Natural Grocers Reveals Top 10 Nutrition Trends

'Zoodles,' turmeric, easy-to-eat supplements among them

January 4, 2017, 01:52 pm

Natural Grocers has announced its top 10 nutrition trends predictions for 2017, developed by a panel of the company’s category managers, nutrition experts and editorial staff.

Citing the trends, the Lakewood, Colo.-based grocer said:

1. Eating healthy also means eating ethically
   From ethical eggs to humane animal husbandry, how food is produced is at an all-time high in terms of consumer interest. This is perhaps most evident in the passage of legislation in New Hampshire that bans the use of inhumane animal confinement methods. Even more telling is that 78 percent of voters supported the law.
    
2. The popularity of organics continues to grow
   As more people, especially Millennials, realize how pesticides and nutrition impact their health, they're demanding more healthful and nutritious food. This has translated into a robust organic industry that has experienced double-digit growth.
    
3. Mocktails are booze-free, but will still make you smile
   Nonalcoholic cocktails are thoughtfully constructed, eye-catching and delicious. Just as well, recipes for how to make your own mocktails have been appearing all over the place.
    
4. Turmeric is hot
   Turmeric, one of the most heavily researched supplements and dietary ingredients, is showing up all over – in juices and tonics, macaroni coloring, and herbal supplements.Turmeric supports a healthy inflammatory response and cognitive function, both highly important aspects of health for the American population.
    
5. Noodles have been replaced by “zoodles”
   Nutrient-dense vegetable noodles such as zucchini noodles (“zoodles”) or sweet potato noodles can be made with a spiralizers and used to replace high-carbohydrate, nutrient-poor processed grains in pasta-based dishes. Jicama, beets and daikon, too, can be used to make vegetable noodles.
    
6. Minimizing food waste is becoming a bigger deal
   Almost half of the food in America is wasted, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Consumers can make soup with their chicken carcasses, roast carrots with some balsamic vinegar, use the tops in a salad, and more. Reducing waste helps save not only the environment, but also money.
    
7. Everything is going grassfed
   When cows or goats eat only grasses and other forages, it translates into more healthful milk from healthier cows. This trend isn’t limited to dairy – meat and even dietary supplements like whey protein are now being sourced from grassfed cattle.
    
8. Snack attacks are huge
   Snacking, especially for Millennials, has become an ideal opportunity for eating better, especially considering that 62 percent of Millennials reported snacking throughout the day. More and more of these snacks are low in sugar, non-GMO and/or gluten-free; meat bars, hummus, vegetable dips and sardines will define this trend.
    
9. "Fat phobia" is ending
   Recent scientific literature showing no clear association between saturated fat and heart disease risk, along with a society more open to embracing healthy fats, is bringing “fat phobia” to an end. Fats from coconuts, olives and avocados are appearing in a variety of products, and full-fat dairy is making a comeback. This is positive, as fat-soluble vitamins such as A and E are frequently missing from Americans’ diets.
    
10. Supplementing nutrition has become easy
    New and often less-intimidating forms of dietary supplements are coming into play. Tasty fish oil liquid swirls, multivitamin gummies, superfood-rich smoothie mixes and collagen powders all provide easy ways to supplement diets.