Not everything the West sends over in a food packet is bad.
Some imports are actually outstanding and we can definitely benefit from the goodness they offer.
So here’s hoping these new foods trending in many countries of the world come to our shores already!
Alternative Pastas
Who doesn’t like to dig into a comforting dish of pasta every now and then? But there’s always the guilt of eating refined (in case of white pasta) and tons of carbs (even if it is whole wheat or brown rice pasta) that spoils the fun.
That’s why alternative guilt-free pastas are a great deal. We’d love to see lentil pastas – the chick pea and moong dal pastas – become a thing in India. Besides being delicious, they are a great way to get both high protein and taste.
The Japanese miracle food ‘Shirataki Noodles’ (loaded with fibre and extremely low-calorie), the quinoa pasta and the spelt (an ancient, nutty-flavoured grain that's remarkably high in both fibre and protein) pastas are also on the wish list.
Nooch
This nutritional yeast that has a nutty, savoury, cheesy, umami flavour has been popping up in lots of menus worldwide.
It’s available as flakes or powder, looks and tastes like parmesan, and is devoid of dairy – so a hit with vegans.
Derived from sugarcane or beet molasses, nooch is packed with nutrients, including fibre, B vitamins (it's full of vitamin B12, which is something that is lacking in most vegetarian diets), minerals including zinc, magnesium and copper and protein. (Yes, protein! A tablespoon delivers 3 grams.)
It’s just perfect to sprinkle on pop corn, soups, pasta dishes and even scrambled eggs.
Koji
Koji, a popular Japanese health food is really just rice, but it's got a bit more pizazz than that. It’s rice that has been inoculated with the koji mold – a fermentation culture, Aspergillus oryzae – and is great for our gut.
Koji is traditionally used to make miso paste and soy sauce and is the base for umami.
It's the ultimate way to add flavoUr to a dish without any additional salt.
Vegetable Yoghurt
Sweet yoghurts aren’t that healthy really, as they are loaded with sugars. But don’t worry, new savoury yoghurts blended with vegetables are already the new buzz word in packaged dairy world over now.
It’s basically raita given a trendy makeover – and flavours like beetroot, sweet potato and butternut squash are already popular in the US.
Hopefully they’ll cross over to India soon.
Sambal
This hot Malaysian origin sauce – made from red cayenne chilli with a bit of vinegar, salt and sugar – packs quite a punch.
It improves circulation, has pain-relieving and metabolism-boosting properties, and is a good concentrated source of minerals including iron, vitamin C and beta carotene. Chillies are also great if you’re struck with a winter cold as they can be very de-congesting.
Are you still wondering why we’d like to see more of sambal on Indian shelves?
Powdered Peanut Butter
Made from defatted peanuts, this has less than half the calories of regular peanut butter.
It can be used in recipes, or made into a spread by just adding some water.
Plus, it’s way easier to slip into your morning smoothie or favourite recipe for a little extra protein (and slower calories).
Kalettes
Step aside kale, kalettes are the brand-new vegetable that offer the best flavours of kale and brussels sprouts.
This fusion is ‘sweet and nutty’, is a very versatile vegetable, and, as it is a cross between two superfoods, one gets more than a fair share of nutrients.
That’s why they are being lapped up world over now. In fact, besides kalettes, there’s broccoflower (a cross between broccoli and cauliflower) and many other psychedelic vegetables including rainbow carrots, squashes and purple cauliflowers – all of which sound super interesting.
Moringa
The leafy green vegetable, moringa, is looking to really rule in 2017.
And it stands a pretty good chance as it is extremely nutritious and offers the additional bonus of providing a plant protein very similar to quinoa. Besides the leaf’s powder supplement, its pods, roots, flowers, seeds and fruits are all being eaten, and these interest me excessively.
(Kavita Devgan is a weight management consultant, nutritionist, health columnist and author of ‘Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People’.)
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