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How Superfoods Work
About This Audible Original
They’re not faster than a speeding bullet or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But that doesn’t mean steel-cut oats, blackberries, ginger, and other foods can’t swoop in to save the day - or at least our diets.
Fiber, protein, micronutrients, and disease-fighting phytochemicals, superfoods like these have it all. And when combined with other healthy foods, they can improve blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and body mass index. And the best part about superfoods: They’re not trendy, eccentric, or impossible to find. They’re all tried-and-true, everyday ingredients that offer real nutritional benefits for any sort of diet imaginable.
In How Superfoods Work, reevaluate the superfoods you are (or aren’t) eating and discover ways to make your life healthier—and more delicious. Delivered by chef and practicing physician Dr. Julia Nordgren, these 12 lessons reveal the nutrition science behind readily available superfoods, including dark chocolate (an indulgent way to eat healthy), miso (whose fermented nature promotes good gut health), and cashews (the perfect replacement for creamy elements in a recipe). Using her medical expertise, Dr. Nordgren explains how these and other superfoods work for our bodies; using her culinary expertise, she reveals quick and easy recipes to get more of these superfoods on your table.
Want a more efficient metabolism? Looking to strengthen your body? Want a more rewarding relationship with mealtime? Chia seeds to the rescue! Or avocado! Or green tea! Or kale!
©2020 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.
They’re not faster than a speeding bullet or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But that doesn’t mean steel-cut oats, blackberries, ginger, and other foods can’t swoop in to save the day - or at least our diets.
Fiber, protein, micronutrients, and disease-fighting phytochemicals, superfoods like these have it all. And when combined with other healthy foods, they can improve blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and body mass index. And the best part about superfoods: They’re not trendy, eccentric, or impossible to find. They’re all tried-and-true, everyday ingredients that offer real nutritional benefits for any sort of diet imaginable.
In How Superfoods Work, reevaluate the superfoods you are (or aren’t) eating and discover ways to make your life healthier—and more delicious. Delivered by chef and practicing physician Dr. Julia Nordgren, these 12 lessons reveal the nutrition science behind readily available superfoods, including dark chocolate (an indulgent way to eat healthy), miso (whose fermented nature promotes good gut health), and cashews (the perfect replacement for creamy elements in a recipe). Using her medical expertise, Dr. Nordgren explains how these and other superfoods work for our bodies; using her culinary expertise, she reveals quick and easy recipes to get more of these superfoods on your table.
Want a more efficient metabolism? Looking to strengthen your body? Want a more rewarding relationship with mealtime? Chia seeds to the rescue! Or avocado! Or green tea! Or kale!
©2020 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.
Audible Audio
Published June 16, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 23, 2021
How Superfood Works by Julia Norden, The Great Courses on Audible, narrated by Julia Norden, a medical physician and chef and an author of great lessons. Each lesson is elementary understandable and knowledgeable. Any technical or specific language, terms explained very suitably to the layperson. Having listened to the lesson, you will better understand how to eat to benefit yourself, your health in the long term, gets to know what foods boost your energy levels, your looks.
Small changes matter!
Small changes matter!
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July 16, 2021Julia Nordgren's expertise as both a chef and a doctor is evident in this two-hour recording. Furthermore, her enthusiasm shines through as she provides information and encouragement for eating healthfully. I wasn't surprised by the foods themselves, for I've learned of these superfoods numerous through numerous venues even though I've found numerous ways to not follow through with healthful eating. This is where Nordgren's humor appealed to me. Beyond her professional work, she cooks for her family and friends; she tells about what her children enjoy or reveals how she planned a shower for a vegan friend. She wasn't always perfect in planning and preparing food, yet she creatively tried new methods which she shares here. Here you won't find tried and true "recipes" (which could be daunting and perhaps expensive) but rather approaches for "snacks made new," inventive flavor combinations, and an inviting mindset shift. It is easy to relate to this author who presents preparing and eating superfoods as pleasurable rather than dutiful.
August 14, 2021
We know what the superfoods are. We know we should eat them. This is the book you read when starting a diet to inspire you to include these kinds of food in your diet. The author has a fantastic background that gives you confidence that she knows what she's talking about. She's a physician turned chef turned nutrition writer. She breaks down each superfood, explains their health advantages, then gives you a recipe on how to include them in your diet. I didn't write down the recipes and probably won't make them, but they did make me think about how I would use each food in recipes and food prep on a regular basis. It's a quick read and will remind you that healthy foods can also be delicious.
