18 Healthy Food Trends You Should Try in 2023

Healthy Food Trends to Look For in 2023

     In 2023,  many food trends we've seen start this year will likely carry over, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and people continue to cook at home, order take-out, and get more things than ever delivered. Below we've forecasted just a few things we think you'll be seeing more of in 2023.       

Do you know what moves just as fast as the beauty world? Nutrition, health and fitness trends. As of late, clean and wellness eating have absolutely skyrocketed in popularity, and all of a sudden organic foods, whole foods, superfoods and gluten-free foods, which were once only found in health food stores, have all become normal, mainstream options in your local grocery store.
Here you go: The biggest healthy food trends of 2020 will help you eat more nutritious meals and snacks at home and on the go.

A growing foods trend was seen last year of plant-based eating, as people were made aware about the multiple health conditions associated with a meat-based diet. The food industry has gradually shown interest & started adapting to mock meat and meat alternatives, with the biggest food chains opting for it to be part of their menus. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak in China, people have begun to think how they consume food.

While the idea of healthy food trends might seem ridiculous, nothing is ever really new, and food is food, hopping on board the trend train can be a great way to vary your diet, try new things, and keep healthy eating interesting and fun.
Many of these trends highlight health foods that have been popular staples in other cultures for centuries. The food may be new to you, but they definitely existed elsewhere long before social media.

These are All the Biggest Food Trends Coming for You

Nut butter will make way for seed butter.
Peanut butter is an alternative and classic nut butters like cashew and almond have been buzzy for years. And, while seed butters like sunflower seed butter and tahini are nothing new, in fact, tahini has been a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries, expect to start seeing them everywhere in 2019.
Notice Pumpkin, Sunflower, and watermelon seed butters, which share the same good fat profile of nut butters, but may offer an alternative for those with nut allergies, very recommended steering clear of brands with added sugars and instead sticking to those made with just seeds and sea salt.

“Ugly” food will shine.

Food companies have long been in the habit of trashing ingredients that aren’t pretty enough to sell, but conscious consumers are catching wind. The battle against food waste isn’t new. We campaign encourages the use of food scraps and “ugly” produce in restaurants, and plenty of farmers and merchants outside of the big supermarket chains have never been shy about selling misshapen goods. But it’ll gain even more momentum in 2020
Pretty food isn’t any healthier than the less instant-worthy stuff, and reducing food waste is important for the planet. So, get on board with those crooked carrots.

Oats Aren’t Showing Up Only in Milk

If coffee shops brewing with oat milk is a big deal, here’s tremendous news: Oats are blowing up as a major trend in 2020. In addition to oat milks such as those offered by Oatly, Planet Oat, and Elmhurst 1925, you can find oats in everything from a La Colombe Oat milk Draft Latte and Halsa Foods Oatgurt to Silk Oat Yeah Oatmilkgurt. Oats are also prevalent in more traditional products, such as a new Sprouted Honey Oat bread from Northern Bakehouse.
Oat milk is an alternative for people who can’t or don’t want to do dairy or soy milk. It has about half the protein of soy or cow’s milk and is fortified with calcium to match milk. It also has a little bit of fiber due to the way it is processed.

One thing to keep in mind with oat milk, oat yogurt, and oat everything: Not all products with oats are gluten-free. This is due to both the way the oats are grown and the way they’re processed. If you’re gluten sensitive, read a product’s label to check if the food is indeed gluten-free.

Boosted Kombucha

This effervescent, fermented beverage has been taking over an increased amount of refrigerator aisle real estate at health food stores and supermarkets over the course of the past decade. Food brands are taking the gut-friendly drink to new levels of creativity and flavor with soda-like fizzy tonics and booze-infused kombucha.  As a microbiologist, I’m very excited about this trend. It speaks to peoples’ continued interest in fermented foods, the microbiome, and gut health

Plant-meat Blended Products

Butchers and meat brands won’t be left out of the ‘plant-based’ craze in 2020. But they’re not going vegetarian.
The mega-grocer predicts meat that is better for customers and for the plane  will rise in popularity next year, adding plant-based ingredients to meat products.
In 2019, Tyson Foods launched its first plant-meat blend products. Tyson’s plant-meat products include protein burgers made from beef and pea protein, and sausages and meatballs that combine chicken with plants like chickpeas, black beans, and quinoa.
Perdue is also selling plant-meat blend nuggets, mixing chicken with cauliflower and chickpeas.

