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>>> The Top 10 Healthy Food Trends to Expect in 2020


Registered dietitian nutritionists offer their projections for fad foods, from keto-friendly fare to gut-boosting drinks and more.


By Amy Gorin, RDN

January 22, 2020


https://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/top-healthy-food-trends/


In the new year, you can expect to find more gut-friendly foods in the grocery store.iStock

Need a little push to follow through with those New Year’s resolutions? Here you go: The biggest healthy food trends of 2020 will help you eat more nutritious meals and snacks at home and on the go.

To offer you a preview of the most important healthy trends of the new year, we chatted with nationally respected registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) to hear about what most stood out at the 2019 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, and what the foods they’re hearing about in their own practices.

To start, plant-based eating is a trend that won't go away any time soon. A flexitarian eating style, which allows anyone and everyone to add more produce and other plant nutrients to their day, appears to be a main driver. “The plant-based diet is the biggest trend I am seeing,” says Tara Collingwood, RDN, a performance dietitian in Orlando, Florida. “We have known for many years that plant-based is best, and people are reducing meat in general as documentaries like The Game Changers become must-watch items on Netflix.”

Another big trend of 2020 is that many 2019 trends remain front and center. “As we move into 2020, I see a lot of the same trends as last year following suit — and that’s a good thing!” says Emily Kyle, RDN, who is in private practice in Rochester, New York, and is the author of The 30-Minute Thyroid Cookbook. “Between more plant-based eating and a continued focus on sustainability, consumers are still concerned with the origin of their food and how that food impacts not only their health but the health of others around them.”

RELATED: 14 Celebrities Who’ve Sworn Off Meat to Become Vegan or Vegetarian

Despite these trends, know that it’s always best to reach for whole, unprocessed foods to get the most nutritional bang for your buck. Here, you’ll find suggestions for those kinds of foods, too.

Read on to discover what’s on the must-try list for 2020 healthy foods!

1

Kombucha, Kefir, and Other Gut-Friendly Fare Are Still Hot

health ade kombucha

Featured product: Health-Ade Kombucha

While getting your fill of gut-healthy prebiotics and probiotics was on the rise in 2019, you’ll continue to find this trend growing in 2020. According to the Mayo Clinic, prebiotics help promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Meanwhile, probiotics contain bacteria that support the population of healthy gut microbes.

To get your fix, imbibe in probiotic-rich Health-Ade Kombucha (pictured here) to guzzle down some beneficial bacteria. During the fermentation process, probiotics essentially eat sugars to turn them into bubbles and good-for-you acids — aka kombucha. You’ll find probiotics in other kombucha brands, too, including GT’s Living Foods, which in addition to kombucha offers Probiotic Shots made from a base of coconut water or veggies. The 2020 food and culinary trend report from America’s Test Kitchen touts fermentation as a top trend that will gain traction in 2020.

If you want to try fermented foods but kombucha isn’t your thing, you have options beyond plain yogurt. Lifeway Kefir spreadable farmer cheese is strained from kefir and contains a dozen strains of probiotics. And then there’s Farmhouse Culture’s Kraut Krisps, made from, well, sauerkraut, and oatmeal with heat-resistant probiotics from think!

Standard probiotic foods include kvass, kimchi, and plain kefir itself. “There are good products out there with probiotics and prebiotics,” says Collingwood. “But also just enjoy eating real, fresh, whole foods that are good for the gut!”

Don’t forget about prebiotics, which feed that friendly gut bacteria. Kellogg’s Happy Inside cereal provides both probiotics and prebiotics, a type of fiber.

“We are learning more and more about the benefits of a healthy microbiome, so there’s a lot of interest about ways to feed the trillions of bacteria in our guts,” says Samantha Cassetty, RD, in private practice in New York City. The microbiome is the community of microbes, including bacteria in the gut, that may play a role in the development of health conditions such as diabetes, eczema, cancer, and depression, according to the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah.

2

Oats Aren’t Showing Up Only in Milk

la colombe coffee draft latte oat milk

Featured product: La Colombe Oatmilk Draft Latte

If coffee shops brewing with oat milk is a big deal, here’s tremendous news: Oats are blowing up as a major trend in 2020. In addition to oat milks such as those offered by Oatly, Planet Oat, and Elmhurst 1925, you can find oats in everything from a La Colombe Oatmilk Draft Latte (pictured here) and Halsa Foods Oatgurt to Silk Oat Yeah Oatmilkgurt. Oats are also prevalent in more traditional products, such as a new Sprouted Honey Oat bread from Northern Bakehouse.

“Oat milk is an alternative for people who can’t or don’t want to do dairy or soy milk,” notes Collingwood. “It has about half the protein of soy or cow’s milk and is fortified with calcium to match milk. It also has a little bit of fiber due to the way it is processed.”

One thing to keep in mind with oat milk, oat yogurt, and oat everything: Not all products with oats are gluten-free. This is due to both the way the oats are grown and the way they’re processed. If you’re gluten sensitive, read a product’s label to check if the food is indeed gluten-free.