October 12, 2023
5/10: had trouble staying engaged but did learn a lot about how to incorporate superfoods into my daily life
March 7, 2026
This was an interesting book, but it was too american focused which is slightly annoying for the rest of the world. It explains how superfoods work (nothing ground breaking), but informative without being overwhelming or dumbed down. The receipies were good insperation, or guideline.
November 26, 2020
I liked the book. The author is both a physician as well as a major chef. She is entertaining and engaging in the audio version of this. I think there are some shortcuts and tendencies in the recipes to gear the language to the widest possible audience, including those with very unhealthy eating habits. Perhaps she is hoping for incremental change... she seems to still use lots of sugar and oils in recipes that really don't need them. But it is entertaining and she offers fresh perspectives that hopefully you will find useful.
March 4, 2026
Misleading and Potentially Harmful for Anyone with Gut Issues or Histamine Problems
As someone with verified leaky gut syndrome (confirmed by elevated zonulin levels in lab tests) and histamine intolerance, I was excited to dive into "How Superfoods Work" by Julia Nordgren, hoping for evidence-based insights on nutrient-dense foods. Instead, I found a book that dangerously overgeneralizes nutrition advice, promoting foods that can exacerbate serious conditions like mine. I stopped listening after just a few lessons because the recommendations felt reckless and ignored the nuances of individual health issues. If you're into tailored nutrition related to your specific conditions—especially gut permeability or histamine sensitivity—don't bother with this. It's a prime example of mainstream "superfood" hype that could do more harm than good.
Take the first lesson on steel-cut oats: Nordgren touts them for fiber and blood sugar stability, but for those with leaky gut, oats contain lectins like avenin that trigger zonulin release, widening tight junctions in the intestinal lining and worsening permeability. Studies show gliadin-like proteins in oats (similar to gluten) increase zonulin in both celiac and non-celiac individuals, leading to chronic inflammation and autoimmune risks—directly counterproductive for high-zonulin patients like me. Why recommend this as a "superfood" without caveats?
Then there's the cashews lesson (around the 10th), praised for healthy fats and minerals. But cashews are loaded with lectins that bind to gut cells, causing damage, inflammation, and increased permeability—essentially fueling leaky gut. They can also trigger mast cell activation and histamine release, amplifying symptoms like flushing, headaches, and GI distress in histamine-intolerant folks. Research links lectin-resistant foods like cashews to immune responses and dysbiosis, yet the book presents them as universally beneficial without mentioning these risks.
Avocado (lesson 5) is another glaring issue—the user mentioned it as a high-histamine source, and they're spot on. Avocados release histamine and contain vasoactive amines like tyramine and putrescine, which provoke reactions in those with impaired DAO enzyme activity, common in histamine intolerance and leaky gut. A 2025 study notes they exacerbate gut permeability by allowing toxins into the bloodstream, triggering immune responses—I've experienced stomach pain and nausea from them firsthand.
Don't get me started on miso (lesson 7), fermented for "gut benefits." Fermented foods like miso are histamine bombs due to bacterial activity converting histidine to histamine, with levels up to 229 mg/kg—far too high for intolerance sufferers. This can worsen leaky gut by promoting dysbiosis and inflammation, as seen in PMC studies linking HIT to impaired gut histamine degradation.
Kale (lesson 11) gets hyped for vitamins, but it's sky-high in oxalates (up to 755mg per 1/2 cup cooked), which bind minerals, irritate the gut, and contribute to kidney stones or permeability issues in sensitive people. Oxalates can also trigger mast cells, mimicking histamine symptoms and compounding leaky gut.
Finally, dark chocolate (lesson 12) as a "heart-healthy indulgence"? It's packed with histamine (up to 38mg in syrup forms) and cocoa amines that liberate more histamine, leading to migraines, flushing, and gut woes in HIT patients. A 2024 review ties it to oxalate overload too, further stressing the gut.
Nordgren's physician-chef angle is appealing, but the book assumes a one-size-fits-all approach, ignoring how these "superfoods" can spike zonulin, lectins, histamines, or oxalates in vulnerable populations. Data from NIH and PMC sources clearly link such foods to worsened gut barrier dysfunction and immune flares. For general audiences, maybe it's fine, but for anyone with real conditions? Skip it—opt for personalized protocols instead.
