Diet and food trends are vast and global and are affected by many factors, including social media, fashion, the economy, geography, and even politics. Some healthy diet trends are faddish and some prove to be longer-lasting. With such a plethora on offer, it’s often overwhelming to know which to choose. Here are a variety of up-and-coming food and dietary trends that may be worth noting, but which ones are healthy and sustainable for optimal health?
Healthy Diet Trend: Feed your Flora
The microbiome or gut flora is gaining much attention because studies reveal it’s the essential part of the body’s immune defence and therefore it makes sense to feed it appropriately.1 For gut flora diversity, eat artichokes, avocados, leafy greens, garlic, onions, potato skins, apples, beans, fish, chicken & whole grains.
These probiotic foods include indigestible fibrous compounds that feed the microbiome and allow digestive and immune-promoting beneficial organisms to proliferate.1 These high-fibre foods are prebiotics to the probiotics of the gut flora which fuel and encourage its growth along with fermented foods and drinks; yoghurt, sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha.3-4
Don’t forget to supplement with probiotics and consume these foods especially when on antibiotics, during recovery and when stressed. The healthy diet trend for 2019 is shelf-stable probiotic foods that are easy to access and make healthier on-the-go snack foods, like granola and nutrition bars, oatmeal, nut butters, and soups.5
Plant Proteins
With the increase in health, environmental and ethical concerns, the forecast trend by many health experts is that people are moving away from animal proteins and opting for plant proteins in pursuit of saving the planet! 5 Plant proteins, like avocados, beans, kale, quinoa are nutrient-dense energy giving flavourful examples that pose less environmental health hazard along with the introduction of this year’s trendsetters, amaranth, a wholesome non-wheat alternative, dandelion greens, a micronutrient antioxidant-rich plant, not forgetting rainbow carrots for your beta-carotene anti-ageing fix and king trumpet mushrooms, the new vegetable bacon flavourant & meat texture choice.6
The Rise of Peganism
We know about paleo and vegan diets but have you heard about Functional Medicine Specialist, Dr Hyman’s, Pegan Diet?7 According to some well-known papers8 it’s expected to be a hit healthy diet trend this year as it allows for the combination of healthy animal & plant fats. These are nuts, seeds, oily fish, olive oil, eggs, grass-fed organic reared meat, organic butter or ghee and organic virgin coconut oil and coconut butter.
Avoid dairy, grains, and beans and eat non-starchy vegetables, some root vegetables and a little fruit.9 The key is to be like our prehistoric ancestors and maximise healthy plant fibre with minimal meat and carbohydrate content, avoiding sugar in all instances.
Keto says Yes to Fat
Healthy essential omega 3 fatty acids are essential as our body doesn’t make them. Studies show that the majority of people don’t eat enough omega-3 fats however, there is a shift and an acceptance as it’s a very significant food group in the Paleo, Vegan, Pegan and Keto diets. The emphasis of most of these diets is on low-carbohydrate, high-fat protein food choices that enable the body to use fat stores instead of the usual carbohydrates.
This is specifically the Keto diet; this process is ketosis and ketones fuel the body. Some versions of this diet advocate that 75% of calories are from fat, hence the importance of keeping levels topped up. Oily fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, and olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados are healthier here-to-stay trendy food choices that don’t make fat!
Seaweed and More
Think beyond seaweed; sea greens are now being featured in dishes like seaweed butter and kelp noodles along with unique varieties of algae, kelp jerky, water lily and salty fennel seeds. Seaweed, algae and kelp are not only green superfoods but are especially beneficial as they’re high in nature’s tranquiliser, mineral magnesium.9 Magnesium works with tryptophan, the amino acid that is responsible for our mood-enhancing happy hormone, serotonin. For this benefit alone these super-green sea plants should be an essential ingredient to all our diets and a healthy diet trend that stays popular.
Non-Dairy Milks
These ‘mylks’ as a healthy diet trend are on the rise, oat milk being the favourite with its perfect proportion of flavour, carbohydrate, protein, fat and fibre. This nut-free vegan plant-based alternative offers cholesterol-lowering and blood sugar-balancing properties, making it more versatile than cow’s milk as it can be made at home. Oats also pose no threat to the ozone and are good for the environment as a hearty crop, with the ability to grow in cold-weather climates and restore nutrients to the soil.10 Other non-dairy milks that are popular and worth mentioning are rice, almond, non-GMO soya, and hazelnut.
Everything’s coming up Cannabis
Cannabis, and cannabidiol (CBD) are the active ingredients found in Hemp. It’s different from marijuana as it doesn’t have the psychoactive attributes. Recent revolutionary studies prove that hemp is beneficial in many health areas, especially as a natural medication for stabilising mood, reducing anxiety, minimising pain, promoting better sleep and providing an overall sense of well-being.11 Hemp seeds and oil provide tasty accessible ingredients to most meals as well as the latest infused products including chocolate and coffee, which are delicious.10
Mediterranean Diet
It’s here to stay, being ranked the best diet for its combination of all food groups; vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fish all being on our go-to healthy diet list. Not forgetting the copious amounts of olive oil and with a little exercise, it is ideal.
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