Alkaline Water

There’s a new trend claiming to make the healthiest beverage even healthier: alkaline water. But is there such a thing as healthier water? Another one I’ve seen trending on social media, alkaline water claims to balance the pH in your stomach,

If it makes you drink more water, great, but plain-Jane filtered tap water is all you really need and our stomachs tend to do a very good job of balancing pH as part of our normal bodily functions.

Flax Meal

The health community is buzzing about omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed and flax meal (ground from flaxseed) are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3. ALA may help to lower inflammation and increase blood flow in the body, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and blood clots. Try sprinkling flax meal on your morning cereal or adding it to a smoothie.

Probiotics Should be on Your Shelf, not just in Your Fridge.

Research on gut health is growing, in large part because scientists are hopeful that a better understanding of the human microbiome can lead to improved public health. For years, probiotics have been touted as a great way to increase healthy bacteria in the gut—fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt, plus refrigerated pills and formulas have been the go-to delivery method for these bacteria.

What's The Deal with Probiotic Skincare Products?

This year, expect probiotics to show up in shelf-stable products. Wellness-focused brands are making it easier to get more probiotics in your day by adding functional probiotic ingredients to your pantry staples through products like granola, oatmeal, nut butters, soups and nutrition bars.
While there’s probably nothing wrong with probiotic-enriched cornflakes, the science on probiotics is still in early stages, and there’s really no way to be sure that you’re actually getting the healthy bacteria touted on the labels of these foods.

Free Dairy Products
There’s no shortage of food for people with specific dietary needs. That includes lactose-free dairy and dairy alternatives and we’re not talking just milk. You can now find lactose-free cottage cheese, kefir, and yogurt from Green Valley Creamery. And Cabot Cheese boasts a “lactose-free” label on several of its cheeses, including aged cheddar and Colby jack. Furthermore, Icelandic skyr from Icelandic Provisions is naturally 90 percent lactose-free, the company says.
You can also find lactose-free cashew-milk-based creamer from Natural Bliss and hemp creamer from Elmhurst 1925 to pair with your lactose-free coffee order.
Certain health conditions may prevent [some people] from enjoying traditional forms of food, like certain bovine dairy-based milks, and they are increasingly interested in the alternative options coming to the marketplace.

Cauliflower Favorite Health Food
It’s not your imagination, cauliflower is literally *everywhere* right now. Cauliflower is also making its mark on the health scene. And it’s becoming part of the booming plant-based food industry for good reason. It’s a nutrient-dense (it’s high in protein and fiber) and super versatile vegetable that has the ability to take on many different flavors and textures, cauliflower lattes are even a thing! It all began with cauliflower rice a couple of years ago, and now, you can buy cauliflower mash, steak, gnocchi and pizza.

Vitamins and Supplements are on the outs.
Although we’re more wellness-obsessed than ever, the KIND trend report predicts that processed vitamins and supplements will finally be on their way out. Instead, we’re shifting toward a sharper focus on meeting nutrient needs with whole foods.
Nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has long advised meeting nutrient needs by eating as varied a diet as possible, instead of relying on expensive vitamins and supplements (which, BTW, don’t need FDA approval and may not even contain the nutrients they say they do).

Artisan Multigrain Breads

It used to be that you had to seek out a local baker to get high-quality artisan breads. Now, chances are your local market is baking up specialty breads right in the store. Look for breads made with heart-healthy oats, whole-wheat flour, barley, millet and whole-grain rye.

Your Fruit Basket will get a Tropical Spin.
Sick of acai? You may be in luck. Whole Foods is predicting that tropical fruits like guava, dragon fruit, starfruit, and passionfruit will take center stage.
If you’re sick of your usual apple a day, swap in one of these tropical fruits every once in a while. Different fruits have slightly different nutrient profiles, but all are packed with fiber, vitamins, and healthy carbs. Any type of fruit is a great choice for a snack or as part of a meal, and changing things up can help keep you excited about getting your five-a-day.

Meatless Meat
In good news for vegans, vegetarians and anyone who dabbles in Meatless Mondays, the plant-based meat movement is also gaining momentum. Along with the original Impossible burger, we’re seeing vegan jerky (made with coconut), bacon chips (made with mushrooms) and even vegan eggs (made with chia seeds).
As for whether or not these meatless alternatives are healthy. It's always important to look at the ingredients of these products and if you don’t know what it is, do you really want to eat it. It’s good to see more plant-based variety, but it’s important to be mindful of how processed the food might be.

Jackfruit will be the New go-to Meat Substitute.