As someone with verified leaky gut syndrome (confirmed by elevated zonulin levels in lab tests) and histamine intolerance, I was excited to dive into "How Superfoods Work" by Julia Nordgren, hoping for evidence-based insights on nutrient-dense foods. Instead, I found a book that dangerously overgeneralizes nutrition advice, promoting foods that can exacerbate serious conditions like mine. I stopped listening after just a few lessons because the recommendations felt reckless and ignored the nuances of individual health issues. If you're into tailored nutrition related to your specific conditions—especially gut permeability or histamine sensitivity—don't bother with this. It's a prime example of mainstream "superfood" hype that could do more harm than good.
Take the first lesson on steel-cut oats: Nordgren touts them for fiber and blood sugar stability, but for those with leaky gut, oats contain lectins like avenin that trigger zonulin release, widening tight junctions in the intestinal lining and worsening permeability. Studies show gliadin-like proteins in oats (similar to gluten) increase zonulin in both celiac and non-celiac individuals, leading to chronic inflammation and autoimmune risks—directly counterproductive for high-zonulin patients like me. Why recommend this as a "superfood" without caveats?
Then there's the cashews lesson (around the 10th), praised for healthy fats and minerals. But cashews are loaded with lectins that bind to gut cells, causing damage, inflammation, and increased permeability—essentially fueling leaky gut. They can also trigger mast cell activation and histamine release, amplifying symptoms like flushing, headaches, and GI distress in histamine-intolerant folks. Research links lectin-resistant foods like cashews to immune responses and dysbiosis, yet the book presents them as universally beneficial without mentioning these risks.
Avocado (lesson 5) is another glaring issue—the user mentioned it as a high-histamine source, and they're spot on. Avocados release histamine and contain vasoactive amines like tyramine and putrescine, which provoke reactions in those with impaired DAO enzyme activity, common in histamine intolerance and leaky gut. A 2025 study notes they exacerbate gut permeability by allowing toxins into the bloodstream, triggering immune responses—I've experienced stomach pain and nausea from them firsthand.
Don't get me started on miso (lesson 7), fermented for "gut benefits." Fermented foods like miso are histamine bombs due to bacterial activity converting histidine to histamine, with levels up to 229 mg/kg—far too high for intolerance sufferers. This can worsen leaky gut by promoting dysbiosis and inflammation, as seen in PMC studies linking HIT to impaired gut histamine degradation.
Kale (lesson 11) gets hyped for vitamins, but it's sky-high in oxalates (up to 755mg per 1/2 cup cooked), which bind minerals, irritate the gut, and contribute to kidney stones or permeability issues in sensitive people. Oxalates can also trigger mast cells, mimicking histamine symptoms and compounding leaky gut.
Finally, dark chocolate (lesson 12) as a "heart-healthy indulgence"? It's packed with histamine (up to 38mg in syrup forms) and cocoa amines that liberate more histamine, leading to migraines, flushing, and gut woes in HIT patients. A 2024 review ties it to oxalate overload too, further stressing the gut.
Nordgren's physician-chef angle is appealing, but the book assumes a one-size-fits-all approach, ignoring how these "superfoods" can spike zonulin, lectins, histamines, or oxalates in vulnerable populations. Data from NIH and PMC sources clearly link such foods to worsened gut barrier dysfunction and immune flares. For general audiences, maybe it's fine, but for anyone with real conditions? Skip it—opt for personalized protocols instead.
August 2, 2021
As an audiobook, this is extremely short. It was still highly interesting though. I think "How Superfoods Work" is a little misleading. Perhaps something like "12 Foods You Should Be Eating More Of", although I suppose that sounds less scientific and more like a listicle.Also, it's really 14, as Ginger, Garlic and Scallions are all covered in one chapter.
The auther, a doctor and chef, talks about these foods:
1. Steel-Cut Oats
2. Blackberries
3. Chia seeds
4. Eggs
5. Avocado
6. Turmeric
7. Miso
8. Ginger, Garlic and Scallion (the "trinity of Asian cuisine" - discussed together in one chapter although they are three separate foods)
9. Green Tea
10. Cashews
11. Kale
12. Dark Chocolate
The author shares information about what makes each food so useful as part of your diet, personal stories, and recipes.
The problem is, recipes don't work super great in an audio format. If a digital handout was included with the audiobook, I haven't found it. The author does list some recipes on her website, although I don't believe the recipes in the audiobook are included there. She also has a cookbook for sale (it's possible this audiobook's main purpose is to promote sales of the cookbook) - unfortunately, the cookbook only appears to be available as a physical cook, with no digital format.
