It’s a new year, a fresh start. It’s a chance to begin the new habits you’ve always wanted to start. If you’ve had a hard time in the past, now is the time to take care of yourself and truly pay attention to your health.
Luckily for you, there are some seriously exciting healthy food trends going on right now. Get ahead of the game with these health kicks – experts say many of these are expected to continue in 2017 and will be here to stay.
More and more people are hopping on the health band wagon trend with an increase in healthy food consumption. As you obviously already know, there are many reasons to choose a healthy lifestyle and to follow these healthy food trends in 2017.
Below are just a few, but I’m guessing you have some ideas already bouncing around in your head. Whatever the reason, there is very little draw back to eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Now that there are so many fun and delicious options, it’s one less reason to not join in the healthy food trends.
Weight Control
Of course, as we all know, there is the benefit of weight control or weight loss. By choosing a healthy lifestyle and making healthy food choices, your weight will be much more easily maintained and controlled.
Though weight shouldn’t be the only reason you buy into healthy living, it is a strong motivating factor for many!
Disease Fighting
As mentioned, weight it definitely not the only reason to eat healthy – your overall health is the most important thing! By eating healthy and wholesome foods you can help your body to prevent many dangerous diseases.
Healthy eating habits have been shown to reduce the risk of many diseases such as cancer, diabetes and even depression. This is a solid reason to put down the potato chips and pick up the kale.
More Energy
With your busy life, it’s no doubt you find yourself worn down at times. By eating the right foods in the right way, you’ll begin to find yourself with an increase in energy levels.
Eating well helps with feeling better, sleeping better and ultimately feeling more energized. By having higher energy levels you can easily be much more productive at work and at home.
Aside from this, you will also have more energy to engage in your personal relationships. With so many positive benefits, you’ll notice that your mood is drastically improved as well – you’ll be ready to take on the world!
All of these reasons should truly influence the type of lifestyle you choose to live. Keep reading to find out what trends are blooming this year, which foods are on the healthy food trends list for 2017 and for some fun and tasty ways to fit them into your diet.
1. Anti-Inflammatory Foods
With major health issues leading back to inflammation, it has become a major concern to many. Inflammation related problems can range from causing small issues you may deal with in your daily life to much larger, chronic problems like cancer, arthritis and diabetes.
Because of this, people are now taking initiatives to do more to protect themselves from these health issues. One of the major initiatives being focused on is anti-inflammatory foods.
The good news is that there are many ingredients that fight inflammation. You can use these foods either on their own, or in your cooking to boost their health benefits.
Some items that should find their way into your grocery cart are turmeric (a popular spice), ginger tea, tomatoes, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, green leafy vegetables etc.
There are many ways to include these anti-inflammatory foods into your diet this year.
- Roast some root veggies the night before and bring them with your lunch.
- Pick up some kale chips to snack on at your desk (you may even want to bring some extra to share.)
- Make a Spanish frittata for breakfast with organic eggs and almond milk.
2. Bowls
Bowls are seen everywhere! From grain bowls to acai bowls, they’ve truly made their mark in 2016 – and don’t expect them to go anywhere in 2017! One popular bowl is the grain bowl.
This bowls start with a grain of choice, like rice, quinoa, barley or farro. On top of this, you can layer the bowl with a variety of delicious and healthy items. Some choose to load up with veggies, others have a protein.
Often times a grain bowl will be topped with a complimenting sauce. The choices are truly endless and they can be made to accommodate different diets, such as vegan or gluten free. Pick your preference and go with it.
Here are some ideas:
- Sunday brunch can have a healthy kick with quinoa grains topped with shrimp and organic eggs, complete with shredded kale.
- Make a traditional bowl with brown rice topped with black beans and some chunky tomatoes or salsa.
- For a hearty dinner, throw some grilled chicken on top of 4 cups of barley. Include fresh avocado for some extra taste.
For those that have more of a sweet tooth, Acai bowls are the perfect way to truly satisfy it. These bowls are versatile and healthy while also able to satisfy that craving for natural sugars.
For those who may not be aware of these popular bowls, acai bowls are essentially smoothies in a bowl that are topped with a variety of fruit and nuts. The bottom layer, or the “smoothie” portion of the bowl is normally made from the acai berry, although it can alternate according to personal preference.
The consistency is thicker than a shake and should be similar to frozen yogurt. You can use almond milk and frozen fruit to give your bowl just the right taste and texture.
This makes an excellent breakfast and starts your day off right. Now this is definitely one of the healthy food trends that will have you craving some more!
3. Healthy Grains
Healthy grains are making waves this year, and for a good reason. Farro, quinoa and a new “ancient” grain called teff are being seen incorporated into many recipes!
These grains can fulfill the needs of any diet and are easily incorporated into many different meals. Consuming these grains can help fight against many different health issues because of their rich vitamins and nutritional value.
Farro is high in fiber, iron, magnesium and zinc. Pulling some farro into your diet will fill your body with much needed antioxidants and support your overall health.
Farro is a great source of protein, making it popular with vegans. This super-grain also supports heart health and the immune system. It’s easy to see why it’s making its way into everyday meals. Here are some ways to incorporate it into your diet!
