The True Cost Of Our Obsession With Superfoods Like Açaí, Durian, And Avocado | True Cost

The world can’t get enough of so-called superfoods like avocado, açaí, and durian. But they may not be as wholesome as you think.

MORE TRUE COST VIDEOS:
How Fast Fashion Is Poisoning Pakistan's Drinking Water | True Cost | Insider Business
How The US Military Spends $800B Per Year On War Machines | True Cost | Business Insider
The True Cost Of Amazon's Push For Speed | True Cost | Business Insider

------------------------------------------------------

#Superfood #TrueCost #BusinessInsider

Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more.

The True Cost Of Our Obsession With Superfoods Like Açaí, Durian, And Avocado | True Cost

[leonardohernandezcabrera]

I studied a degree in food chemistry and let me tell you one thing super foods are overrated, people treat them as a magical medicine to patch up all their other unhealthy habits. The big problem is the actual way of life and food is just a small part of the problem.

[jessicavarona]

As a Caribbean, peoples obsession with avocado is funny to me because I grew up with a tree in my backyard. It was just a normal thing to eat for us and I don’t think I ever thought much of it. Now I gotta pay an obscene amount for one tiny avocado cuz ya’ll decided it’s cool 😂🙄

[sharky]

I remember when avocados were one of the cheapest to buy in the store, but then you know trend foods and health trend foods made it expensive.

[superiorgameschicago]

Can't speak for acai or avocado, but the biggest issues on my family's durian farm in Malaysia were animals and thieves, which was why my grandpa often spent nights in a tree shelter with a machete during durian season.

[kristinakharin]

Everyone is commenting on the superfoods, and I can't let go of the fact that the acai berry harvesters were such lovely and humble people!

[kid]

I mean my biggest thing is how companies are allowed to essentially take advantage of these communities by buying these foods for dirt cheap, and then selling them for stupid high profits cause they can. Personally I feel like there needs to be more done in the U.S. to ensure that farmers and communities are getting their fair share of the profits, over continuously being shafted and then being told either their the problem or the consumer is the problem. When the truth is the companies are the problem as they don't want to pay fair prices for goods because their being greedy.

[beatrizgi]

Here is a fun fact about Brazilian açaí here in Brazil. I live in the south and access to true açaí is rare because it becomes too industrialized, and most of the other regions of Brazil is the same situation. To you have an idea, I had one rare opportunity to eat the real açaí and the flavor is different and better than from the açaí industrialized. In Brazil, to feel the authentic flavor of açaí, you have to travel to the north of Brazil (Pará or Amazonas states) to taste it.

[TheBuburbayi]

This is the first time I heard about durian being a superfood. I love them and they're so common here almost year round, but superfood?

[rcs]

Who the hell said durian was a superfood?!

[crackmaster]

"We say we are poor, but we are rich in spirit." YES Lucas. Yes you are. God bless this man.

[Daniel-wdir]

I was born in Belem and grew up eating Açaí 3 or more times a week. It used to cost about 4 reais a liter, a price most families could afford. Last time I went to Belem, about 6 years ago, the price was 6 times what my family paid when I was a kid. That’s really sad because açaí is a staple food for Amazonians, but nowadays few families can afford it, and much less frequently.

[tiggerbiggo]

Chapter list because for some reason they didn't bother to add one:

1:02 - Acai
12:42 - Avocado
20:44 - Durian

[xebds]

Lucas is so amazing, supporting his family, and all these açaí business. more peace and love to him, and his family!

[PedroMachado]

I'm brazilian and I gew up eating açaí in form of ice cream (mixed with banana, guarana syrup and frozed). I'm 31 right now and I didn't even know that this is considered super food. It's just a berry that some people here like to eat sweet and other people in other parts of the country like to eat it salty. That's funny.

[somerandomfella]

What a sad state of the world we live in.

[marcus_leon]

It's really heart breaking to watch, cutting that tall durian tree. 😭

[ianh]

Didn't know durian's been remarketed as superfood for the westerners now

[insekta]

That açai berry picking family is lovely. I dont bother with these ‘OMG ITS GOOD!’ food fad things, and don’t contribute to the problem of the açaí, durian and avocados. I eat my veggies, rice, noodles, and chicken everyday with some treats now and then and don’t spend money on the fun, fun food fad bougie products.

[eev]

All the comments about 'westerners' treating durian as superfood.. If you paid attention you would have noticed they mentioned that the biggest export of durian fruit is going to China, personally I've never seen durian in any of my local markets/supermarkets (in the Netherlands, which is the country with the biggest fruit import in Europe, almost all exotic fruits come through here).

[vinnygi]

The irony is that there’s no such thing as a superfood. You get as much benefit from a blueberry as an açaí. All this grief for nothing.