Still, there are some good suggestions here. I've purchase some sencha green leaf tea to make fridge tea with, I might try making a blackberry smoothie with fruit and almond milk, and I looked up a alfredo sauce recipe made from cashews online and tried it out. I might try out other ideas based on some of her suggestions as well.
The auther, a doctor and chef, talks about these foods:
1. Steel-Cut Oats
2. Blackberries
3. Chia seeds
4. Eggs
5. Avocado
6. Turmeric
7. Miso
8. Ginger, Garlic and Scallion (the "trinity of Asian cuisine" - discussed together in one chapter although they are three separate foods)
9. Green Tea
10. Cashews
11. Kale
12. Dark Chocolate
The author shares information about what makes each food so useful as part of your diet, personal stories, and recipes.
The problem is, recipes don't work super great in an audio format. If a digital handout was included with the audiobook, I haven't found it. The author does list some recipes on her website, although I don't believe the recipes in the audiobook are included there. She also has a cookbook for sale (it's possible this audiobook's main purpose is to promote sales of the cookbook) - unfortunately, the cookbook only appears to be available as a physical cook, with no digital format.
Still, there are some good suggestions here. I've purchase some sencha green leaf tea to make fridge tea with, I might try making a blackberry smoothie with fruit and almond milk, and I looked up a alfredo sauce recipe made from cashews online and tried it out. I might try out other ideas based on some of her suggestions as well.
May 9, 2023
How Superfoods Work is not so much an explanation of how food works, but a list and brief discussion of about a dozen foods you can introduce into your diet that may marginally improve your health. Nordgren not only explains why each one is healthy, but also gives a few ideas for making these foods more palatable.
What is a superfood, you ask? It's a term that's been thrown around in the media to give a good publicity to foods that are nutrient dense, have great a good macronutrient balance, or have some sort of other health benefit (like reducing inflammation). There's no hard definition for what qualifies as a superfood, but it's easy to tell when something is not.
Nordgren goes through the typical foods you would expect to see on a list like this, such as kale, oatmeal, ginger, and eggs, and inserts her culinary experience to help make these things more attractive, such as adding fruit to your oatmeal. There's nothing mindblowing here, but the discussion alone might move you towards making a few small and positive adjustments in your diet.
What is a superfood, you ask? It's a term that's been thrown around in the media to give a good publicity to foods that are nutrient dense, have great a good macronutrient balance, or have some sort of other health benefit (like reducing inflammation). There's no hard definition for what qualifies as a superfood, but it's easy to tell when something is not.
Nordgren goes through the typical foods you would expect to see on a list like this, such as kale, oatmeal, ginger, and eggs, and inserts her culinary experience to help make these things more attractive, such as adding fruit to your oatmeal. There's nothing mindblowing here, but the discussion alone might move you towards making a few small and positive adjustments in your diet.
April 9, 2024
Dr. Julia Nordgren is a practicing physician, a trained chef and a culinary educator. She shares information and provides with some interesting suggestions and recipes throughout the 12 chapters: steel-cut oats, blackberries (yum😋), chia seeds, eggs, avocado, turmeric, miso, ginger/garlic/scallion -the “trinity of Asian cuisine”-, green tea, cashews, kale and finally dark chocolate. This audiobook is rather short. You will still get the health advantages and probably be inspired to incorporate this or that superfood, that are available to most of us, in your own concoctions. I’m not sure it’s very practical to get recipes from an audiobook. I would check the author’s blog for those because at the end of the day, combining quality ingredients in a simple way let’s us enjoy our meals more. So what are you waiting for?
June 15, 2023
It is a quick course/ audiobook that has 12 chapters, each covering a “superfood”. Each chapter goes over the biology, benefits of each food, tips and recipes. The 12 “superfoods” are: steel-cut oats (the wholegrain foundation for healthy eating), blackberries (colorful chemicals and combating cancer), chia seeds and the benefits of Omega-3s, eggs, avocado, turmeric (the bright yellow treatment for fighting inflammation, miso (a chef's secret weapon for great gut health), Ginger, Garlic, and Scallion (GGS the Asian trinity for taste and health), green tea, cashews, kale, and lastly dark chocolate. Didn’t really need to be a course/ book but was interesting and one can learn some stuff, if you haven’t heard or read about those yet :)
December 20, 2022
It was free and gives a basic overview of a few so-called superfoods. It sometimes ranges into potential pseudoscience territory, but mostly she's careful to mention when claims don't have enough proof. It could have been shorter since she wastes time at the end of each lecture with a summary of what she just covered (made me think of the old five-paragraph essay format). She does spend a lot of time on breakfast – technically one could eat breakfast at any time of day, but she gives very few examples of dinner entrees. She also focuses a lot on kids, but to be fair, that's her day job.
