As society becomes more conscious about their eating habits and the direct correlation that has on their health, the nutrition industry is forever evolving.
With 2017 seeing a boom in topics ranging from healthy fats to plant waters, there are new trends emerging every week to question the status quo.
Yet the notion of nutrition is not just limited to food – far from it. Almost anything that falls under the banner of health, fitness, lifestyle and wellbeing will have some connection to this issue and 2018 is set to be a big year for new developments in the field.
Let us examine the top nutrition trends to watch out for this year.
Vegan alternative foods
Now that animal welfare is not just a buzzword echoed by PETA advocates, consumers are searching for food that is 100% meat-free from their diet.
Australians in particular have typed in ‘vegan’ into Google more than any other, leaving experts to conclude that vegetarians and flexitarians (occasional meat eating) are some of the biggest growth markets domestically speaking in 2018.
Cottage cheese
Gym enthusiasts and health fanatics are always after neat little hacks to boost their protein intake. Cottage cheese happens to be one of those foods that caters to this need.
The good news for consumers is that there is a plethora of brands to offer a variety in types and pricing. Run down the isles of your local supermarket and discover cottage cheeses from Philadelphia, Woolworths, Weight Watchers and Bulla among others.
These brands are wanting to transition cottage cheese away from the stale product is has been over the years and with a low sugar count and no artificial colours, it is a trendy nutritional option.
The Keto diet
The Ketogenic or Keto diet for short is all based around the concept of dropping weight as quickly and efficiently as possible. Given that nutrition plays a significant role in any alterations to weight, this philosophy places emphasis on foods that are high in protein and fat while dropping the count on carbohydrates.
The target is to place your body in a metabolic state whereby more ketones are produced in the body. Time will tell if this falls into the category of forgotten nutrition fads by 2019, but it continues to gain major traction in the health community.
Going green
Organic foods can be considered in many cases to be an expensive luxury many households cannot afford day-to-day, but there are bush foods out there that seen as a viable and natural alternative.
Lemon myrtle, Warrigal greens, wattle seeds, kakadu plants and other indigenous offerings are being rediscovered as Australians tap into their surrounding environment. Experts see the high levels of vitamin C and anti-bacterial values tying into the demands of the nutritional marketplace.
Fitbits
What cannot be considered a part-time trend that is disposable in any shape or form is the Fitbit. Consumers are now after devices that have stronger battery life, more accurate data on heart rate and distance covered, and have the ability to be waterproof while acting as a reliable watch.
Brands like Misfit, Merlin Cycles, Argos, Amazon and of course Apple are staying on the cutting edge in this field. Their technological advancements are heralded by users and experts, keeping customers on their toes to see what the next evolutionary step will be this year.
Turmeric
Herbal supplement sales have a lot to thank turmeric for. This dietary ingredient has recently become an added feature in almost every field of the nutritional industry. Given that it works to boost cognitive function and an individual’s inflammatory response, it’s any wonder turmeric has become this popular.