RELATED: 7 Reasons to Eat Oatmeal Every Day



3

Veggies Are Getting More Convenient to Eat

otamot organic essential sauce jar

Featured product: Otamot Essential Tomato Sauce

While registered dietitians will never tell you not to cook up a side of veggies with your meal — and whole produce is always better than packaged — many convenience products are making it easier to get a dose of extra vegetables from foods you’re already eating. Take Otamot’s Essential Tomato Sauce (pictured here), for example. In addition to featuring tomatoes, the sauce contains a whole palette of veggies — including carrots, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onions, spinach, and red beets. Indeed, 63 percent of respondents in the International Food Information Council Foundation’s 2019 Food and Health Survey said that recognizing ingredients that go into a product impacts what foods and beverages they purchase.

You’ll also find kale pesto from Do Anything Foods, along with cauliflower Alfredo sauce. And if you want a ready-made veggie side that you can pull from the freezer? Caulipower offers frozen sweet potato slices that you just pop into the toaster oven, Green Giant makes frozen zucchini veggie spirals, and Bird’s Eye sells frozen riced cauliflower.

“Every food you can imagine is being refocused with a veg twist, and we can all benefit from eating more plants,” says New York City–based Maya Feller, RD, author of The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook.

4

The Gluten-Free Diet Isn’t Going Anywhere in 2020

bobs red mill organic oatmeal classic

Featured product: Bob’s Red Mill Organic Classic Oatmeal Cup

These days, gluten-free options abound. Products include everything from gluten-free oats (pictured here) and baking flour from Bob’s Red Mill to boxed gluten-free lentil and chickpea pasta from Tolerant Foods and gluten-free breads, English muffins, and brownies from Canyon Bakehouse. You’ll also find innovative gluten-free replacements for traditional foods, such as quinoa croutons from Carrington Farms, seed-based granola from 88 Acres, and almond-flour bars from Simple Mills.

“Gluten-free innovations will always be around,” says Feller. “I personally am a fan of some of the bean-based pasta alternatives because they add a nice fiber and nutrient boost in place of refined grain. There are also some awesome products using starchy vegetables, and I think that's wonderful.”

One buyer-beware note: “Just because a product’s packaging says ‘gluten-free,’ this doesn't mean it's the healthier alternative,” advises Feller. “Always opt for the minimally processed option.”

RELATED: 10 High-Fiber Foods to Add to Your Diet



5

New Plant-Based “Dairy” Will Come From Surprising Sources

good plants almondmilk probiotic yogurt alternative

Featured product: Dannon Good Plants Almondmilk Probiotic Yogurt

Alternative

Looking for a plant-based milk? Your options now include much more than almond and soy milk. From banana and walnut to hemp, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, oat, and flaxseed milk, products now exist to suit almost any dietary preference and need.

"People always love a trend, and plant-based is the hottest trend right now, fueling the desire for multiple plant-based milk sources,” says Kyle. “Certain plant-based milks, like banana milk or oat milk, are appealing to consumers because they are generally free of many of the top eight allergens that are typically present in more traditional milks like almond or soy.”

Look for oat milk from Oatly, walnut and hazelnut milks from Elmhurst 1925, pecan milk from MALK, flax milk from Good Karma Foods, and banana milk from Mooala.

Wondering why your alternative milk’s label says “milked nuts” or “malk”? It’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in the process of likely banning all nondairy milks from using “milk” in their names.

Note that while banana milk is delicious and provides nutrients like blood-pressure-helping potassium, you’ll typically get more satiating protein from a nut- or seed-based milk.

You can also find a plethora of yogurt alternatives made from nondairy milk. These include almond-milk yogurt from Dannon (pictured here) and AYO, cashewmilk yogurt from Forager, and coconut-based yogurt from Yoplait and Lavva.

For an easily accessible source of protein, opt for calcium-rich dairy milk or yogurt. Check the nutrition facts label to choose a product that meets your nutritional needs.

RELATED: A Detailed Guide to the Health Benefits and Risks of Eating Almonds

6

There Will Be Even More Innovative Lactose-Free Dairy Products

natural bliss cashew milk

Featured product: Natural Bliss Original Cashew Milk

There’s no shortage of food for people with specific dietary needs. That includes lactose-free dairy and dairy alternatives — and we’re not talking just milk. You can now find lactose-free cottage cheese, kefir, and yogurt from Green Valley Creamery. And Cabot Cheese boasts a “lactose-free” label on several of its cheeses, including aged cheddar and Colby jack. Furthermore, Icelandic skyr from Icelandic Provisions is naturally 90 percent lactose-free, the company says.

You can also find lactose-free cashew-milk-based creamer from Natural Bliss (pictured here) and hemp creamer from Elmhurst 1925 to pair with your lactose-free coffee order.

“Certain health conditions may prevent [some people] from enjoying traditional forms of food, like certain bovine dairy-based milks, and they are increasingly interested in the alternative options coming to the marketplace,” says Kyle.

RELATED: Can You Become Lactose Intolerant Later in Life?