It did leave me interested in her cookbook. So, she was successful on that.
It did leave me interested in her cookbook. So, she was successful on that.
June 9, 2023
A physician who is a CIA trained chef wants to talk about food and health? Yas please!
Here is the chapter list in case you are interest in what she dives into. She discusses why each is good for your health and how to use these ingredients in cooking.
Chapter 1: Steel-Cut Oats
Chapter 2: Blackberries
Chapter 3: Chia Seeds
Chapter 4: Eggs
Chapter 5: Avocado
Chapter 6: Tumeric
Chapter 7: Miso
Chapter 8: Ginger, Garlic, and Scallion - The Asian Trinity
Chapter 9: Green Tea
Chapter 10: Cashews
Chapter 11: Kale
Chapter 12: Dark Chocolate
Here is the chapter list in case you are interest in what she dives into. She discusses why each is good for your health and how to use these ingredients in cooking.
Chapter 1: Steel-Cut Oats
Chapter 2: Blackberries
Chapter 3: Chia Seeds
Chapter 4: Eggs
Chapter 5: Avocado
Chapter 6: Tumeric
Chapter 7: Miso
Chapter 8: Ginger, Garlic, and Scallion - The Asian Trinity
Chapter 9: Green Tea
Chapter 10: Cashews
Chapter 11: Kale
Chapter 12: Dark Chocolate
November 17, 2021
This book describes the benefits of these 12 superfoods and how they can be incorporated into your diet: steel-cut oats, blackberries, chia seeds, eggs, avocados, turmeric, miso, ginger/garlic/scallion (like in Asian dishes), green tea, cashews, kale, and dark chocolate. Many of these foods have been written about in articles and magazines. If you're already familiar with them, there won't be new information in this book.
March 9, 2023
A nice short and simple audiobook to help motivate me to eat healthier foods. I’m already aware of the 12+ foods that the author recommends, but it’s always nice to get consistent information about the foods that are supposed to be best for us. Highly recommend for people new to the “food is medicine “ concept or people like me who like gentle reminders to add these types of foods on our plate regularly.
52Books2023 Reading Challenge: Title starting with the letter “H”
52Books2023 Reading Challenge: Title starting with the letter “H”
July 17, 2021
Interesting stuff about health and food. I wish they would have covered fasting which is more along the lines of my life style since I do not cook at all and always appreciate someone else creations as long as they are made with love.
I can and do fast for days and months at a time which I think is better than any food put into your system because “man does not live on bread alone but…”
I can and do fast for days and months at a time which I think is better than any food put into your system because “man does not live on bread alone but…”
December 13, 2022
This was really good! It was a list of superfoods, how they work, and how to cook with them. A lot of books about nutrition focus on calories or bad foods to restrict so it was really refreshing to read from someone who obviously loves food talk about things to add to your life rather than taking away
May 27, 2024
This was an interesting lecture series, but not ground breaking. It is informative without being overwhelming or dumbed down. It is very American focused though, which is slightly annoying if your based outside of US. The receipies were interesting.
The narration style was engaging without being to fast. The pronouncation was clear. An interesting read.
The narration style was engaging without being to fast. The pronouncation was clear. An interesting read.
October 30, 2022
Not really as in depth as I would have hoped, this is more of a "back of a crisp packet" sort of affair. I preferred Simon Quellen Field's Gut Reaction for a better understanding of foods and their impact on the human body/metabolism.
May 4, 2023
A3hr audio book. A surprising book, its highlights some superfoods not on the normal menu. Although I did not like the recipes ideas, I am sure someone apricated them. Thank you to the author for some interesting points on some foods I've not tired in awhile and should revisit.
March 9, 2021
Lots of good content but by no means a comprehensive survey of this subject.
September 7, 2021
excellent recap on some great superfoods and recipes suggestions to incorporate them into your diet
December 6, 2021
Absolutely awesome, would recommend
January 26, 2022
3.5 stars. Solid information, but rounded down because most of the recipes weren't easy, either in terms of time or skill.
March 25, 2023
Hardly a showstopper, very common knowledge stuff, but iterated in a nice way.
May 30, 2023
very interesting with good practical cooking tipps
August 26, 2023
Short but informative!
May 15, 2025
I enjoyed this book for the combination of educational info together with recipes. I am incorporating these foods in my daily life now!
July 27, 2026
Easy introduction to subject for american audience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews