Water Cooler Wellness: Health Food Trends

Healthy Foods En Vogue

It seems like every year there’s a new health food craze sweeping the nation and our local Whole Foods stores. First there was soy, then kale, quinoa, acai, and a whole host of other exotic or unknown plants and seeds. All of these trends claimed to be the next big thing in changing your health for the better—and to be fair—most of them are very good for you.

Have you ever wondered to yourself, “What’s the new, cool health food out there for me to try and show off to my friends? I wish there was a handsome blogger out there to give me a list of these trends.”

Well then you’re in luck! Because I have for you four health foods du jour to check out and hopefully try for yourself.

Ch-ch-ch-chia!

The first thing that always comes to my mind when I hear the word “chia” are those cheap novelty gifts that have plants growing out of a ceramic head like hair. But there are actually real benefits to those seeds besides a last minute gag gift to a friend.

Chia is a flowering plant in the mint family and its seeds have been used for centuries as a crop and food source. There has been a recent chia resurgence in the health community because of the many benefits people claim it has.

It is said that chia seeds can help curb appetites and in turn promote weight loss and provide beneficial Omega-3’s. Chia seeds can give your digestive track a boost because of their high fiber content. They are also rich in body nourishing antioxidants.

There are many different ways to consume chia seeds including: chia seed pudding, as a topping on different dishes, a healthy filler in baked goods, and in drinks to fuel your body and satisfy your taste buds.

Moo-ve Over Cows!

Milk alternatives have been an extremely popular health food trend in the past and that continues now with people using milks from all different types of nuts and plants. Coconut and almond milk are the most popular choice for milk alternatives, but now people are also drinking cashew, hazelnut, rice, flax, and hemp milk.

All these milks provide your body with select essential micro and macro nutrients but also provide a dairy alternative that tastes great.

While they are all a popular alternative to dairy milk, these nut and plant milks can also be high in sugars and saturated fats but low in calcium, protein and other select nutrients. If you have a dairy allergy or choose the vegan life—these milks can be a great option for you—but you will need to do your research before choosing the right one.

Kefir, Not the Actor from 24.

Yogurt is and has been a massive staple in diets for centuries. It’s a versatile food that you can eat, drink, and make sauces out of. It also helps Jamie Lee Curtis’ digestive system.

Kefir is an ancient yogurt-like drink that’s making its way mainstream. It is a fermented milk drink (from cow, goat, or sheep) made with kefir grains.

Like Greek yogurt, kefir is a probiotic-rich food that can help with digestion and support healthy immunity. Kefir is a good source of B12, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K2, and folate. All these combined can aid in building bone density, improving gut health, and support your body’s detoxification processes. Kefir is also known to be digestible for those with lactose intolerance.

You can find kefir in your yogurt/dairy aisle and it usually comes in a bottle with added flavors like strawberry banana and cherry.

Bugs. Wait, What?

Yes, you read that title right. Bugs. Not hugs or lugs or pugs, but bugs.

Bug protein and flour is the new kid on the block and is becoming the hip, chic trend in the health food world.

Because this is such a new trend, many people are skeptical of the sustainability and benefits of bug—specifically cricket-based—foods. But how often will I get to talk about eating bugs on here? I have to take the chances given to me.

Crickets are being called the protein of the future because of their high protein and low saturated fat contents. Crickets also use much less water and land to produce than beef and pork. Crickets are also full of magnesium, iron, and calcium.

The main way people are consuming crickets is from cricket flour. You can buy bags of it online and use it as an added protein to baked goods, snacks, and protein drinks. There is even a company that solely makes protein bars with cricket flour.

Cricket flour and protein is a viable and potentially eco-friendly healthy food that can soon take the throne of the newest food craze. That is if you can get past the idea of eating ground up crickets.

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