06 Jan 2021 Healthy Food Trends
With the stress and anxiety of 2020 now behind us its still hard to predict what’s around the corner, health-wise, in 2021. 2020 made a lot of people more health conscious from excessing more, taking care of our mental health and being more conscious of what we are eating. With everything from flexitarian diets to the resurgence of extra virgin olive oil and even no-alcohol booze on the horizon, here are some food and health trends that are expected to make it big in 2021.
More home cooking
Lockdown was hard, but if there is something positive that came out of being stuck at home it was rediscovering delicious home cooking. Projected to prevail in 2021, home cooking is a great way to substitute regular takeaway with fresh vegies, lean proteins and wholegrain. Great for your over all wellbeing, gut health, and back pocket, it’s a new healthy habit left over from 2020 we all all for!
Load up on chickpeas
We all know and love chickpeas in hummus, but 2021 is going to expand the way we look at these humble little morsels. From ice cream to snack bars, chickpeas are projected to infiltrate the food supply. Packed with gut-loving fibre and plant-based protein, chickpeas are oh-so-good for you and something we should all be eating more of, anyway.
Olive oil is back in the good books
Coconut oil has had its time in the sun, and it’s about time it’s put to bed. Exceptionally high in saturated fat, coconut oil is not a wise idea for your cholesterol levels (and therefore heart health).
Extra virgin olive oil, on the other hand, is packed with good fats and disease-fighting antioxidants, and is scientifically proven to benefit your overall health. Luckily, it’s expected to make a comeback this year.
Climate diets
Eating with climate change in mind is shaping up to be the big food trend of 2020. On top of recycling, reducing waste and ditching plastic bags, our diets might change in an effort to lessen our impact on the planet and help beat climate change. A climate diet involves eating less meat (because producing meat leads to green-house gas emissions) and more locally-grown plants (because they take less energy to transport and store than imported ones). Getting creative with food so there is absolutely no waste is also on the agenda for climate-conscious diets.
Immunity-boosting foods
No surprise, in 2021 people are expected to be a little more interested in foods that are going to boost their immune system. But be mindful when seeking out immune booting nutrition, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There’s simply no need to waste money on superfood elixirs or miracle cures, the best thing you can do to support a strong immune system is to eat a healthy balanced diet including:
- Vitamin B6, found in chicken, salmon, tuna, bananas, green vegetables and potatoes (with the skin)
- Vitamin C, found in citrus fruit, including oranges and strawberries, as well as tomatoes, broccoli and spinach
- Vitamin E, found in almonds, sunflower and safflower oil, sunflower seeds, peanut butter and spinach