This year we will eat functional, inexpensive, healthy, and sustainable foods. Following these trends, we will tend to put mostly five superfoods in our shopping carts. Practical-to-consume foods, that can properly meet nutritional needs without emptying our wallets, according to dietitians Susie Burrell and Leanne Ward, stars of The nutrition coach podcast.
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CANNED FISH
The first and most important of this year’s F&B trends will involve canned fish. Canned tuna, sardines, herring, and mackerel, which have always been popular in Scandinavia, are an important source of Omega-3 and protein. Moreover, they are affordable for all budgets, unlike expensive fish such as salmon or octopus. On the other hand, canned fish companies are enriching their offerings. Now there is even a hashtag, #TinFishDateNight, which is trending on TikTok to showcase dishes made by home cooks with canned fish as the main ingredient.
MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS
Medicinal mushrooms, also called adaptogens, are also well-placed to become a food trend. These are plants and mushrooms that help the body respond positively to stress, anxiety, and fatigue, promoting general well-being. Mushroom coffee, made from coffee beans and a mixture of ground-beneficial mushroom extracts, is increasingly trendy. In Finland, this drink was popular as early as the time of World War II. Mushrooms were used when coffee was unavailable.
LEGUME PASTA
Pasta made from chickpeas, lentils, and other legumes will also gain popularity in the year just begun. And an increase in the varieties offered is to be expected. All of this low-carb pasta meet the needs of increasingly health-conscious consumers who are looking for healthy and tasty ways to increase their intake of plant-based foods.
DATES
Another superfood of the future (although it is actually more of a rediscovery) is dates, increasingly popular as they are really rich in antioxidants. Many people have started using its sugar or paste as a natural sweetener, healthier and less caloric than traditional sugar. The Middle Eastern fruit also seems to be very useful for gut and bone health.
ALTERNATIVES TO MEAT
2023 is also shaping up to be the year of plant-based dairy products and animal-friendly and environmentally-friendly alternatives to meat. These kinds of products are not only liked by vegetarians and vegans. In fact, 90 percent of modern consumers also eat meat, but 46 percent said they reduced their consumption in 2021 according to research firms Atlas and Nielsen.
The vegetable protein that has been most popular since the beginning of this trend has been soybean, as it is characterized by many factors that have facilitated its use and consumption. Starting with climatic adaptability and the presence of oil in the seed. However, protein sources are constantly innovating and include also peas, chickpeas, fava beans, and mycoproteins (derived from unicellular mushrooms).
