With the excess of the holidays over, the New Year is a time when many people are trying to get their nutrition back on track. Let’s now take a look at what the biggest trends in nutrition are likely to be in 2015.
Kale Continues
Of all the leafy vegetables, kale has been one of the top choices of health conscious consumers. In past years, it’s earned the title “Queen of Greens,” and experts project that it’s going to maintain its status in 2015. With a plethora of nutrients, ability to lower cholesterol and reduce certain types of cancer, it’s easy to see why kale is expected to be bigger than ever this year.
Ancient Grains Make a Comeback
Perhaps a more surprising trend is a resurgence of grains that were popular thousands of years ago among ancient peoples. For instance, it’s predicted that amaranth; a grain cultivated for over 8,000 years by nations like the Aztecs will grow in popularity. Quinoa, which has been consumed by people in South America for 4,000 years, should also be making its way into households. Both of these ancient grains are jam-packed full of vitamins, and quinoa in particular contains a lot of fiber.
Eating Local
Consuming foods that are grown locally not only saves money and stimulates the local economy, but it can produce some outstanding culinary delights. While regionally grown fruits and vegetables have already been popular among consumers for some time, the demand for locally sourced grains is expected to rise in 2015 as well.
Japanese Matcha
The Japanese are renowned for their healthy diets and for integrating ancient traditions into modern times. One prediction for this year is that matcha will become more mainstream. This is a bright green tea that’s been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for over 1,000 years and is known for being extremely healthy and high in antioxidants.
Unlike regular green tea, matcha contains less caffeine. Because the entire tea leaf is ground up into a very fine powder, you get the maximum amount of nutrients from it. Besides simply using it for tea, matcha can also be infused into shakes, lattes, ice drinks and even cake.
Although one can never say for sure what the New Year will bring, these 2015 nutrition trends are expected to be big and can offer some serious health benefits.
