nutritious in small amounts, so they are actually more cost-effective than vegetables. Small grains and powdered forms are easy to carry around and are easier to consume than vegetables, so I'm sure they will continue to become even more popular." Among the superfood foods featured at Isetan Shinjuku are Kakinan Dining's "Green Potato Salad with Spirulina and Avocado" (400 yen per 100 grams), Nadaman Kitchen's "Rice Eggplant with Cheese and Miso, Two-Color Dengaku (540 yen per piece)" made with Edo Sweet Miso and White Miso, and Dune L'Arte's Matcha Bread (1 piece), all of which are recommended by Katsuyama. In addition to these, there is a wide variety of other foods on display, including grilled rice balls, thick rolls, gyoza, spring rolls, and gelato. With your health in mind, why not try incorporating superfoods into your diet in a delicious way?