By Steven Davidson, Office Manager
Eating healthier. It’s often on resolution lists when a new year rolls around. Being around so much good food since I’ve started working at GreenTree has certainly helped me get on the path to eating healthier. (I’ve even lost forty pounds in the last year, which was a personal goal.) However, I am always curious to read about what the experts say or what industry trends are regarding incorporating new items into our daily diets. Integris Health, one of the largest health systems in Oklahoma published 12 Health Food Trends for 2022, and boy was I surprised! A few of these I had no idea existed! Here are a few that really caught my attention:
- Functional Fizzy Drinks: These include drinks that contain prebiotics and fiber, tonics enhanced with adaptogens, and kombucha! Ollie Pop and GT’s Kombucha are two of our most popular brands at GreenTree. These help with maintaining a healthy gut and digestive system, and they taste great as well! GT’s Guava Goddess and all the Ollie Pop flavors are my favorite. Highly recommend!
- Sunflower Seed Butter: This is becoming a popular alternative to peanut butter and even almond and cashew butters for those with nut allergies. It has a rich and creamy flavor and is even beginning to be used in ice cream!
- Potato Milk: Yes, I was surprised at this one as I had never heard of it. Its popularity has taken off in Chinese and European countries and experts expect it to make its way to North America soon. It is made from boiled potatoes and the water that the potatoes are boiled in. New nut milk varieties include macadamia, pistachio, and pecan. Some other alternatives include tiger nuts, hemp, flax, and quinoa.
- Water Lily Seeds: For centuries this has been popular in India. With their light, fluffy and mild flavor, these are a great to both sweet and savory dishes. Each handful is approximately 100 calories and is full of amino acids and vitamins.
- Reducetarianism: Yes, that is a new word to me but a concept that I began to practice not too long ago (even though I still love meat). The International Food Information Council noted that over two thirds of Americans consume plant-based meat alternatives. They are not considered “vegetarians”, but are rather just reducing consumption of animal products. Some plant-based alternatives include but are not limited to nut-based cheeses such as almond or cashew, soy and coconut cheese, “cured meat” alternatives, and dips such as hummus, black bean dip, olive tapenade, and mushroom pate. Beyond and Impossible alternative meat products are also fantastic! Another item that we frequently offer on our hot bar is the Gardein plant-based tenders and popcorn bites.
- Sea-based Snacks: Seaweed, seagrass, dulse, and kelp are beginning to gain popularity as nutrient-rich foods.
Working at the Co-op, I learn something new almost every day. This article was no exception, as it was quite eye opening. If you have tried some of these items, it would be great to hear what you thought of them. Let’s do the healthy eating plan together and make it a point to try something new in 2023!