Chia seeds, which are found in bread and muesli, are said to work wonders in the body as a superfood. But is their success good for the environment?

The hero of my youth was a gas station attendant in Washington, shy and frail. But whenever Stanley Beamish took a hit, he grew strong and confident, beat up baddies, and could fly, roaring like a rocket on takeoff. He was the star of the 1960s series Whenever He Took Pills.

It’s an old dream: Just throw in any stuff and you’ll get healthier, fitter, stronger. No pedaling on the home trainer, no diet, just eat the right things, and hey presto – a new person is born.