In a bid for optimal wellness, ”superfoods” are now seen as a direct pathway to radiant health and boundless energy.
While this year we turned to the healing properties of tumeric, macadamia nuts, and maca powder, next year insect protein powder, edible clays and hemp products are set to be huge, according to experts.
The new alternatives, though a little strange sounding on the face of it, claim to offer myriad health benefits and are of course environmentally sustainable.
Here, FEMAIL takes a look some of the health food trends predicted to be huge in 2018, and reveals what could well be set to become your new nutrition normal.
Kale has shifted from a fringe food trend to a supermarket staple but will any of the new ”superfood” trends follow suit?
According to nutritional medical practitioner Fiona Tuck, crickets will be everywhere in 2018.
Speaking on Today, Fiona said the insects aren’t the sort you generally see hopping around the garden, they’re grown and produced as a contamination-free food source.
Nutritional medical practitioner Fiona Tuck said cricket protein powder was not only a sustainable food source, but was high in vitamins and minerals
She outlined some of the benefits to cricket protein powder, and said that not only are they a sustainable food source but the come packed with vitamins and minerals.
‘They are very, very nutritious and have as much calcium as dairy making them a great calcium source for those who can’t have dairy,’ she said.
‘They’ve also got B12 and iron which are common nutrients which we can become deficient in.’
While the nutritional expert said the clay products have been more commonly used as face masks there’s now a growing trend to ingest them
Another key superfood trend Fiona identified for the coming year is edible clays and diatomaceous earth.
‘The bentomite clay is thought to be almost a healing clay,’ she explained.
While Fiona said while the products have been more commonly used as face masks, there’s now a growing trend take them internally.
The nutritional expert said the general recommendation is about one teaspoon to water, and this is thought to help the body detox and purify.
‘It’s meant to internally cleanse the body and remove parasites and toxins and help to balance the gut microbiome.’
But she cautioned it should only be taken on the suggestion on a health professional.
Sprouting means to germinate seeds, nuts or grains so the nutrients become more available to the body
Sprouting and fermented foods also rated highly as new ”superfood” trends set to take off in the coming, Fiona said.
She explained ”sprouting” means to germinate seeds, nuts or grains so the nutrients become more available to the body.
‘It means they are easier to digest. So that’s great for somebody that has digestive problems. Somebody with Crohn’s [disease] who can’t absorb well.’
‘Soaking and the sprouting actually helps to lower the nutrients that can actually inhibit other nutrients being absorbed.’
Hemp is set to become a huge food trend especially as the product has recently been legalised for sale in Australia
One of the biggest trends the health expert predicted for 2018 is hemp – especially as the product has recently become legal to sell in Australia.
Fiona outlined that the food source is not only economical, it’s also highly nutritious and comes loaded with vitamins.
‘You can have it as protein, you can have it as hemp flower, seeds on your cereal or on your salad and oil as well.’
For those concerned that hemp is in some way similar marijuana, Fiona pointed out that while the two are from the same species, hemp is primarily used for industrial purposes.