6 Food Trends That Are Good For Your Heart
You probably practice heart healthy eating — like eating less red meat, watching sodium, or cutting back on sugar. There are more ways you can eat well though that will benefit not just your heart but your entire body. If you’re looking for new foods to add to your heart-healthy menu, consider these 2019 trends.
1.Plant-based protein: Protein is an important part of the diet as it helps keep you full, but too much meat is definitely not good. Luckily, 2019 has been called The Year of Vegan, meaning there’s been an increase in foods consisting of plant-based proteins. You may have noticed alternative “jerky” made with mushrooms and “pork” flavored snacks, more veggie burgers (even fast food is getting in on the trend!), mac’n’cheeses, and more. Pea protein, as well as nuts & seed proteins, have been big this year. Plant-based diets are good for your heart, so this is one trend you definitely want to pick up.
2.Protein packed: Speaking of protein, protein in general is all the rage. You’ll find such things as yogurt, soups, and even coffee creamer packed with protein!
3. Probiotics: The microbiome is the community of bacteria in your gut that can play a role in everything from diabetes to depression and we’re constantly learning more about the benefits of having a healthy one. Probiotics (live microorganisms that help keep your microbiome healthy) have been around for awhile; the difference now is that you can consume them via other methods than yogurt or supplements. These days you can find cereal, sparkling water, oatmeal, dairy-free beverages and more containing probiotics.
4.Alternative non-dairy milk products: There are more non-dairy milk products out there than ever now - way more than soy and almond. Say hello to oat, sesame seed, pecan, cashew, and even BANANA milk! One of the best things about this trend is that most of plant-based milks are free of the top 8 allergens usually present in traditional milks like soy and almond.
5.Sustainable eating: The concept of sustainability is applied toward the production of food, plant, and animal products that conserve natural resources and reduce their impact on the environment. Many more companies are now putting this into practice by ethically employing workers, letting animals roam free-range, trying for carbon-neutrality, decreasing energy consumption and more. Besides buying from companies that do such things, what can you do to practice sustainable eating? Shop at farmer’s markets for locally grown items, eat seasonally, use water from the tap instead of buying bottled, try growing some of your own food, eat more plant-based items, and buy in bulk for less packaging.
6.Low-FODMAP: There are many different eating styles out there for people aware of their specific dietary sensitivities such as keto, gluten-free, paleo, etc. Now, more and more, companies are making available foods that are low-FODMAP (fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols, which is quite the mouthful, and essentially are just short-chain carbs & sugar alcohols).Basically, this just means that these foods avoid ingredients that tend to trigger abdominal pain and bloating, particular people with IBS.
No matter how it is you want to eat - a specific diet for health reasons or a diet that benefits both you and the planet - there are options out there for you. Not everything will work for everyone, so try things out to see what works best for you. Happy eating!