I’m dropping knowledge today: the 5 hottest nutrition trends in 2021.
You know what’s crazy?
We (meaning humans) have been on this planet around 200,000 years.
And you know what many of us are still confused about?
Food.
You’d think that as we evolved and got more sophisticated, this topic would pretty much be on lock, right?
Nope.
If it seems like every other day, some new report comes out about:
And it makes your head spin, right?
Well, you’re not alone.
Food confusion is REAL.
And check this out…
78% of people say they get conflicting info about nutrition.
And 56% say it makes them doubt their food choices.
That’s more than HALF of us!
We shouldn’t have to live our lives confused AF about what we’re eating.
So today, I’m gonna break it down for you.
The 5 Hottest Nutrition Trends to Watch in 2021
Trend #1: Immunity boosters.
Hmm, I wonder why this one is on the list? 🤔 Haha
Since you probably already know that Vitamin C leads the pack in this area, I’m going to cover 2 more great immunity boosters you may not be aware of
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral we need to consume daily. And ideally it comes from diet instead of a supplement.
Foods naturally packed with zinc include:
Yogurt.
Cashews.
Chickpeas.
Pumpkin seeds.
Fun fact for ya: Zinc has antiviral properties.
It’s thought that both Zinc and Vitamin C are key players in reducing the length and severity of symptoms from viruses. Even the common cold.
Think of it this way: they act kinda like bodyguards, stopping the virus from entering your cells, which means it can’t mutate or multiply in your body.
Picture that next time you take a zinc lozenge. LOL
Vitamin A
Another important nutrient for immunity boosting is Vitamin A. It’s better to get this one from your diet, too.
Pro tip: Look for carotenoid foods, which are full of antioxidants.
Vitamin A-rich foods include:
Sweet potatoes.
Carrots.
Spinach.
Kale.
Winter squash.
Trend #2: Vegan comfort food.
I promise it’s a real thing.
And it may just be my fav trend on this list.
So, what makes something comfort food?
From a nutrition standpoint, it’s usually high in carbs or high in calories. Which trips the pleasure center in our brains so we feel good when we eat it.
Like a big ole plant burger. Bun and all (even if it’s GF). And that side of fries. Definitely fries.
But the real value of comfort food comes from psychology.
Because comfort foods often stem from our childhoods – even our culture.
What would you choose if you had just ONE last meal?
Bet it’s not a quinoa salad.
It’s probably more like a fat bowl of pasta. Or something your mom or grandma made when you were a kid.
So, that’s why my semi-guilty pleasure right now is VEGAN comfort food.
And honestly, it’s not all that guilty…
Because everything in it is plant-based, so while it seems decadent, it’s actually pretty good for ya.
For you meat-eaters, here are two plants that will still give you that hearty, meaty texture you get in comfort food.
Mushrooms - great meat replacements you can use in pasta, tacos, even soups and stews. Plus, you can find them pretty much anywhere and in loads of varieties.
Jackfruit - this plant is having a moment. If you’ve seen jackfruit in the store, it looks like it came from an alien planet.
Even though, personally, I’m not a fan of the jackfruit, it’s definitely gaining popularity.
The “meat” inside is known to soak up whatever flavor it’s cooked in.
Which means you’re going to start seeing this plant-based meat alternative on menus all over the place this year.
They’re even selling it at amusement parks!
Universal Studios has jackfruit rice bowls and BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.
And Disneyland has been crowned most vegan-friendly amusement park by PETA.
They have jackfruit burgers in their park.
When it’s cold outside, this is my ultimate fantasy:
Best. Vibe. Ever.
Do yourself a favor and search for vegan comfort food on Pinterest.
Your mind will be blown.
Trend #3: Functional foods.
Functional foods are awesome because they potentially have a positive effect on health BEYOND basic nutrition.
I’m talking food for:
It’s the ultimate buy one, get one free deal. LOL
Here are some functional foods to add to your shopping list.
Apple cider vinegar
It’s literal magic.
It helps your body burn carbs – which means it helps burn fat.
And it kills off microbes.
Historically, it’s been used to:
See what I mean?
You can add ACV into your diet by including it when you make your own salad.
Which you should be doing anyway because not only does it taste better and is healthier for you, it’s actually healthier for your wallet, too.
Because most of what you’re paying for when you buy salad dressings is the packaging. #truestory
Another way to ingest ACV is as a tea: 1-2 tablespoons to 1 cup hot water.
You can add lemon, maple syrup, or honey to it for flavoring.
But don’t go crazy with it. A little of ACV goes a long way.
Brazil nuts
Another awesome functional food is brazil nuts.
Just one nut is chock full of selenium, which is a powerful mineral that helps with your metabolism and hormones.
Selenium is known as a natural collagen booster and it preserves elastin.
