5 healthy food trends for 2016 + Radish and avocado toast

Hello everyone!

Can you believe we’re already over a week into 2016? At this time of year, lots of people and companies like to share their predictions for what they think will be the upcoming trends on various topics, so I thought I’d add a few of my own with these 5 healthy food trends, because I do think we are starting to see a switch in healthy food, for the better, so I’m excited about it!

5 healthy food trends for 2016:

# 1 – Gut health + fermented foods

It felt like 2015 was the year we started to really talk about fermented foods, and I think 2016 will be the year that it comes out on mainstream media for sure. It’s the hot topic in scientific studies and the medical field, so I can only imagine we’ll hear so much more about this!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Before popping pills, it’s always best to start with fermented foods! #GutBacteria #RealTalk” quote=”Before popping pills, it’s always best to start with fermented food!”]

Before popping pills, it’s always best to start with food, so fermented foods will (hopefully) become a much bigger part of our lives! It is not only good for our health (immune system, digestive health, etc.) but also hugely important for our mental health. Major discoveries are happening in this field. You can read more about in this article on healthy gut bacteria.

# 2 – Micronutrients

We’ve seen too many diets counting calories, carbs, fats, proteins… People are obsessed with counting these, but no one focuses on the quality of food that they eat, i.e., the micronutrients that they eat. What are micronutrients? Those are vitamins and minerals that are naturally found in our food. That’s really what makes food “food”! Without these micronutrients, we get sick and eventually die.

Processed and junk food is nutritionally like ‘dead food’, because they contain so very little vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) that even though we might eat a lot, our bodies don’t get the nutrients they need in order to thrive, so we become malnourished. We can be obese and malnourished.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Stop counting your food. Just eat real food! #healthy #organic ” quote=”Stop counting your food. Just eat real food!”]

I think 2016 will see a switch and we’ll start seeing more focus on micronutrients and whole foods (hopefully).

# 3 – Ultra local

We’re getting used to see the word “local” and I think people are starting to understand that eating a more local diet has a lot of benefits, both health-wise and environmental-wise, but I’m seeing more and more “ultra local” or “hyper local” popping up everywhere. This is really the best choice possible.

It basically means that people are starting to grow more of their own food, restaurants are starting to have their own garden too and use it in their kitchen, they harvest their own honey from the hives on their roof, have their own backyard hens to produce eggs, etc. I absolutely love this trend! The revival of the kitchen garden is awesome!

# 4 – Plants and medicinal herbs

Another trend that has been mentioned by Well + Good that I completely agree with, is the rise of the medicinal plants, but more particularly adaptogens. One reason why I love natural remedies so much is because a) there are usually almost no side effects, but b) a lot of the plants are adaptogens, meaning that they adapt to your specific needs and help your body fix itself.

For example, one of my latest favourites is maca root. It’s wonderful for many health issues, including thyroid issues. What makes it even more wonderful is that it can be good for low thyroid or high thyroid issues, because it adapts! Some people have difficulties with their thyroids because it switches constantly between low and high, which makes it hard to treat, but with maca, it takes the guessing game out.

Plus, I’ve found that it’s been extremely helpful while studying for an exam because it gives me extra mental clarity. Really amazing natural product, and you don’t need much either. I put a teaspoon in my smoothies or mixed in some hot chocolate.

(As always, please be smart and responsible whenever you start using a new natural product, read about it and inform yourself, especially if you take prescription drugs that could potentially interact with it.)

# 5 – Cooking

We’ve seen this growing stronger recently, and I think 2016 will see the return of cooking in homes in a big way! It’s no surprise that cooking from scratch is a healthy habit to incorporate into our daily lives. It not only helps us control what goes into our meals, but it also helps us slow down a bit and be present in what we do.

[clickToTweet tweet=”It’s time to go back to the kitchen and reconnect with our food. #RealTalk #health” quote=”It’s time to go back to the kitchen and reconnect with our food.”]

We reconnect a bit more with our food, and I hope that this trend will continue growing and encourage us to ask more questions about what we put in our mouths and stomachs, slow down, and maybe even start eating at the dining table more often and rediscover the joys of conversation.

Which trends do you think will be more popular in 2016? 

ECP xo

And for those of you who would like to know about the picture… here’s the simple recipe:

Watermelon radish + avocado on toast

1. 1 slice of bread of your choice (preferably wholegrain), toasted
2. 1/2 avocado, smashed on the toast
3. Thin slices of radishes (I used watermelon radish, but any radish will do)
4. Sprinkle of black sesame seeds (they contain a ton of magnesium) + hemps seeds (awesome for Omega 3s)
5. Drizzle of tahini dressing (click on the link for the recipe of the dressing)

That’s it! Enjoy!