Healthy Food Trends in 2022

Plant-based eating continues to increase in popularity. Other trends on the rise this year include alcohol-free drinks, seeds, and ethnically diverse foods.

Interest in healthier eating boosted significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply chain shortages are also affecting consumer choices.

Plant-based foods continue to be very popular, with sales increasing almost twice as quickly as those of overall food sales

The plant-based packaged-food category is more expansive than ever. 65 percent of people say that they’ve eaten plant-based meat alternatives in the last year, according to a report from the International Food Information Council.

New products include frozen dragon fruit and passion fruit from Pitaya Foods, pea pasta from ZenB, vegetable-based (think tomato, sweet potato, carrot, and butternut squash) pizza sauce from Otamot, and vegan cookies from Real Cookies. You can do your online plant-based grocery shopping at PlantX’s curated store, and  you can even get local plant-based finds — such as hummus shakes from the Hummus & Pita Co. in New York City — shipped to your doorstep via Gold Belly.

You’ll also see herbal products such as Moringa added to lots of health food product Moringa is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. It’s rich in important vitamins like vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, plus it’s full of minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper. Research shows it can even reduce weight gain thanks to its low-calorie, nutrient-rich profile. And, its fibrous pods have also been shown to support digestion, not to mention its leafy constituents, which are rich in protein.

Up to 40 percent of America’s food supply is wasted, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and recycling leftover ingredients could help reduce that amount significantly. “Recycled food simply means new food or products created from recycled ingredients or by-products from the food manufacturing process,” explains Erin Hendrickson, RDN, a food-waste expert in Nashville. The practice, which has been gaining traction over the past few years, gained some attention during the pandemic when bare supermarket shelves made some manufacturers realize the importance of further reducing waste, she says.

The Whole Foods Market 2022 trend report lists alcohol-free spirits as a top upcoming trend. “Post-pandemic isolation has created a growing interest in health and well-being, causing a surge in both functional beverages and alcohol-free drinks,”

Along with alcohol-free drinks, beverages that claim to do more than just quench your thirst are on the rise, per the Whole Foods report. These so-called “functional beverages” claim to help with everything from stress relief to gut health to immunity. The category isn’t new, but it’s expected to grow as “increasing awareness of health is anticipated to propel the demand,” according to a May 2021 report by The Business Research Company.

 Adaptogenic drinks Botanical rich beverages have gained ground and are here to stay.

Seeds are becoming increasing popular. Seeds may be tiny, but they deliver big on nutrition. Indeed, all seeds boast a trio of fiber, protein, and heart-healthy fats.

A study published in July 2021 in the Journal of Food Science and Technology. The study of 60 men with high cholesterol found that those who regularly ate bread made with sunflower seed flour had a significant reduction in their body mass index (a measure of weight per height), LDL “bad” cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. 

 

For years, the omega-3s conversation has been all about EPA and DHA, the omega-3s fatty acids you’ll find in fatty fish like salmon. But we can’t dismiss their plant-based sister, ALA. While you need a plentiful amount of ALA omega-3s for your body to convert them into EPA and DHA, we’re hearing more and more about the nutrient’s benefits — and food sources that score high in ALA

 

International foods are on the rise.  This includes spices like turmeric, which are traditionally used in ethnic dishes, as well as packaged foods from and inspired by other countries.

 

Finally, Oat products find renewed markets.  Oat-based dairy avoids any nut allergy concerns. Oats provide both soluble and insoluble fiber, which are important for the health of our bodies and our gut microbiota. Oats also provide micronutrients like manganese and iron.

 

Rob Long, editor and Tara Thompson