The Botanicals Take-Over
Options are unlimited when it comes to plant and flower power! Especially as more consumers become interested in their potential healing properties. Expect to see edible flowers added to salads and soups – Floral flavors in drinks and snacks. . . everything from lavender lattes, elderflower syrups, and hibiscus everything! And carnivores – there is a new line of highly realistic plant-based meats made with pea protein. Whole Foods carries a line of edible flavors, like Goodpop Hibiscus Mint and their own brand, 365, Lemon Lavender Granola. . . . One of my favorites, sushi-grade ‘not tuna’ made from tomatoes. However, it’s important to note that just because something in plant based does not equate to 100% healthy! The very tasty, Beyond Burger, for example, is very high in both fat and sodium – so just as its meat counterpart, it’s not something you will want to eat everyday.
Super-powders
Pea and hemp, matcha, and turmeric powders for smoothies have become mainstream. Other superfood powders like ashwagandha and maca will also be big this year. But, the one that is making its way into every facet of our lives, is collagen! Collagen is one of the cleanest protein powders, free of many of the additives of other powders on the market. It also has gut-healing properties and is great for skin, hair, anti-aging and improving the immune system. We love the versatile ‘Vital Protein Collagen Peptides’ . . . It’s filled with protein and can be adding the smoothies, yogurts, and just about anything! Bone both, the richest source of collagen, also debuted this year with a bone broth powder.
Gut Health
The discussion around healing our gut is going to become more prominent in 2018. Over the past few years gut health has focused on probiotics and maintaining a balance of good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract. This year, we will be optimizing our gut health in new ways. We’ll see new probiotic supplements with added prebiotic fiber and fermented foods and beverages – foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics – like kimchi, kefir, kombucha, miso, and tempeh.
Intermittent Fasting for Health
There is a strong body of research showing that intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to improve overall health. Much like the Paleo diet, intermittent fasting mimics the way our ancestors ate and lived. Intermittent Fasting gives your cells time to clear out old proteins so they can rebuild and regenerate. Fasting can also fight inflammation and improve digestion. The key word here is ‘intermittent’ – which can be a simple 14 hours between dinner and breakfast, a few times a week.
Flexitarian Diet
The Flexitarian diet focus is on incorporating more plant based foods, but doesn’t call for cutting out meat completely. On the Flexitarian diet plan, you add five food groups to your diet – the “new meat” (tofu, eggs, beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds); fruits and veggies; whole grains; dairy; and spice (herbs, and agave nectar sweetener). The plan revolves around plant proteins rather than animal proteins. The diet emphasizes flexibility, nutritional completeness and safety.
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