Food trends are not new, and most of them are recycled versions of past ones, but here are three that aren’t worth following, but never seem to go away.
1. Gluten free. The newest version of low carb diets. This one never seems to go away. 1% of the population has celiac disease and needs to avoid gluten. Currently, it is estimated that 21% of Americans are going gluten-free. The number of people with celiac disease has not changed even though gluten free foods have increased dramatically. The market for gluten-free foods is now over $9 billion USD. If you don’t have celiac disease going gluten free isn’t without risk. Eating at least 3 servings of whole grains per day is a good way to reduce your risk of heart disease, increase your fiber intake and fuel properly for exercise. Foods made for the gluten free markets are often highly processed. This means that you are reducing your intake of important nutrients like iron, zinc, folate, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, vitamin B12, and phosphorus.
2. Saturated fat is healthy. You have probably seen the headlines; “butter is back, saturated fat doesn’t clog your arteries, reducing saturated fat doesn’t reduce your risk of heart disease”. No. No, saturated fat is not harmless. However, the food industry has decided the best thing for business is to spread confusion. There is very good research on limiting fat intake, all types of fat, but especially saturated and trans fats. All studies of the healthiest populations have come to the same conclusion. Eat less added fats. Eat very little saturated or trans fats.
3. Raw food. Eat your veggies. Raw or cooked. Just eat them. It is not healthier to eat them raw, no cooking will not destroy the nutritional value of all vegetables. Some vegetables are tastier and easier to eat cooked while some nutrients are easier to absorb after cooking. Cooking tomatoes can double the lycopene available for absorption, beta-carotene is more available after cooking vegetables. Vitamin C can be destroyed from overcooking. Raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, conventional, organic it doesn’t matter how you eat them, just eat more vegetables.
One great food trend that has been predicted to be popular this year? Cooking at home and that is one you might want to consider. People who cook at home, eat less. They also eat less fat, less sodium, sugar and spend less money. This might be one trend that that would be worth adopting.
Change your mind, change your health,
Shayla
Eat your veggies!
Subscribe today, get your plant-based shopping list, and start the 21-Day Plant-Based Challenge.
Recipes, tips and a lot of good news about plant-based diets!
What are you waiting for? Eat more plants.
You must be logged in to post a comment.