2019 Nutrition Trends

Pegan-Style Eating Is Having Its Moment!

For a while, returning to a high-protein diet just like our earliest ancestors was all the rage. More recently, vegan and vegetarian eating has been shining brighter than ever before. But 2019 will be the year we find the middle ground between the two. In the Pegan Diet — which is largely built around fruit and vegetable-heavy eating — there's nothing wrong with consuming moderate amounts of meat from naturally raised animals. 2019 looks set to be a year where balanced, natural eating takes center stage, rather than swinging to extremes.

2019: The Year of Bread!

Bread is that old friend we cut out every time we try to shed a few pounds — yet somehow we can never truly let go. Even when things get rocky between us, we know deep down that the real issue isn't bread itself, but the ingredients used to make it. In 2019, we'll take that awareness one step further and give homemade, natural, whole-grain breads the place they deserve. Not only will we encounter a wonderful variety of breads everywhere we turn, but the number of people baking their own bread at home is set to grow significantly in 2019!   

It's Time to Apologize to Fats!

A few years ago, we really gave them a bad name! We blamed them for weight gain and a host of illnesses. Thankfully — better late than never — we've come to appreciate the value of the beneficial ones and started welcoming them back into our lives. But this year, they'll take a step further and move right to the center of our world! Brace yourselves! We'll no longer be looking for the label "reduced fat" — instead, we'll be seeking out "contains beneficial fatty acids." Snacks rich in healthy fats and fat-burning chocolates are set to become the new darlings of store shelves this year!

Put Your Rose-Colored Glasses Back On!

2019 looks set to be a colorful and delightful year in terms of nutrition. But there's one vegetable that holds a very special place — both literally and in color. Yes, beet recipes will be very much in the spotlight this year. Whether it's the stunning color it adds to dishes or its rich antioxidant content, it will come as no surprise to see it showing up more and more in meals, desserts, bars, and snacks!

A Fresh Take on Ice Creams and Desserts!

Forget everything you've known about desserts up until now! Especially as refined sugar continues to fall out of favor, desserts are becoming both more colorful and more nutritious. Chocolate hummus, cacao avocado ice cream, and banana-red berry ice creams will be this year's must-have, health-conscious sweet treats!

We're Saying a Final Goodbye to Sugar!

We're all in agreement now that refined sugar offers us nothing of value. And with so many genuinely beneficial foods available to satisfy our sweet cravings, we have no desire to keep disrupting our metabolism and gut microbiome with empty-calorie sugar. This year will be the one where we truly part ways with refined sugar. We'll make plenty of discoveries — products, recipes, and foods we eat out that contain less sugar, with natural flavors taking the lead.

The Return of Plant-Based Milks!

We're gradually finding more and more joy in plants themselves and the products derived from them. With growing interest in plant-based milks, 2019 will be the year we enjoy that pleasure to the fullest. We'll see plant-based milks offered in far more varieties and used more frequently in recipes. Especially in their vitamin- and mineral-fortified forms, they look set to win our hearts completely.

Hello, Spreadable Seed Butters!

We're already familiar with oily seed varieties like peanut butter and hazelnut butter. But this year, we can expect to see even more! Because flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and even certain fruit kernels are now making their way into jars as spreadable butters! It looks like 2019 mornings will be getting started with spreadable seeds.

Getting More Familiar with Probiotics!

Yes, we're now well aware of just how important our gut flora is. Alongside probiotic-rich foods and drinks, we've also started becoming more informed about probiotic supplement use. In 2019, we'll get to know the strains of these beneficial bacteria more closely — and we'll become more selective in how we use them. As researchers continue their work on these strains, the days when we'll move toward personalized probiotic use are just around the corner! What's more, this year we can expect to encounter many new products with added probiotics!

The Quality of Convenience Food Is Changing!

While we question packaged products on one hand, our curiosity to try them keeps growing alongside the ever-expanding variety. Honestly, this year we'll choose to get to know them better rather than simply blaming them. The steps we take toward becoming conscious consumers — by carefully selecting quality products — will also support us along the way. This year, there's sure to be something of an explosion on supermarket shelves in terms of both ready-made foods and healthy snacks. Rather than condemning them outright, this will be a year of questioning their ingredients and thinking about what role they should play in our lives.

And the most beautiful thing about 2019 is that we get to embrace it with fresh hope, abundant joy, good health, and love! May it be a wonderful year for all of us — one where we know ourselves better, enjoy life far more, find our true selves, and spend time with those we love!

Happy New Year!