Our Top 5 Health Food Trends For 2022
Want to turn over a new leaf and eat healthier this year? Here are our picks for the top 5 health food trends that are sure to prove popular over the next 12 months (and beyond).
Perfect for those of you who are looking to live a healthier lifestyle!
Adaptogenic Coffee
Health food brands have begun putting superfoods in everything from smoothies to cereal, but our favourite by far is the adaptogenic latte.
Although the phrase ‘mushroom coffee’ may sound a little odd, most adaptogenic mushrooms such as Reishi and Lion’s Mane have a less ‘mushroomy taste’ than your standard button mushroom, and the coffee flavour balances it out nicely.
So why are adaptogens becoming so popular?
Adaptogens include a range of herbs and fungi such as Ashwaghanga, Tulsi or Holy Basil, Ginseng, Rhodiola Rosea L., Astralagus, and certain mushrooms such as Reishi mushroom and Lion’s Mane.
Adaptogens are predominantly used in holistic medicine such as Ayurveda, and may help to improve memory and attention, regulate cortisol levels, reduce the impact of fatigue, improve cognition, boost immunity, reduce the impact of stress-induced health conditions, balance hormones, and improve organ and system functions.
They are particularly used for regulating the stress response, and may be beneficial for people with anxiety and depression.
Superfood coffees are therefore a great way of working in your daily adaptogen kick first thing in the morning. And you may well find that it also helps you to focus better throughout the day, too.
As an added bonus, the mechanism in the adaptogens in your coffee that relax you, also help to stop you from getting the caffeine jitters.
We tried it, and found mushroom coffee a helpful and easy swap for your usual morning espresso! We’re sold, why don’t you give it a go?
Probiotics And Fermented Foods
Your brain and your gut are very closely linked by what is known in medicine as your Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The ENS comprises two layers of over 100 million nerve cells, which stretches from the oesophagus to the rectum.
The ENS controls digestion, and sends hunger – or conversely, nausea signals – to the brain. Your brain also ‘talks’ to your digestive system, which tells it to slow down the rate of digestion in times of stress or physical danger.
This is why people who experience gastrointestinal conditions may experience mood swings and anxiety symptoms, and why people with anxiety conditions may experience gastrointestinal problems under stress.
If your gut is not functioning as it should, therefore, not only will you experience gastrointestinal problems and aches and pains, but you may also find yourself experiencing labile moods, nervousness, and even feeling low or depressed.
The more newly developed probiotics help to condition your gut so that colonies of ‘good’ bacteria will grow, and this helps your body to digest food more efficiently. This may help to improve mood and assist with combatting gastrointestinal disorders.
Seaweed
Seaweed is a great vegan source of many essential nutrients found in meat – such as iron, iodine, and tyrosine. Iodine is an essential nutrient for thyroid function, which regulates your energy levels.
Tyrosine is essential for the production of certain hormones, including dopamine – ‘the feel-good hormone’. Eating seaweed regularly may help to support energy and mood levels for this very reason.
Seaweed is also high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Antioxidants help to combat oxidative stress, which may improve immune function, reduce ageing, protect heart health, and even help to prevent cancers.
Seaweed – particularly kelp – is also a great resource for anyone who is trying to lose weight. It is low in calories and contains a natural fibre called alginate, which may help to reduce the absorption of fat from the gut by up to 72%.
Studies have also found that the carotenoids found in brown seaweed may help to support weight loss for people in the obese weight category. Brown seaweed may also help to regulate blood sugar levels, which can be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes in the near future.
Immune System Supporters
The height of Pandemic Panic is (thankfully) behind us, but immune support is still at the forefront of most of our minds. Our immune system is essential to staying in good health for our whole body. So in order for us to be healthy in body and mind, we need to give our immune system the support it needs.
A flourishing and thriving immune system depends on a wide variety of nutrients from a diverse diet. This should include:
- Fruits (particularly citrus fruits and berries)
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, rocket, and watercress)
- Fermented foods (kombucha, sauerkraut, yoghurt)
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds.
- Spices (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, galangal)
Mindful Eating
There have been countless diets over the past few decades, and while many shout about their weight loss benefits, few offer sustainable weight loss and balanced nutrition on a long-term basis.
Mindful eating, like intuitive eating, uses the technique of mindfulness to ‘tune in’ to how your body feels when you are eating.
Are you full? Does this look like a healthy meal to you? Can you stay present with the sensations and tastes of eating, instead of simply zoning out and bingeing without really appreciating your food?
Try simply sitting back and observing during your next meal. How does eating feel? Would you eat more or less next time? Is it balanced nutritionally? And how is your mood afterwards?
All of these are simple cues for eating in a way that works for you and your body.
What does your body tell you?
