What you eat is critical to your health. After all, it’s not only your physical well-being that is affected by your diet; studies show that gut health shows significant effects on your mental health, too. This is why more and more people are tuning in to the kinds of food they eat. 46% of Americans say that they want to eat healthier, making it the highest-ranking lifestyle change that people want to do.
However, with so many superfoods being advertised, it is quite challenging to know which ones to believe. Recently, food trends have been popping up as well, and surprisingly, some of them can actually keep you healthy.
1. Seeds As Key Ingredients
Despite being healthy, nuts have always been known as sources of allergies, something which is increasingly becoming more common. According to a recent study, the annual incidence of peanut allergy has increased from 1.7% to 5.2%. If you suspect that you or someone in your family has a nut allergy, it’s important to seek out an allergy test to confirm the diagnosis. Fortunately, plant seeds are an excellent alternative to nuts, which is why they are gaining popularity too, with sunflower seeds becoming a top 2022 trend according to the Whole Foods report.
They are not difficult to find, too, as there are various seed food products in the market. Just make sure to read food and nutrition reviews before purchasing, especially if this is the first time that you’re trying plant seeds to improve your health. Seeds have proven health benefits, and not only can they aid in reducing your body mass index, but they can also lower your bad cholesterol.
2. Plant-Based Meals
With a much more heightened focus on sustainability, it is not surprising that more people are turning to plant-based diets. Surveys show that there has been a 500% increase in the number of consumers who are now following a fully-vegan lifestyle.
One does not even have to be fully vegan to appreciate the nutritional value of plant-based foods, as you can simply start out with plant-based meat alternatives to determine what kinds of no-meat meals can work for you. This way, you can truly reap the benefits of increasing your intake of plant-based foods, including lowering your risk of type-2 diabetes, reducing your risk of heart disease, and improving your gut health.
3. Functional Beverages
It’s not only the trends on health foods that are facing a significant shift, as beverages are also transforming into something healthier. Functional drinks now are lower in calorie count as well as sugar content, while still giving you that caffeine kick that you need to boost your performance.
Some studies have also shown that functional beverages may contain desirable nutrients and bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants, dietary fibers, and even protein. More and more people are finally catching up to these benefits, so much so that the functional beverage market has seen a 17.8% increase in sales.
Keeping up with diet trends can have tons of benefits, especially as it keeps you aware of new developments on food and health. Seed-based ingredients, plant-based alternatives, and healthier functional beverages are trending not just because celebrities are endorsing them. The science behind these health food trends shows that they actually are quite effective in keeping you healthy, too.
