The contradictions of a superfood consumerism in a postfeminist, neoliberal world

ABSTRACT

This article examines the rise in the consumption of superfoods as a normative food trend among affluent groups in the global North that has embedded itself in Western food culture. It is argued that superfoods are a marker of idealized identity that is mobilized using neoliberal, postfeminist, and food justice discourses. The article examines the visual and textual framings of these products as they are implicitly and explicitly taken up on social media. In particular, it examines the material and ideological outcomes of tensions between the binaries of plenty and constraint, “clean” and “dirty” foods, and individual identity and conformity as they are expressed in the visual and textual discourse surrounding foods like goji berries, chia seeds, maca powder, and hemp. Also examined are the effects of a kind of body entrepreneurism that is encouraged by these discourses, which further pathologizes non-conforming bodies and produces, on the part of the consumer, corporal anxiety and a pained relationship with food.

KEYWORDS:

• Superfood
• postfeminist
• neoliberalism
• food ethics
• body
• identity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The use of a Foucauldian lens, while signposted here, is not employed in this analysis although future studies should do so.

2. One of the central problems with a study like this is the lack of empirical studies on superfood consumption habits. Those that do exist tend to come from industry rather than public health or nutritional science groups.

3. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/020331905,00.html#superfoods-for-superwomen-0.

4. https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/11-superfoods-that-stand-the-test-of-time/

https://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/surprising-super-foods/

https://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/fall-superfoods/.

5. http://naturallysassy.co.uk/recipes/superfood-gluten-free-qunioa-bread/.

6. These meetups were located from the popular meetup.com online service. Others were found through links emanating from superfood blogs and magazine articles.

7. https://www.reddit.com/r/superfoods/new/.

8. https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/diets/clean-eating/.

9. https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-diet/the-10-healthiest-foods-of-the-year-top-superfoods.

10. For a more fulsome discussion of the constructed differences between men and women in terms of their motivations around diet and food choice (particularly with respect to masculinity, strength, and power) see Kiefer, Rathmanner, and Kunze (2005) and Beardsworth et al. (2002).

11. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-27983/how-these-12-fitness-instructors-indulge-during-the-holiday-season.html.

12. https://yoursuperfoods.eu/pages/about-us.

13. https://www.canyonranch.com/blog/nutrition/12-recipes-that-support-detoxification/

https://www.canyonranch.com/blog/nutrition/brain-superfoods/.

14. https://www.canyonranch.com/tucson/overview/dining/.

15. https://www.self.com/gallery/20-superfoods-slideshow.

16. https://www.superfoodacademy.com.

17. https://www.meetup.com/boulderrawsuperfoodies/.

18. https://essentiallivingfoods.com/pages/about-us.

19. http://superfoodista.com

http://www.juliemorris.net.

20. http://www.foodista.com/ifbc2014/2014/08/29/cooking-with-superfood-qia-from-natures-path.

21. https://www.bodychef.com/diet-plans/superfood-diet/; according to Packaged Facts, a market research publisher, healthy meal kit delivery services generated $1.5 billion in 2016 (Cole 2017).

22. https://www.daily-harvest.com.

23. Goop.com.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tina Sikka

Tina Sikka is a Lecturer in Media, Culture and Heritage in the School of Arts and Cultures at Newcastle University in the UK. Her current research interests include feminist science studies, food and culture, and climate change.