Whew! We finally made it out of 2020! While the world is still recovering from a pandemic, and quite possibly the most stressful year in our lifetime, I wanted to start the new year on a lighter note exploring what I think will be the top 6 food trends of 2021.
Sustainable seafood
If you know me, you know I’m a huge advocate for sustainable seafood. This is one of the main reasons I created my company, Mini Fish. As climate change, pollution and overfishing become more of an issue, and ocean life struggles to adapt, sustainable seafood is more important now than ever.
Mini Fish sources its trout from one of the most sustainable and pristine aquaculture sources in the world. The trout is raised in pure spring water with no microplastics or growth hormones, antibiotics or PCBS. Not only is this seafood sustainable, but it also provides an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids - a nutrient which all Americans should aim to get more of in 2021. To learn some quick and easy ways to add more sustainable seafood to your diet this year, check out this post.
These other brands are already hoping on the sustainable seafood trend as well:
2. Sea veggies
Another trending topic that has to do with foods found in the ocean is sea veggies. This includes products like nori, kelp, seaweed, spirulina, kombu and dulse. These sea veggies have a tasty umami flavor and are packed with important nutrients like fiber, chlorophyll, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. These oceanic superfoods are also a great source of iodine, an essential mineral for thyroid function.
Check out these brands who are already following the sea veggie trend:
3. Adaptogens - Reshi, Eleuthero, Chaga
Adaptogens have been a hot topic for a while, but in particular these three have been popping up in interesting ways. What all three of these have in common is that they are used to combat stress and fatigue, which is something we’ve all been dealing with.
Reshi is a fungi that grows in Asia that may help with anxiety and depression.
Eleuthero is also called Siberian Ginseng. It’s an asian herb often used to prevent burnout.
Chaga is a type of mushroom packed with antioxidant properties and may help improve mood.
It's important to note that most research done on adaptogens is via animal studies, so always consult with your physician before consuming.
Here are a few brands that have hop on the adaptogen trend:
4. Date sweetener
Move over honey, there's a new natural sweetener in town! In 2021, I anticipate a lot more food blogger recipes to contain date sweeteners. Date syrup is a natural sweetener that also provides other nutrients like magnesium and potassium. What's even better, is that date syrup has strong antioxidant properties. The ORAC value (aka a measure of the antioxidant capacity of foods) of dates is 3,895 vs honey which is only 270.
Additionally, date syrup has a lower glycemic index than honey and maple syrup. The glycemic index gives insight into how consumption of a food impacts your blood sugar levels, which is important to keep your energy levels stable as well as for the prevention and management of diabetes.
You can use this sweetener for baked goods, granola, dressings and even in your morning coffee.
Here are some popular date sweeteners brands below
5. Garbanzo beaN (aka chickpea) food products
Is chickpea the new cauliflower?! It may be! I’ve noticed a huge trend toward chickpea based products from pizza to pasta and even to chips! It looks like chickpeas are more versatile than ever.
Chickpeas are an excellent plant protein high in fiber and other micronutrients like potassium, b vitamins, iron, magnesium and selenium.
Here are a few great chickpea based products to try
6. Seeds over nuts
Did you know that research from 2018 and 2019 showed that 6.1 million Americans have peanut allergies and 3.9 million Americans have tree nut allergies? Knowing that, it’s no surprise seed-based products have grown in popularity. Like nuts, there are a great variety of different seeds to choose from. Popular ones include sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Seeds are a great source of plant protein, fiber and various other vitamins and minerals.
From things like seed bars, seed butter and seed based dressings, if you have a nut allergy these products have got you covered.
Here are some brands to try: