So what will we eat in 2019? Looks like lots of interesting new stuff is coming your way as the palates are getting more evolved and new research is changing how we eat and what we plate more.
Below are the 10 food, diet and nutrition trends I foresee in 2019.
Nutrition Trends
Here are the top nutrition trends to watch out for in 2019:
Snacking Right
How we snack is also kind of getting a makeover, as the fact that we actually mess up our calorie intake and our health much more during these unplanned munching has gotten home. So I see many more convenient form of snacks, the easy-to-grab finger foods that are healthy too getting more common place.
Look out for: Whole grain crackers, preservative free spreads, nitrate-free salami and other cut meats, pre-sliced fruits and veggies, and herb-flavoured nuts.
Meso Nutrients
After the times of macro (meaning big), micro (meaning small), next year we will see meso (meaning tiny and literally inside the food) become really big. So we will see an even bigger shift from say turmeric to curcumin (the component that actually delivers its anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing benefit).
Look out for: EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) extracts, a plant phenol found from green tea which has proven powerful antioxidant benefits and saffronal, from saffron which apparently has antidepressant, appetite suppressing and libido boosting benefits.
Brain Health
Natural cognitive supplements will take precedence and more and more foods and supplements will try to address issues like brain fog, poor memory, anxiety and lack of focus and even depression. The nutrients in focus are vitamin B6, B12, CDP-choline, magnesium, 5HTP, L theanine. These natural nootropics will help remove the stigma and addictive nature of mind-altering drugs.
Look out for: Bacopa monnieri, an ayurvedic herb, and an adaptogenic herb rhodiola rosea.
Diet Trends
The top diet trends that will dominate 2019:
Intermittent Fasting
Diets come and go. That’s a given but it is rare in the world of diets to have something that has stood the test of time (even ancient Ayurveda sings its praises) and still hold strong with most well being experts singing its praises and agreeing it works. So this one will stay strong all through 2019 (and even later) I am sure.
Fasting 14-16 hours overnight and eat everything in an eight – ten hour window 3-5 days a week remains the most popular way to do it.
Look out for: The advice now is to add some high, fat, medium chain fatty acids (coconut oil or ghee) to your diet to avoid hunger pangs during the non-eating window.
Plant-Based Keto
Keto has been ruling the charts but now the tide is turning a bit and plant-based diets are gaining traction. More and more people are cutting off meat from their diet fuelled by the worry about meat being cancerous, excess protein being harmless, more eco damaging, and also the news that most of the meat we eat is loaded with antibiotic resistant bacteria.
In fact, innovative meat-free products are now being demanded by not only vegans, but everyone looking to cut meat from their diet, even staunch keto followers.
Look out for: Focussed plant-based keto diet menus, that are high-fat, high protein, minus the animal produce.
The Flexitarian Diet
Flexitarian is made with two words: flexible and vegetarian. I am all for this one and am happy that it’s finding more takers. Here you don't have to completely eliminate meat, instead you can be a vegetarian most of the time, with some meat, and eggs thrown in at intervals (or when the urge strikes). This way you get to reap the health benefits associated with vegetarianism, and still get to ensure the necessary high quality proteins and some meat specific nutrients in your diet.
Look out for: More legumes, soy and sprouts will make it to the plates to meet the protein requirement.
Food Trends
The top food trends that you can’t miss in the coming year:
Chocolate Comeback
Both coffee and cacao already know are full of antioxidants polyphenols, which reduce inflammation – another driver for weight gain – but it seems they are are great ‘envoys’ too, meaning they can help carry other nutrients into your cells more efficiently.
Look out for: Power nutrient dense drinks with high quality coffee and chocolate base.
Non-Dairy Milks
Non-dairy milks will continue to be in demand and will become more mainstream in 2019. Plant and nut based dairy - pea protein milk, almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, rice milk, hemp milk and soy milk - will continue to become more popular.
Look out for: Oats milk unsweetened and fortified with calcium & vitamin D will also become available and accepted.
CBD Foods
Hemp seeds and oils have been around for a while but now in lieu of the interesting data coming up regarding hemp-derived CBD - (which is different than marijuana as it doesn’t have the psychoactive attributes) coming up that it may help with anxiety, digestion and insomnia, many CBD-infused products are coming up worldwide and some may trickle into India too next year.
Look out for: CBD infused coffee.
Healthier Drinks
Right hydration will continue to stay important and people will take forward their switch towards healthier options of drinks. While coconut water has been ruling for a while, there’s some competition coming up.
Look out for: Maple water, which contains less than half of the sugar of coconut water, as well as cactus water, which is supposedly great for our skin revitalization.
(Kavita is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico) and Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa).)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)