How Healthy Is Too Healthy?

From internet health gurus to almond moms and practically everyone in between, people have been sharing their daily supplement regimens. Aside from the usual suspects of vitamin pill cocktails some new perfectly advertised goos have hit the market. They include spoonfuls of jarred congealed mucus (sea moss gel) and spoiled cool whip (coconut cult). Are we really this concerned about our health? What happened to good old fruits and vegetables? VALLEY is here to walk you through these health trends and let you know whether the health benefits are really worth the gagging they may come with.

Sea Moss Gel

Sea moss gel, often promoted as a superfood, has been widely shared on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, with users claiming that its nutrients can boost energy, improve digestion and promote healthy skin. (The same posts usually don’t show them choking down a spoonful of the mush.) So what are the real health benefits?

Dr. Melinda Ring spoke with The New York Times that the gel “contains large amounts of potassium, an essential mineral that supports muscle contraction and blood pressure control.” She added that it is also, “rich in antioxidants, which can break down free radicals that damage our cells.” However she also noted that no clinical trials have been studied whether sea moss is a beneficial supplement for humans and that if you follow a balanced diet you’re probably already getting the nutrients found in the gel.

Coconut Cult

Coconut Cult is a probiotic-rich coconut yogurt brand that promises gut health benefits that have made it a must-have for wellness enthusiasts (and the packaging is really cute). However, with its price tag that can reach $30 for a jar, it raises the question: Is this just boujee greek yogurt?

Bridget Wood, a registered dietitian nutritionist, sat down with Newsweek to discuss the products benefits. “Regular yogurt typically only contains a couple types of probiotic strains [you might have seen terms like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and ‘live and active cultures’ on your yogurt packaging at home], Coconut Cult’s naturally fermented coconut yogurt base claims that it has 50 billion CFUs [colony-forming units, or a fancy way of saying the number of live bacteria in a probiotic product] in just a 1-ounce serving,” Wood said.

Whether they work or not, this fascination with quick fix health solutions raises a larger question: What happened to simply eating healthy and balanced? For years, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins have been the gold standard for maintaining health. These foods provide the necessary vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants our bodies need to thrive. And yet diets based on whole foods free from excessive packaging, additives, and marketing gimmicks seem to be taking a backseat to the allure of fads and products sold to us via clean girls on the internet.

Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with supplements or superfoods if they complement a balanced diet. But these trendy health products usually never solve any of our health woes or undiagnosed ailments, rather they only distract us from the importance of just simply eating well-rounded meals. Real health can’t be ordered on TikTok shop (but we wish it could be too).

Would you be willing to try these new supplements? Tweet us @VALLEYmag on X with your thoughts!