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THE 2017 FOOD TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW

From eating insects to meatless Mondays , we bring you the top food and nutrition trends for 2017 , and the trends you should skip .

NUTRITION 101

At long last ! This is the 2017 trend we ’ re most excited about and a philosophy that underpins many of the trends listed below . In recent years we ’ ve seen a whole arsenal of extreme diets enter the public psyche -- no-fat , zero-sugar , carb-free -- each with their own strict regimen . These diets often cast aside certain dietary requirements that nutritionists have long deemed essential ; you need some healthy fats , sugars and carbohydrates to have a fully complete diet .

In 2017 , it ’ s all about getting rid of the fads and familiarising yourself with the nutritional composition of the foods you eat and how they affect your health . Once armed with your newfound knowledge , you ’ ll be able to modify your diet accordingly and still be able to indulge from time to time .

MEATLESS MONDAYS

In Australia , we ’ re Googling the word vegan more than anybody else in the world . With the ethical quandaries and environmental impact of meat production becoming increasingly exposed , it ’ s not surprising that more and more people are beginning to experiment with plant-based diets .

Embracing a plant-based diet doesn ’ t necessarily have to mean becoming a fully fledged vegetarian overnight , stocking up on 2017 buzz-foods like tempeh and animal-free burgers . It ’ s more about adopting a flexitarian approach to your food .

Stick to smaller portions of meat and try to keep at least two thirds of your meals plant based . Meatless Monday ’ s are trending in 2017 , so try choosing at least one day of the week to go meatless altogether and you ’ ll soon find yourself broadening your repertoire of vegetarian dishes . Our Pistachio , Date and Quinoa Salad makes for a perfect , wholesome mid-week meal you ’ ll want to revisit over and over .

DITCH THE DETOX

As much as the Vitamix community love our green smoothies and breakfast juices we ’ d definitely stop short of suggesting they should form our entire dietary makeup . While the concept of a detox can be quite alluring , juicing yourself healthy with a traditional juicer is not a smart move for bringing around sustainable change -- you ’ re missing out on lots of nutritional goodies .

Eating wholefoods is a far more attractive alternative and something you ’ re likely to stick at for longer , and the best thing about having a Vitamix is blitzing wholefoods to keep their full nutritional content .

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FOODS WITH FUNCTION

Instead of getting caught up in the marketing driven ‘ superfood ’ movement , it ’ s worth looking a little deeper for functional foods that are nutritionally backed by scientific research and won ’ t cost you a fortune .

Foods like lentils are a highly accessible form of protein in many cuisines throughout the world and their nutty , earthy flavour can lend itself beautifully to a wide variety of soups and salads . Among a string of nutritional benefits , one cup of cooked lentils contains only 230 calories ( 962kJ ) and account for 90 per cent of your daily intake of folate .

Shopping around is also wise . We habitually visit major supermarkets for convenience , but places like your local markets or Asian grocer can provide you with great quality , seasonal food and give you more bang for your buck . Asian greens boast the same nutritional benefits as many so-called ‘ superfoods ’ and won ’ t cost you anywhere near as much .

TRENDS WE ’ RE SKIPPING

1 . Bush food

Locally sourced bush foods are all the rage among Australia ’ s top chefs , and while ingredients like Kakadu plums (“ the world ’ s richest source of Vitamin C ”) and Warrigal greens (“ suffused in potassium ”) certainly sound appealing , integrating them into a weekly meal-plan just isn ’ t realistic for most people -- we think we ’ ll leave this one to the experts .

2 . Fruit-infused water

We know water can be a little boring all on its own , but we can ’ t help but feel infusing it with fruit and herbs does little more than create a pretty looking glass for an Instagram opportunity . We ’ re more interested in making sure we get these nutrients elsewhere and still drinking plenty of water throughout the day .

3 . Insects

The buzz around the environmental and nutritional benefits of eating insects seems to be getting louder and it looks like cricket flour is making its way into energy bars , but -- we ’ re going to be honest -- we ’ re not quite ready yet . Maybe in 2018 .

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