Every New Year sees new food heroes. Foods that bring us a health advantage, foods that keep us a little further away from health risks, foods that brings us inches closer to longevity, foods that enter the market with drama and fanfare with nutritionists and health experts reviewing and promising their benefits!
So what will be the trends in 2019 under the umbrella of healthy foods?
Mesonutrients – A very interesting and novel word! Macronutrients are the nutrients we need in larger amounts in a day, namely the carbs, fats and proteins. The micronutrients are the nutrients we need in small amounts which are the vitamins and minerals. While mesonutrients are those extracts from certain foods that will give our body a fair advantage in detoxifying, healing, building resistance and or developing a wonderful antioxidant capacity.
Mesonutrients we need in smaller amounts for a larger health advantage and are extracted from natural substances, like curcumin from haldi/turmeric or anthocyanins in berries, lycopene (red pigment) in tomatoes or berberines (from barberries)!
The mesonutrients are choices we make based on what our body may need at any given point. Curcumin has achieved global acclaim due to it’s property of being able to heal and detoxify the body, berberines are magical in their ability to control insulin levels while lycopenes are antioxidants supporting the body in fighting free radicals. These are just a few examples, there are endless such mesonutrients and 2019 will see the discovery and rise of these beneficial substances.
Dairy infected with growth hormones has seen a huge growth in the Indian market over the past 2 decades. It has brought on a host of health problems including hormonal imbalances in women, early onset of puberty amongst girls and has even been linked to the increasing rate of cancer. As a result people are moving away from dairy and looking at substitutes which are created at a frequency which seems to be hard to keep up with! Soymilk, almond milk, rice milk, hemp milk and the new star which is oat milk are few inventions which have helped not only the lactose intolerant but also vegans and those who believe that cow’s milk is meant for only the calves. The demand for these substitute dairy products will continue to grow and see a rise in 2019.
Plant based foods – Vegetarianism is no longer an Indian concept. It has been adopted globally by sections that believe in the power of plant based foods. The nature of their diet is such that it is completely devoid of animal and animal products to eliminate the hormonal disadvantages and touted health hazards it may tide in. And is replaced by a bounty of antioxidants and nutrients that lie a plenty in fruits and vegetables. Vegetarianism, being vegan is a statement that is being embraced by a larger section of people and I see as an ongoing trend in 2019.
Gut and Digestive care – Most lifestyle diseases begin in the gut. And this fact is being reiterated by health advocates all over the world. The importance of probiotics like beet kvass, sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented veggies and others are being shouted out from roof tops! Maintaining the strength of stomach acids and an alkaline gut environment is of penultimate importance. Ways and means to keep the digestive tract functioning at optimum levels are being taught and researched extensively. This story will continue well into 2019!
Good health is irreplaceable. And good lifestyle practices are skills that we need to enhance and internalize. 2019 should be the year of sound knowledge in nutrition practices. Hopefully it will be another to educate the masses about health and wellness and keep our longevity going!
Source- My Good Times
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