>> Dr. Terry Simpson: On today's episode, we're going to talk about

superfoods. Or are they really snake

oils? Or why your acai bowl won't

cure cancer? And also why you should maybe stop

listening to your friend who sells sea moss on

Instagram.

I'm Dr. Terry Simpson, your chief medical explanationist,

and this is for Q Fork

University, where we bust myths, make sense of the

madness, and teach you a little bit about food and

medicine.

Let's start with a harsh truth. The

term superfood means absolutely

nothing in science. It's a marketing term

born in the early 2000s, fueled by

desperate food companies and Gwyneth

Paltrow's glowing skin.

What gets labeled a superfood? Maybe a

study, maybe a molecule, maybe a press release.

And suddenly blueberries are the key to immortality.

And if you're not spooning chia seeds into your overnight

oats, you must want heart disease.

Now don't get me wrong, I love blueberries. I think

they're great. I do have chia seeds in my overnight

oats. And I love avocados. They're delicious,

but that doesn't make them magical.

And the superfood label is just a health

halo with a price tag.

Let's pick on turmeric for a m minute. People love

to say it cures inflammation. Many people

approach me on TikTok and say what should they do with turmeric?

Because they have inflammation. And there are thousands

of articles that cite curcumin, which is

turmeric's active compound, as anti

inflammatory. Here's the

Curcumin doesn't absorb well in your gut.

Your gut treats it like an uninvited guest. Clinical

trials mixed at best. Most are funded

by supplement companies with more turmeric to sell than

data to show. And now the part they

really don't put on the turmeric

has been linked to liver failure. There

are multiple case reports of turmeric induced

hepatitis in even otherwise healthy

individuals, especially when mixed with alcohol or

when taken in high dosed supplement form.

So if you think downing a turmeric shot after a night of

tequila will detox your liver fork, no.

That golden drink might actually damage it.

And in cases, it's even led to urgent liver

transplantation. So here's my Keep

your liver. It's the only one you've got. And turmeric will

not grow you another. And maybe be the designated

driver. I mean, it's time to grow up.

Let's talk about a couple of other darlings in the wellness world. Let's talk

about sea moss. People love it for thyroid

support, gut health and vibrations, whatever those

are. Sure, sea moss contains

iodine and some trace minerals, but take

too much and your thyroid's going to shut

down. There's nothing like hypothyroidism

leading to cardiac arrhythmias. And, you know, that's

kind of the opposite of good vibes. And then

there's RFK Jr. S favorite

raw milk, the new status symbol for

crunchy TikTok wellness warriors. Look,

I get the nostalgia, but, uh, this isn't

a return to tradition. It's a return to

listeria, salmonella, escherichia

coli, campylobacter, and tuberculosis.

You know, pasteurization wasn't invented to ruin

your rustic milk aesthetic. It was invented

to prevent deaths. Raw milk

causes miscarriages, sepsis, kidney failure,

and death in children. If you're

drinking unpasteurized milk because someone online says it

has more nutrient value or more enzyme, ask

them how many funerals those enzymes have been to.

And then pasteurize your milk. Because the truth of the

matter is there is no more nutrient value in

unpasteurized raw milk at all.

But there are bacteria. And I don't care how good the

farm looks until you can actually get a

microbiologist out there, your best

is pasteurization. You

know, here's the part where I sound boring, but actually

give some good advice. Like eat mostly

plants. Prioritize whole foods over ultra

processed. Use olive oil like an

Italian grandmother. Get your fiber if you need it from

powders, that's fine, but it's better from real food. And

supplements are okay, but legumes are better. And

don't fear carbs. Fear

nonsense. The Mediterranean diet remains the

most evidence backed dietary pattern on

the planet. Not because it has superfoods,

but because it has balance. Tomatoes, beans,

whole grains, fish, olive oil. Not

flashy, but dangerous. Deeply effective.

So you do not need powdered lion's mane from the

Himalayas. You need beans, lentils, chickpeas.

Foods that have been sustaining civilization longer than

those TikTok shirtless salesmen of supplements and

scams have existed. Let's talk

about lowering cholesterol.

Soluble fiber from beans beats red

yeast rice any day. And

statins beat both of them. What about

magnesium for blood pressure? It turns out that a cup of

legumes, which is like beans, chickpeas,

gives you a hefty magnesium dose, plus protein,

plus fiber and no mystery additives. And

if your body has enough magnesium, food

doesn't cause it to take more and give you the well

I need to go to the bathroom for this. And while

vitamins might fill gaps, and vitamins are very important

for people who are on GLP1 drugs. People who've had weight

loss surgery, people who are pregnant are going to become pregnant. Or

people on weird diets. Food gives you

synergy, nutrients, working together like a jazz band,

not like a solo act. So supplements have their

place. But if you're skipping legumes and swallowing

capsules, you're missing the point.

Here's a few other little tricks. Bone broth. It's not

magical. It's a decent source of collagen. But it

will not erase wrinkles. It will not

seal up your gut. It will not fix leaky

gut. Goji berries. Overhyped,

expensive raisins with a press agent. Acai

bowls. Basically, it's sorbet with

granola. Raw milk. Again,

bacteria are not your friends. Beets for

nitric oxide or beetroot powder.

It's been helpful for elite athletes, but not your

average couch potato. Matcha,

Huberman's current favorite. Yep, it contains

antioxidant. But if you're chasing youths, wear

sunscreen. And you know what? Black tea works

just as well. So superfoods are great

clickbait. But real health isn't

about one food, one supplement,

one ground up beef heart. It's about

patterns, consistency, and let's be

honest, a lot less

Instagrammable meals. So the

next time someone tries to sell you health in a jar,

just remember for Q.

This podcast was researched and produced by me, Dr. Terri

Simpson. And while I am a doctor, I am not

your doctor. This information is for your

entertainment and educational purposes only. And if

you're making changes to your diet, please consult a real board

certified physician and registered dietitian, not a

chiropractor, homeopath, or even eastern trained shaman.

Distribution handled by my friends at simpler media. The

pod got himself Mr. Evo

Terra. Have a great week. Everybody be

skeptical. Eat real food. We'll see you

next week.

Hey, Evo, what's your personal

superfood? I'm going to give you mine. It's

coffee, black, over roasted,

epidemiologically sound.

I'm strong to the finish. Cause I eat space

spinach. I'm popped by the sailor.

Um.