7

Keto-, Paleo-, and Low-FODMAP-Friendly Foods Are Staying Trendy

quevos egg white chips

Featured product: Quevos

Many people are becoming increasingly aware of their own dietary sensitivities, and low-FODMAP eating is one of the approaches that’s emerged as a result of this trend. Originally designed to help treat people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), this eating style has been adopted by many people, regardless of receiving this diagnosis, in hopes of soothing digestive issues.

Foods that tend to trigger IBS symptoms include onion, garlic, and gluten. Fody offers low-FODMAP salsa, ketchup, salad dressings, and more, while Rachel Pauls sells low-FODMAP bars, jerky, and spices. Even Prego offers a Sensitive Recipe pasta sauce sans onions and garlic. And lactose-free products such as Green Valley Creamery’s Greek yogurt are low-FODMAP-friendly.

“I think we’re finally moving away from [only] calories and numbers,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, MPH, who is in private practice in New York City and Los Angeles. “My clients want to know more about the functional benefits of foods, including how they impact digestive health, immunity, sleep, energy, and mental focus. More consumers are now connecting food choices with everyday quality-of-life outcomes, and labels that offer more information can help make that easier.”

But that doesn’t mean eating plans for weight loss are waning in popularity. In 2020, you’ll also find food labels promoting specific dietary patterns, such as paleo and keto. Think keto-friendly egg white chips from Quevos (pictured here) and grain-free paleo snack puffs from Lesser Evil. The great thing about these snacks: In addition to fitting into their advertised eating style, they’re made with whole-food ingredients and are helpful for other types of eaters — for instance, vegetarians aiming to incorporate more protein into snack time get the nutrient from Quevos.

Of course, be sure to talk to your doctor before trying any restrictive diet plan, including keto and paleo.

8

Hemp and CBD Are Going Mainstream in the Food World

reeds ginger beer with cbd cans

Featured product: Reed’s Original Ginger Beer Infused with Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract

No doubt you’re seeing hemp everything pop up, from foods made with hempseeds to CBD beverages and more. Find hemp oil from Carrington Farms, hempseed-based granola and protein bars from Manitoba Harvest, and CBD-infused ginger beer from Reed’s (pictured here).

“We are just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exploring all the products and food that can be made with hemp,” says Kyle, who is a holistic cannabis practitioner. “CBD is trendy right now, but the hemp plant as a whole is extraordinary, and offers many culinary and medicinal benefits. In 2020, I assume we will start to see hempseeds being used as a plant-based protein source, hemp leaves being used as a green-leafy vegetable and even juiced, and hemp fiber being used for sustainable packaging.”

RELATED: A Scientific Guide to Using CBD Oil


9

Vitamin D Fortification of Foods Is Growing

box of cheerios

Featured product: Cheerios

When the 2015–20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans named vitamin D a nutrient of concern — and subsequently, the FDA increased the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin D — food manufacturers began reformulating products. Today, cereal boxes have more vitamin D than ever before. “Cereal is one of few foods that is consumed across the life span — meaning children eat it, older adults eat it, and so does everyone in between,” says Minneapolis-based Amy Cohn, RD, manager of nutrition and external affairs at Big G Cereal. “Because of this, by optimizing fortification we can support good nutrition to a large portion of the population.”

You’ll see many General Mills cereal boxes such as Cheerios (pictured here) fortified with 10 percent of the DV for vitamin D — so a 1-cup serving provides 20 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D. “And we plan to do more!” says Cohn. Indeed, an article published in April 2012 in the Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics suggests about 50 percent of the global population has a vitamin D deficiency. “We are committed to increasing levels of vitamin D in our cereals in the near future. We are awaiting approval from the FDA to increase vitamin D in our cereals so that we can provide even more of this very important yet underconsumed nutrient.”

RELATED: How Do You Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Carbohydrates?


10

Plant-Based Foods Are Becoming More Available in Packages


cauliflower cheese pizza

Featured product: Tattooed Chef Cauliflower Cheese Crust Pizza

The plant-based packaged-food category is more expansive than ever, and plant-based eating is celebrated as a top 2020 trend by Whole Foods Market. “The plant-based movement ties into a number of trending consumer priorities, including health protection, environmental stewardship, and ethically driven eating,” Sass says. “My clients constantly tell me they feel better physically and feel good about how they are spending their food dollars when they eat more plant-based foods.” When it comes to new finds, think pumpkinseed butter from 88 Acres, algae oil from Thrive, chia seed oil from Lekithos, and even dark-chocolate-covered chickpeas from Biena. You’ll also see plants as a base for main entrées, including cauliflower-crust pizza from Tattooed Chef (pictured here), broccoli-crust pizza from Spinato’s, almond-flour fettuccine from Cappello’s, and cauliflower-coated chicken tenders from Caulipower.

“I am loving the persistence of plant-forward eating, along with eating with sustainability in mind,” says Feller. “Both of these trends focus on increasing whole and minimally processed, plant-based foods that provide a plethora of phytonutrients that impart health benefits.”

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