Jackfruit is a popular meat alternative already being used in place of items like barbecue pulled pork. The fruit is native to Southeast Asia, and is also grown in parts of Africa and South America. Americans have been using it as a meat substitute for a few years now (thanks to a stringy texture that mimics pulled pork or beef), but 2020 will be the year that pulled jackfruit really takes off.

Jackfruit is a good source of iron, calcium, and B vitamins, and using it as a replacement for meat helps you cut calories and saturated fat from your diet,. However, it should be noted that jackfruit has a much lower protein content compared to meat, at 2.8 grams per serving versus around 21 grams, as well as 31 grams of sugar per cup, sliced. Compare that to a cup of sliced banana which has

Agave

Derived from the same plant used to make tequila, agave syrup has generated lots of buzz recently. Also known as agave nectar, it has a deep, rich flavor that is slightly sweeter than honey. It's touted for its low glycemic index (GI) value, meaning it won't spike your blood sugar like high-GI table sugar. Plus, you can use about one-third less to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Collagen 
Beauty and health foods are big in years, but do those collagen powders actually work? Collagen is everywhere right now from powders to bars to drinks. There is scientific evidence to support the use of collagen for anti-ageing – improving skin elasticity and hydration; but you might also see it being promoted for a number of other benefits such as gut healing, none of which are actually backed by scientific research.

Adaptogens
Stressed and tired all the time? We feel you! Adaptogens are currently leading the pack in ingredients that offer benefits for both physical and mental health. “Drawing from Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, adaptogens help the body to cope with stress and hormone changes. Up until this year, they were rare and overpriced, but we’re starting to see more adaptogens on the shelves. Ashwagandha is the most popular one. Mushrooms are full of adaptogens, too.

Yummy Healthy Food Nut Butters 

Peanut butter may be the first health food that comes to mind when you hear "nut butter," but today there are many varieties found right next to that old standby. And they have different nutrition profiles: 2 tablespoons of almond butter provides 75 percent of your daily value of vitamin E, which may help fight damage-causing free radicals. Cashew, walnut and hazelnut butters add exotic flavors to your next snack and are packed with 5 g of protein per 2-tablespoon serving.

Oat Milk
It seems like nearly every year for the past decade we’ve welcomed in a new alternative milk product. The newest dairy-free kid on the block? Oat milk. Another amazing plant-based alternative along with the likes of coconut, almond and soy. Oat milk has the added benefit of beta-glucans, which can help to boost immunity and lower cholesterol.
It’s packed with protein and nutrients, and it’s creamier than most nut milks, so baristas love it.

Coconut Kefir

A trend I love and one that tastes great. Coconut kefir is perfect health food  for anyone that doesn’t consume dairy kefir and wants to give their gut microbiome a boost. The fermentation process not only creates beneficial gut bacteria, but typically makes products fermented products lower in sugar.

How to Incorporate Healthy Foods into Your Diet

While most health and wellness experts aren’t opposed to trying new food trends, the majority believe in a balanced approach to nutrition. The health world is so creative, but sometimes, the trends are taken a little too far.
Coconut oil is a good example. It’s beneficial to eat in small amounts, but many people went overboard, adding coconut to everything and eating spoonful of the stuff. Like any good fat, it’s best eaten in moderation. My advice is to do what feels right for your body, and when you’re in doubt, ask questions.

The best way to incorporate trending health food  ingredients into your diet is to make sure you're eating a rainbow of different nutritious food groups, very recommend as much variety in the diet as possible. If you look at coconut kefir for example, it’s a great one to include daily [as are] other gut-loving foods like sauerkraut, but meatless meat options I would suggest consuming in moderation.
Some collagen products can be great and there are some tasty snacks out there, but there will be variables in the amount of collagen you’ll find in the product. It’s worth considering if the product will live up to its hype, so always take a look at the  healthy food ingredients list

Cooking at Home More Often 

While restaurant delivery has seen a jump, indoor and even outdoor dining has been restricted or mandated to close in many states.  FIC survey revealed that 60 percent of us are cooking at home more often.  64 percent of a pool of 2,000 Americans surveyed by the research company Highland reported spending less money on restaurant meals in 2020. “From a nutritional standpoint, that likely means less added fat, sodium, and sugar than one would typically find in prepared or takeout meals,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, RDN, founder of Nutrition Starring YOU and author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club. “Hopefully, people will have gained cooking skills and tried new foods that they will continue to consume once life in America reverts back to some sense of normalcy.”