Healthy food industry is like fashion: every year new trends and super foods pop up and occupy our instagram feeds and health store shelves. Many of these foods, just like seasonal colors, fade with time: either because of newly found nutrition facts or simply because of boredom.
To understand which new super foods are here to stay, we asked top nutrition and healthy food experts what to expect from the healthy food trends in 2018, and here is what they had to say.
Herbs to improve cognitive function and gut health boosters
“Whilst there are a number of health and wellness trends set for 2018 it’s essential we stay on top of those which are scientifically sound and those which are simply taking FAD to a whole new level. Evidence surrounding nootropics is beginning to emerge as we understand how natural components of food and some more obscure herbs can influence our brain function. Research surrounding omega-3 for optimal brain health is pretty solid. However, there’s speculations surrounding herbs such as ginkgo and st john’s wart around how these can benefit our cognition. Before you rush to the shops I’d recommend waiting until the evidence surrounding these are fully conclusive.
Gut Health is also set to continue climbing up the trends ladder for 2018. Whilst gut health is hugely important and is linked to a number of health complications it’s not necessarily about popping the strongest probiotics you can find (this in itself has become a trend in 2017). Should you have gut health issues I recommend speaking to a nutritionist or other health care professional to work on a plan specifically for you.”
Jenna Hope, Jenna Hope Nutrition (Follow Jenna on Instagram and Facebook)
Keto diet and nutrient-dense superfood vegetables
“The keto lifestyle will gain even more traction in 2018. People are starting to see that a diet focused on non-starchy vegetables, eggs, and meat yields much better health outcomes than a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. In 2018 I think we’ll continue to see regular foods transformed into healthier, low-carb versions, using nutrient-dense superfood vegetables like cauliflower, kale, and more.”
Maya Krampf, Wholesome Yum (Follow Maya on Instagram and Facebook)
Home cooking and gut-friendly healthy items: fermented foods, mushrooms and soy
“2017 saw home, lifestyle, and design trends centred around experiences and bringing the feelings of connection and comfort into our everyday lives. I think we’ll see that trend continuing in 2018 with health and nutrition and I predict an upswing in home cooking with fresh, hearty, healthy ingredients. I think we’ll see a major focus on vibrant meals that can be easily created at home with family and friends. Watch for buzzwords surrounding ease of preparation, comfort, satiety, and health-consciousness particularly about digestive health. 2018’s superfoods will be gut-friendly items including fermented foods, mushrooms, and soy.”
Morgan Crutchfield, Oh my Veggies (Follow “Oh My Veggies” on Facebook and Pinterest)
Sugar free diet
It’s not a specific food, but sugar free (or sugar light) eating is such an important and positive trend. I’ve gone sugar free a couple different times, and every time I find huge benefits from it, including: I feel better when I’m sugar free, I eat better (honestly, I eat REALLY yummy food when I’m going sugar free.) There are loads of major health benefits to consuming less sugar. I recalibrate my palate so I can really taste and appreciate food found in nature.
Bjork Ostrom, Pinch of Yum (Follow “Pinch of Yum” on Instagram and Facebook)
Functional Mushrooms
Functional mushrooms are medicinal mushrooms. In other words, it is certain types of mushrooms that possess medicinal properties and are often added to different health products. Examples of functional mushrooms include Shiitake, Cordiceps, Enoki, Reishi.
“I think that few of the trends which started already in 2017 will experience their boom this year. We might still see the popular colourful lattes, focused on using quality plant based milks and superfood powders. Most likely the super food of this year will be functional mushrooms. As we are finally getting concerned more about our gut health lately, we try to support the good gut flora and therefore our immune system by adding the right foods in our diets. And functional mushrooms seem like they can take a big role in the healthy body scenario.”
Dagmar Mulligan, The Peckish Girl (Follow Dagmar on Instagram and Facebook)
Superfood powders like turmeric, collagen and spirulina
Superfood powders are nothing else but your favourite healthy foods in their powdered and hence concentrated form. They are usually prepared from fresh raw ingredients that are freeze-dried and then processed into fine powders. Through this method all the necessary nutrients (minerals, antioxidants, bioflavonoids etc.) stay intact.
“In 2018, I believe superfood powders will become the new trend – since they can be added to just about any food and will automatically amp up the nutritional value! In particular, turmeric powder, collagen, spirulina and protein powders for women will be all over supermarket shelves, and can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, and even coffee!”
Anjali Shah, The Picky Eater (Follow Anjali on Instagram and Twitter)
Keep it simple: fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and plant based fats
“As the field of nutrition is young and always growing, there are so many new healthy food trends. However, those trends, ones found to have little scientific information backing them up, always end up going out of trend. What never goes out of style? Having a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and plant based fats.
As appealing as new trends are, they go out of style for a reason. The best thing to do with your 2018 health goals is to simply learn how to cook fresh, wholesome foods. Go to your local farmers market, buy fresh produce, take a cooking class. Learn how to adapt a healthy lifestyle, instead of buying into new trends that claim to solve all your problems.”
Stephanie Voytek, That Certain Touch (Follow Stephanie on Instagram)
Do you think there will be some other food trends to come that are worth mentioning? Let us know in the comments!
These superfoods looks great — I incorporate a lot of them into my diet daily! I also use chaga, which is good to make as a tea and has made a tremendous different in how I feel every day 🙂
Chaga sounds interesting, we should probably add it to the list 😉
Love that you had some many references/contributions to this! A very unique style and of course informative content! I’ve definitely been trying to change my diet so this came just in time!
Happy it was helpful Tisha!
Love all these superfoods for healthy living! I eat almost completely sugar free because I’m diabetic and this helps keep my numbers where they should be.
Sugar free diet is indeed one of the best practices we should all adopt!
Such an interesting and very helpful article. I also enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for sharing this.
Definitely need to go sugar free wish it was as easy as going meat and dairy free
You can start introducing some healthier sugar alternatives, we wrote it before, may be will be helpful for you: https://happybellyfish.com/12-ways-substitute-refined-sugar/
I am definitely interested in trying to go sugar free this year, but I feel it will be really hard work! I enjoyed reading this article it was really informative and I have saved it to help me along!
New Year and hopefully a New Us – we are so interested in exploring foods especially super foods that will benefit ourselves and our families
These are some great tips. I don’t think I could ever do a sugar-free diet. I’ve been interested in learning about the Keto diet.
Sugar free is the way forward. I really love vegetables though.
These are all some great superfoods! Keto is a big one! I’m noticing more and more people doing the Keto diet and I’ve only heard great things!
These look like great food to add to my diet, I am always looking for ways to improve my families and my health. Thanks for this post. I have been recently looking into Turmeric!
I love that the spices I love are actually good for you! Ever since I started dating a vegetarian it’s been pretty easy to go meat free a few times a week, but sugar is asking a lot of me…even though I know it’d be great to cut it out!
Medicinal mushrooms are awesome! Reishi happens to be my all time favorite due to its powerful immune modulating and stress reducing properties.
Hi Anastasia, This post gives a clear knowledge of Super foods and Healthy Nutrition Trends. There are some people who think that super foods are some sort different and unique foods.
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