Now that we are in full 2018 mode, what health trends are we going to see in this new year?

Healthy Food Trends

Eat Those Flowers

According to the buyers at Whole Foods, you will see a lot of flowers garnishing and flavoring your foods. Edibles like rose petals, lavender, and squash blossoms will be big menu items.

If you’ve got sun and space, growing squashes is fairly easy (think zucchini); For flower pots or smaller borders, edibles like nasturtium and violets are easy to grow and pretty to look at.

Beyond eating the petals, you can stuff the squash blossoms, incorporate lavender into tea breads, and make jelly from rose hips.

Elderflower (Sambucus) will feature prominently in health food products and as a supplement. Don’t try to harvest it on your own, though, unless you have sufficient knowledge of this plant. Though the flowers and berries are edible when properly handled, the plant itself is toxic.

 

Nuts and Plants in Other Weird Places

I’m not vegan, how about you?  However, one of my food goals is to eat more plant-based foods and rely less on animal products for nutrition.

This appears to be a trend in the coming year, with even more nut and seed milk introductions. We’ll also see alternative “dairy”products made from plants such as oatmeal milk, avocado puree-based ice cream, and banana/sunflower butter milk.

Powders are on the hot list.  Think of them as the dry form of essential oils. The idea is to get a very concentrated dose of antioxidants. Beyond matcha, look for turmeric, mushrooms, and moringa in powdered form and being incorporated into hot and cold drinks, sauces and dressings, and whatever else creative cooks can think up.

The Year of the Mushroom

I am the only one in my family who likes mushrooms, unfortunately!

Mushrooms look to be a big trend in 2018, from the powders mentioned above, to personal care products, to veggie burgers.

For those of us who still eat some meat, there are now burgers than contain chopped mushrooms and beef. This cuts down on fat, adds antioxidants, and slowly moves us closer to a plant-based diet. Or, should I say, a PLANET-based diet?

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This post is not intended to offer medical advice. Check with your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise plan.

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