The Best Health Trends of the Last Decade We Hope Stick Around
If you're going to keep up with any healthy habit, these are the ones a dietitian recommends sticking with.
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There has been a whole lotta food news in the last 10 years. As we look ahead to 2020, we also want to take some time to think about everything we've learned this past decade. Many health trends have come and gone over the years (baby food diet, anyone?), but these are the ones we hope stick around for the next decade to come.
Fermented Foods
We learned a lot about the importance of gut heath over the last 10 years. Keeping the bacteria in your gut properly balanced can contribute to improved digestion, immunity and skin health. Regular doses of fermented foods like and kimchi, yogurt and kombucha can help keep that healthy bacteria flowing.
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Greens Are Cool Again
Let’s face it, no one was eating kale in the early 2000s. While it may have taken a backseat to cauliflower in the last few years, peeps are still eating more leafy greens and that’s a great thing. Check out 10 Healthy Ways To Get More Kale In Your Day.
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Decade of the Pulses
Pulses like lentils and beans are having their (decade-long) moment. Hummus is now big business at the grocery store and chickpea munchies are a healthy snackers’ dream. Lentils aren’t just for soup, you will find them in cookies, veggie burgers and batches of chili.
Fitness To Go
It seems like every year there’s a new hot way to stay in shape. Fitness trackers now attach to every part of your body, sending all the fitness analytics to your phone with a quick sync. Whether you are a fan of visiting a local Orange Theory, Soul Cycle or F45 studio or sweating through an at-home spin on a Peloton, there’s truly something for everyone.
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Seeds
The rise of everything bagel spice is only the latest in a series of celebrations of seeds. Nutrient rich tiny superfoods like flax and chia have found their way into our hearts, as well as our smoothies, puddings, salads and energy bites.
Juicing
Juicing was all the range in the early 2010s and sipping on freshly cold pressed juices is heating up again! The equipment for the home juicer is getting more sophisticated and (bonus) they are more affordable, so get juicing.
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Mediterranean Diet
Plenty of fad diets have come and gone in the last 10 years but the one we actually want to see stick around is the Mediterranean Diet. Rich in fish, plant-based oils, whole grains, vegetables and fruit, this style of eating has sparked dozens of cookbooks, recipes and research studies to support its benefit for preventing diabetes and promoting heart health and weight loss.
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Functional Beverages
From bright green Matcha lattes to fizzy kombucha to turmeric-spiked Golden Milk, the last ten years have given us bevvies with a powerful purpose. Keep the added sugar in check and sip your way to better health for years to come.
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Ancient Grains
Long gone are the days of explaining how to pronounce quinoa (“it’s keen-wa”)! Once just considered obscure alternatives to rice, millet, farro, amaranth and sorghum are an impressive list of whole grains that can now be found in bulk bins, breads, cereals and baked goods.
Milk Alternatives
Plant-based milk alternatives are nothing new to the food scene but the enormous number of options is constantly evolving. All of these options have different flavors, textures and nutrient profiles and new ones are popping up every day. We love that they are fortified with calcium and vitamin D to help those not eating dairy to get these much needed nutrients.
Reducing Food Waste
The 2010s has brought us piles of data about the mountains of foods we waste every year. Along with this information have come initiatives to inspire cutting back on waste through better shopping, prepping and storing food. Can you find ways to cut back on the waste in your kitchen in the coming years? Consider yourself officially challenged!
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CBD
We are just getting started with hype surrounding CBD and there’s no telling where this will be by 2030! State laws vary whether or not CBD products can be used in foods and there remains some unanswered questions. There is little research done on its safety and effectiveness and little regulation on the products out there so proceed with caution for now.
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