Healthy, sustainable, environmentally-friendly eating, food choices that increase the brain, as well as plenty of vegetables are available to everyone this year.
The Top 10 Healthy Food Trends to Expect in 2023
Be on the lookout for these healthy food trends that are set to grow in 2023.
While the most significant food news in the last year was the increasing price of food items and food items, which is likely to remain a factor as we move into 2023 There have also developments in plant-based foods that reduce food waste and functional drinks and foods that could give people something to be excited about in the coming year.
This could be the year that we finally get ethical, lab-grown meats available for sale and an acceptable vegetarian fish sandwich. To talk about these as well as other new trends we talked to Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, New York City-based writer of Read It Before You Eat It The Journey from the label to the table and Kelly Kennedy, RDN, the dietitian on staff for Everyday Health. They give their views about the most significant healthy food trends we’re expected to see in 2023.
1. Economical Eats
Food prices aren’t expected to rise at the rate that they did in 2022which was as high as 12 percent they’ll remain over historical average rates as per data obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This means more people can save money by making your own food at home considering that dining out can cost three times the amount in the average, as per The NPD Group, a market research company.
Also, you should look for ways to save money on food items. “A lot of people, especially people with larger families, are going to have to look for affordable options in order to stay on budget,” Kennedy says. Kennedy. “I definitely think people are going to be watching where they place their food dollars more closely.” Cost-effective sources of protein, such as canned fish, canned beans and legumes, are likely to get more attention and the more expensive cuts of meat may get a lower priority.
2. More Plant-Based Options
If you’re talking about meat, you’re likely be seeing less of it in the start of the new year. A study from Progressive Grocer says that 27 percent of Americans are choosing to eat less meat. In the end, interest in healthier options is extremely high. Plant-based products’ sales increased three times more than the overall food market in the latest data released in March 2022, and analyzed to the Good Food Institute.
In the category of plant-based meat hamburgers are the most popular, however manufacturers are offering more sausage patties and links as well as tenders, chicken nuggets and cutlets, as per the GFI. The plant-based seafood market is a tiny but growing portion of the market. It includes the first vegan sushi that is frozen and onigiri made by Konscious Foods, a brand established by the same businessman that launched the meat-free burger company Gardein.
3. Plants in More Places
The focus on eating plants has not only led to more poultry, meat alternatives to seafood but it’s also inspired innovative ways to eat vegetables and fruits.
Food manufacturers who manufacture packaged food are responding to the demand for innovative plants-based products by incorporating fruit and vegetables as well as legumes into staple foods such as pasta. There are varieties that are made of chickpeas, lentils, edamame and edamame, as well as spaghetti squash, bananas green and hearts of palm at supermarkets such as Whole Foods. These types of products let people who suffer from food sensitivities or allergies to enjoy pasta. They also generally have higher levels of fiber and protein, and less calories than the traditional variety. This implies they could affect less upon blood sugar. “It’s a great way to eat pasta without the guilt that so many people feel,” says Taub-Dix.
4. Cultured Meat
In the year 2022, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first commercial sale of cultured meat, also known as meat produced in a lab. Although the product needs to be cleared by USDA USDA before it is offered for sale, it’s likely that it will be sold within the next few years. The company behind the product, Upside Foods, hopes to drastically reduce the consumption of chicken raised conventionally as well as its meat and, along with that, decrease the negative environmental and ethical consequences of farming chickens.
In the case of lab-grown meat, producers remove cells from an animal and then make meat from these cells. Biologically, it’s just the similar to animal meat but animals don’t have slaughtered. It may lower the carbon footprint of eating meat since it doesn’t generate methane gas in the same way that livestock that are grazing. It is also less likely to transmit diseases that people contract from eating food from animals.
5. Eco-Conscious Eating
More Americans aren’t just eating healthy with their wellbeing in the forefront, they also consider for the wellbeing of the environment. The consumption of a diet that is climatically sustainable is increasing as more consumers seek to be more sustainable when shopping at the grocery store. In the survey conducted by Cargill over half of the respondents indicated that they were more likely to buy packaged food items that have an environmental claim in the product’s label.
There’s another, more recent twist, that some insiders in the industry are calling”the “regenivore diet,” according to Natural Grocers, that involves not only eating well as well as sustainably but also helping to improve the ecology through practices like the regenerative agricultural system and recycling as well as “upcycling” parts of foods that were previously used during manufacturing.
6. Mood-Boosting Foods
The desire for healthy foods and drinks is still high and, while the focus was on boosting immunity following the pandemic, there is also a growing desire for foods that feel good and aid in fighting depression, fight off dementia and boost the health of your brain.
It is the Mintel 2023 Global Food and Drink Trends report focuses on brands who promote the brain-boosting properties of foods and drinks containing magnesium, caffeine B vitamins, zinc. Natural Grocers reports that the omega-3 fats EPA as well as DHA are popular due to their ability to reduce symptoms of mood problems. Expect to hear lots about natural nootropics according to researchsubstances which claim to boost cognitive performance for example, L-theanine from green tea, ginseng the lion’s mane mushroom, as well as gingko biloba. The jury is still debating about whether these ingredients actually aid in improving your cognitive abilities, pending further studies however.
7. More Mocktails
A smaller percentage of people drink the alcoholic beverage, but those who drink alcohol aren’t as frequently. A 2021 Gallup report revealed that 60% of U.S. adults imbibe at minimum once or twice, a decrease from 65 percent in the year prior. The average for Americans is 3.6 drinks a week, the lowest level recorded since 2001. Kennedy believes these trends will persist, particularly through Dry January.
People are seeking ways to have fun, but not more often than they did previously, and with less energy,” the author says. So, they’re looking for alcohol-free drinks, such as beer and even wine.
8. Food for Your Gut
Many people are concerned for their gut health even though there remain lots of questions regarding what foods are the best, and when to consider taking supplements. Natural Grocers reported that 44 percent of Americans have taken supplements in the last 12 months with the hope to improve their health in the gut.
9. Seafood
Americans have a problem with eating enough of this nutritious food. Whether it’s due to price or taste, or even availability, food manufacturers are working to find solutions to meet those demands. Taub-Dix believes that people will be buying canned fish and cans, whether it’s the tried-and-true classics such as canned tuna and salmon, or less well-known choices like mackerel sardines and clams. “Tinned fish is a great source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, it’s one of the least expensive types of protein you can buy, and it has a long shelf life,” she adds.
10. Natural Sweeteners
There is still a war on sugar, but as people are more aware that artificial sweeteners come free of dangers and are more people switching to natural sweeteners says The Specialty Food Association. This means more whole food options to satisfy sweet cravings, and less processed and refined food items. Natural sweeteners include coconut sugar, maple syrup and fruit juices as well as honey and monk fruit. Dates and products made of these are expected to become especially popular, according to Whole Foods Market, thanks to a viral 2022 TikTok video showing how to utilize dates to create the sweet candy bar confection. There is dates or date syrup as well as many other products that are that are sweetened with dates, ranging from baked items as well as hot sauce.
