Food and Diet Trends to Watch in 2021

February 3, 2023 admin 2021, Food, health, Milk, Pasta

Curious about the food and diet trends you can expect to see more of in 2021? We did the research to cut down on the food types and dietary trends you can expect to see more of this year!

Food and Diet Trends

In their quest to meet their consumers’ expectations, companies annually claim trends that will bias their purchasing decisions. The impact of COVID-19 on them was remarkable. Hence, loaded immune system boost will be the trend in 2021. Prevent disease with what you eat, take advantage of natural anti-inflammatories, relieve tension and lessen fear. Probiotics and prebiotics will emerge as a healthy eating trend that will mark 2021.

plant-based proteins

Consumers continue to look for alternatives to meat, and brands and retailers are making these options easier to find. 2020 has seen more plant-based options than ever before, especially when it comes to protein sources.

While it is nothing new, people are becoming more conscious of their food sources, and so plant-based proteins are set to gain even more momentum this year.

From meat-mimicking artifacts to vegan protein powders and plant-based protein drinks, there will be a range of new ingredients used to create plant protein options such as mung beans, hemp seeds, watermelon seeds, and avocados.

Probiotic drinks (eg kombucha, kefir)

Intestinal health has been trending for several years, and there has been a lot of focus on probiotics (good-for-you bacteria). We predict that the popularity of probiotic drinks will continue to increase this year. Drinks such as kombucha (fermented tea) and kefir (fermented milk) will continue to increase in popularity due to their health benefits and flavor.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that promotes the growth of probiotics (healthy bacteria). While prebiotics have been overshadowed by living bacteria themselves, there is now great appreciation for these backstage players for their role in beautifying the gut microbiome. Prebiotics occur naturally in a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, and nuts. However, we also expect to see more foods fortified with prebiotics, such as drinks and supplements.

In a crowded market for probiotics, brands are looking to prebiotics and the potential of symbiotic combinations as a way to innovate and stand out.

Non-dairy milk alternatives

2020 quickly saw almost every nut, almond, sunflower, cashew, walnut, along with a milk version. lately oat milk favorites and we hope to see more of these options become available this year. Besides dairy only, non-dairy yoghurt, cheese and ice cream are expected to grow in popularity!

Eating Mindfully

The mindful eating movement will continue to grow in 2021. While mindful eating itself is not a new concept, it continues in terms of its benefits and we expect it to become more recognized as people grow weary of the diet.

Mindful eating is about paying more attention when you eat and aligning your hunger and fullness signals, as well as the taste, texture, and flavors of food.

Legume pasta

As the plant-based trend continues into 2021, we expect to see an increase in legume pastas that are actually recognized. These colorful and nutrient-rich pasta alternatives are often made with an easy ingredient such as chickpeas, red lentils, or green lentils, making them free of common food allergens, fillers, additives, and binders.

While we’re big fans of traditional pasta, legume pasta contains almost twice the protein per 100g and twice the fiber per 100g.

Alternative flours

It’s amazing how much food can be turned into flour! While classical whole wheat flour or white flour will always be a staple, there will be an increase in other flour types such as oat flour, almond flour, rice flour, coconut flour, hazelnut flour, chickpea flour, buckwheat flour and spelled flour.