Superfoods aren't a trend. They're a choice.
Functional ingredients selected for their real properties
not for their ability to look good on a label.
What superfoods are and why we use them
The term superfood is often misused.
Anything with a bit of extra vitamin C gets called a superfood.
We use it precisely: for us, a superfood is an ingredient with an exceptional nutritional profile, backed by science, included in doses that actually make a difference.
At AlphaFood we use four main superfoods.
Here they are one by one with the numbers, not the promises.
The superfoods
Cricket Flour
Acheta domesticus
The most surprising superfood.
Cricket flour is derived from Acheta domesticus, the house cricket authorized for human consumption by the European Union since 2022 (EU Reg. 188/2022).
It contains up to 72% protein per 100g, with a complete amino acid profile that includes all essential amino acids, including lysine — often lacking in plant proteins.
Compared to beef it produces 1% of CO₂ emissions, requires 2% of the water and takes up infinitely smaller spaces. That's why we chose it: not because it makes headlines, but because it works.
In our bars we use it in microdoses — enough to contribute to the protein profile, not enough to change the taste or texture.
Maca
The energy of the Andes.
Maca is an adaptogenic root, grown at high altitude in the Peruvian Andes, between 3,500 and 4,500 meters, where extreme conditions make it one of the most nutritious foods in the world.
Unlike stimulants, the combination of glucosinolates and macamides produces stable and prolonged energy, without the typical spike and crash of energy drinks.
It's adaptogenic and promotes physical endurance and supports hormonal balance.
We use it in our pre-workout drink because it works and because it tastes like something real, not a chemical lab.
Moringa
The most nutritious there is.
Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is considered by many nutritionists the plant with the most complete nutritional profile in the world.
Its dried leaves contain more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach — and a protein content of 25–35% of dry weight, with essential amino acids present.
We use it as a complementary ingredient in our superfood mixes because it helps fill the common nutritional gaps in those following high-intensity physical diets.
Pea Protein Flour
The plant protein that works.
Pea protein flour is derived from hulled yellow peas through an extraction process that concentrates the protein up to 80% of dry weight.
It has a much more complete amino acid profile compared to most plant proteins: it's rich in arginine, glutamine and BCAAs, and is naturally free of gluten, lactose and soy.
We use it in our buns and pinsa base as a primary ingredient: it's what brings the products to 30–35% protein, while maintaining a texture and taste that feel like bread — not a supplement.
Damiana
Turnera diffusa
The Mayan secret the supplement industry has forgotten.
Damiana is a shrub native to central Mexico and Central America, used by the Maya and Mesoamerican indigenous peoples for millennia as a general tonic, nervous system stimulant and natural adaptogen.
It's not a wellness world novelty — it's one of the oldest medicinal plants of the Americas, remained on the margins of the modern supplement market because it's too complex to explain in a simple claim.
And that's exactly why it interests us.
How it works
Damiana acts on multiple fronts simultaneously, which makes it difficult to label in a single category but extraordinarily useful in daily practice.
It contains flavonoids, terpenes, glycosides and arbutin — compounds that together produce a tonic effect on the central nervous system, reducing the sensation of mental fatigue without stimulating in an aggressive way.
It's not a stimulant. It's closer to a rebalancer — something that brings the nervous system back to optimal functioning when under pressure.
Traditionally it's used to support mood tone, counteract chronic mental fatigue, support general vitality and improve resistance to prolonged stress. Some preliminary studies also explore its potential as a natural hormonal modulator, in synergy with other adaptogens like maca.
Why we use it in protein powder
The right question is: why put damiana in a protein powder?
Because those who train seriously don't just need protein. They need a nervous system that can handle the load — of training, work, life.
Protein rebuilds muscle. Damiana supports the system that manages everything else. Together, in the same formula, they give a product that works on two levels instead of one.
It's the difference between a supplement and a complete nutritional solution.
How we use it
We use it in small functional doses in the 80% protein powder, in synergy with maca, for a combined adaptogenic effect that supports both physical performance and mental well-being.
One thing to know
Damiana is an ingredient that requires honesty in communication. It doesn't work miracles, it's not an antidepressant, it doesn't replace any therapy.
It's a natural tonic with a centuries-old history and an interesting phytochemical profile — nothing more, nothing less. We write this clearly because it's our approach to everything: real ingredients, transparent communication, zero exaggeration.
Why the combination matters
Every AlphaFood product is formulated as a system, not as a sum of ingredients. Cricket flour provides amino acids that pea alone doesn’t have. Matcha stabilizes the energy that carbs raise too quickly. Moringa fills the micronutrient gaps that intense sport creates.
We don’t see superfoods as individual superheroes. We see them as a team and combine them accordingly.
The production process (differentiating)
All our cricket flour-based products are made using the cryo-extrusion system at -7°C a technology that works cold instead of hot, preserving the amino acid profile of the ingredients and keeping the protein structure intact.
Traditional hot production degrades part of the proteins during processing. Ours doesn’t.
What we say on the label corresponds to what your body actually absorbs.
Want to try?
Start with the Discovery Pack
bars, powders and pre-workout in a single box.
Perfect for understanding what works for you.