Know what that means?
One little brazil nut helps keep your skin smooth and tight. Sign. Me. Up.
Turmeric
Turmeric is one of my fav spices because it has soooo dang many health benefits to it.
In terms of being a functional food, turmeric not only seasons your food but it has anti-anxiety properties.
So it helps reduce anxiety symptoms to help you relax naturally.
Trend #4: Sustainability.
In San Diego, where I live part time, sustainability has been part of the restaurant industry for years.
In 2019, styrofoam containers were banned.
And eco-packaging has become super trendy.
But there’s also this growing movement of sustainable meals.
Everything from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to environmentally-friendly agriculture.
There’s even a bigger focus on the socio-economic and political impact of where ingredients are sourced.
People are starting to care more about where their food comes from.
They want transparency.
They care about the environment.
And the people who do the work.
That the soil is being cared for.
And that we aren’t poisoning ourselves when we put food in our mouths.
I 💚💚💚 this trend.
I think it’s so cool that more and more people are becoming aware of the impact they can make – by just paying attention to what and how they eat.
Here’s how you can get in on this sustainability trend right now:
Shop your neighborhood farmer’s markets.
Support local agriculture.
Buy organic wherever possible – especially if you eat the plant whole or its outsides. Things like berries, anything that grows on trees, tomatoes… they’re all really important foods to choose organic.
Choose foods that are in season.
Reduce your food waste – meaning only buy what you can consume while it’s still good.
Start a compost for your veggie scraps. It’s a really great, natural fertilizer for the soil. You’ll find hundreds of articles online showing you how to do it, even if you live in a small apartment in the city.
I’m really passionate about this topic, so if you are too, consider joining Habit Hackers to nerd out with me about it.
Trend #5: Not cooking.
This trend is fire, if you ask me. 🔥🔥🔥 HAHA.
Here’s what I mean by “not cooking”; meal delivery.
And yes, DoorDash and Uber Eats are super useful when we’re craving takeout but too busy – or let’s be real: too tired – to go out to dinner or pick it up ourselves.
But there’s a TON of meal prep companies popping up all over the place.
I’m sure you’ve seen the ads and commercials for the big guys:
Hello Fresh.
Daily Harvest.
Blue Apron.
Green Chef.
Purple Carrot.
Hit me up offline. I even have coupon codes for a lot of those listed if you're interested.
BUT – there are also new, niche contenders coming into the market.
Thistle offers customizable, plant-based, ready to eat meals that are not only delicious but created with nutrition in mind.
What I love about Purple Carrot is that it’s all about the vegan life…
They send you chef kits – where all the food is fresh, cut, proportioned, and ready to go.
You just need to follow the simple cooking instructions and in 15-30 minutes… voilà – gourmet, healthy meal on the table.
You can even say you cooked it!
It’s technically the truth. LOL
But here’s what I’m most stoked about: local meal prep and delivery.
Seriously, go to Yelp and type in “meal prep” and I bet you’ll find lots of local chefs and companies who will do all the meal prep work for you – and drop it at your door.
So you’re more likely to get fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, plus you’re helping a small business in your community.
This is one of those trends that is gonna blow up this year as more people realize this exists around them.
Meal delivery is awesome because:
There’s way less waste.
It actually saves time.
You can still choose what you wanna eat.
It gets you out of your recipe rut.
But here’s why this trend is so hot.
People are waking up to meal delivery and meal prep services as a viable, affordable option.
I think until now, many of us have thought that this kind of service was expensive or even bougie.
But it’s really not. And, honestly, if you were to go shopping and compare the time and cost it takes for you to produce the same meal that gets delivered to your door, it’s actually a steal of a deal.
So those are the 5 lava hot trends heading our way this year.
More people being interested in nutrition makes me wanna do a happy dance.
If you’re into getting down on this kind of topic and want to talk all things nutrition and health with me…
It’s a super fun crew of busy entrepreneurs with full, amazing lives on the same journey to hack their health and habits.
But because we’re doing it together… it actually sticks.
I’ll tell you a quick story.
Recently, Habit Hacker Zoe told us all about how she’s been doing intermittent fasting for the last month – which was a topic we discussed back in January.
And she said she’s become reacquainted with what it actually feels like to be hungry.
Not what her brain tells her.
What her body tells her.
So she’s better able to make good meal choices now.
Not only is the scale starting to tip down for her… but more importantly she’s feeling good.
The support and wins inside this group are inspiring.
So if you’ve been thinking about making a change in your life and nutrition plan…
Give Habit Hackers a peek.
I’d love to hear what you thought about these 5 hot trends coming our way this year.
Did any of them surprise you?
Which ones are you gonna invest in?
Hit me up on social and let me know.
I’ll see ya online.
XO,
Hayley