Everywhere you look, health pundits and food writers are making their predictions for this year’s big health and foodie trends. We’ve been listening to what the experts are saying and come up with our own top 10 trends for 2015.
First, let’s hear from the trade. In a guest blog for the My Green Directory Julius Nicholson over at Suma has been giving the wholesaler’s perspective. He predicts a general trend towards ‘clean label’ products – no GMOs or other nasties, evidence of ethical sourcing and so on. On specific categories, Nicholson sees a bigger take-off for paelo and raw foods in 2015, continued growth in veggie and vegan protein, growing awareness of the nutritional value of ancient grains (“not just super-tasty and full of nutrients, but often great gluten-free alternatives for those on special diets”) and “all things sprouted”.
On Facebook, retailer Linda Tippey told us that sales of chia, linseed and wheatgrass are flying, and predicts – “since so many people got a Nutribullet for Christmas” – a great year for juicing and ‘nutrient extractors’. Rosie Rayner, meanwhile, tips maple water and teff for great things in 2015.
Healthy food evangelists Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley say that spiralizing (keep up, please!) could give juicing a real run for its money this year. They told the BBC: “Spiralizing transforms your favourite vegetables into pasta-like strips. Use a spiralizing machine to turn squash, carrot, beetroot or celeriac into low-carb alternatives to regular pasta or noodles”.
Food writer Rosie Hopegood gets specific about those ancient grains. She has high hopes for freekah, the nutrient-packed grain popular in the Middle East. Served toasted, it’s delicious and easy to cook. Hopewood thinks it’s a more people-friendly alternative to quinoa, which “though undeniably healthy, has led to disastrous shortages of a staple food crop in its native Peru”.
Anna Magee, founder of Healthvista, has spotted a trend for fermented foods – from Kimchi to kefir. Japan, of course, is the home of fermented foods, so miso, natto and tempeh should stay on-trend in 2015. Magee also name-checks spiralizing and powered super-greens in her tips for the top. And she thinks 2015 will be the year when sprouting products break through into the mainstream.
Medical broadcaster, Michael Mosely, meanwhile thinks we will continue to “shun the sugar – not just the refined stuff, but naturally occurring sugars in fruit juice and smoothies”.
Those food and health trends in a nutshell:
• Keep it clean – no GMOs, no nasties
• Juicing – it’s virtually a national pastime
• Spiralizing – if it grows and it’s healthy, shred it
• Paleo – release your inner caveman in 2015
• Raw – you ain’t seen nothing yet
• We’ll all be a little more seedy (chia, linseed, pumpkin) in 2015
• Fermented foods –they positively fizz with energy
• Ancient grains – nutritionally superior, easier to digest
• Freekah – one to watch (move over quinoa)
• Sugar – give it the slip