- On your stove top, cook some farro grains with mushrooms for a delicious and healthy evening meal.
- For lunch, put together a farro salad with some fresh garden tomatoes and homegrown herbs. If you’re not a gardener, stop at the farmer’s market for some organic goodies.
- Substitute farro for your fried rice. Your meal will be both wholesome and delicious.
Quinoa is a protein rich, gluten free grain. It is filled with iron and many powerful antioxidants.
Quinoa is a great substitute for rice and is oftentimes considered a “complete protein” because of all the essential amino acids present. As an added bonus, quinoa has even been linked to weight loss. Here are some ways to incorporate it into your diet!
- Start your day off in a delicious way by creating a quinoa “rice” pudding. Not only is it healthy, it’s got just enough sweetness to make you smile your way to work.
- Boil up some quinoa and top it with grilled chicken and your favorite vegetable medley for dinner.
- Another surprising way to use quinoa is by substituting it for breadcrumbs in your grandmother’s favorite meatloaf recipe. This is a healthy alternative to some good old fashioned comfort food.
Teff is a grain native to Ethiopia. This healthy food trend is similar in taste and looks to that of quinoa, but it is smaller and cooks at a faster rate.
This unique come-back grain is especially high in protein and fiber, making a solid choice for your mid-day meal or power breakfast.
There are many super surprising ways to use this new healthy food trend in your everyday diet. You don’t have to forgo enjoyment of your meals when you pick up some teff in the grocery store.
- There are many ways to use teff for a healthy breakfast meal. Use it in your pancakes or in some yummy banana bread. You could also add it to your waffles for a weekend power start.
- For lunch, boil teff and some of your other favorite grains and top it off with some greens or colorful veggies.
- Warm up on a cold winter night by making some polenta with teff as your main ingredient. You’ll be warm and toasty and thankful for a healthy way to spend the evening.
4. Coconut Everything
The coconut trend has been around for some time now but don’t expect it to die out anytime soon. From coconut milk to coconut water, coconuts have found their way into our diets in many different forms.
To start, coconut milk can be a great alternative to regular milk and provides many great health benefits – it can even be used in your coffee at work! Coconut’s resume boasts an ability to fight diseases, build up one’s immune system and lower cholesterol levels.
Coconut water is extremely hydrating and offers great health benefits as well. It contains a great deal of vitamins and minerals that supports overall health.
The electrolytes found in coconut water aids with dehydration, blood flow and can even help reduce stress and fatigue. This makes it a much better choice for rehydration than sugar sports drinks.
- Use coconut milk and combine it in with the cooking of some of your other healthy food trends. Make some “oatmeal” with quinoa or use it in your baking with teff. Whenever a recipe calls for milk in baking, substitute coconut milk for a delicious and healthful option.
- A powerful and super helpful way coconut water can change your game is by substituting it in your cocktails. Because coconut water is hydrating, it can help to prevent a hangover. Now that is something to cheer about. Healthy food trends don’t have to be boring!
5. Vegan Food
Although being vegan was once a lifestyle choice that people devoted themselves to for various reasons, the food found in this diet is now growing in popularity, and not just for those committed to the vegan lifestyle.
This healthy food trend is focused on plant based foods, rather than foods from animals or animal by-products. The foods found in vegan recipes and restaurants are becoming more and more trendy and very commonly seen on menus and food blogs.
This diet commonly consists of beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. This type of food offers many health benefits and promotes a healthy heart. It has also been linked to weight loss. A quick google search will bring up thousands of vegan recipe ideas – here are some!
- Use tofu in lue of eggs for a quick morning breakfast scramble. Pair with toast and walnut butter.
- For a french toast favorite, use bananas instead of eggs. Not only do you have a more healthy option, you can enjoy the amazing taste as well.
- For a quick and easy middle of the day snack, bring some hummus and pair it with some carrots, celery, or peppers. Snacking on some edamame is another easy way to stick with plant based snacking.
6. Nut Based Milks
Many people have moved away from dairy because of dairy intolerance. If you feel cramping after eating a bowl of ice cream or downing a glass of milk, that may be even more of a reason to jump on this trend.
As a substitute for milk, people have been moving towards all natural nut based milks such as almond, cashew or walnut. These types of milks provide many benefits such as weight management and offer a lactose free option for those wanting to avoid dairy.
It is more common to see this type of milk in a work break room, since it’s a delicious and healthy alternative to milk. It goes perfectly with a fresh cup of coffee!
We’ve have one body and one life – it’s important to take care of it. Eating healthy foods, whether it’s jumping on the healthy food trends of the current year or finding something more traditional that works for you, is essential for your overall health and well-being.
Healthy eating changes your overall daily life. It can increase your energy levels and can positively impact your overall productivity at work. Eating healthy foods lowers your chance of dangerous and often life-threatening diseases.
You can see weight loss and you can even increase the longevity of your life. These reasons alone are enough to drop the donut and pick up some fruits and veggies! Healthy food trends or not, eating well is always in style.
