United Nations (UN) 2016 is the International Year of Pulses. But even if this did not happen, the last year can still be recognized without a doubt as the “year of vegans”. There are 16 million vegans and vegetarians in the US alone… In 2016, the global market for vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes reached $3.5 billion, and by 2054, 13 industrially produced meat products are predicted to be replaced by plant-based alternatives. The openly anti-vegetarian, meat-eating popular Paleo diet has been debunked: British scientists at the level of the Ministry of Health have refuted the hypothesis about the benefits of the Paleo diet and its worst diet trend of the past 2015.
In addition, in 2015-2016, a lot of new vegetarian and vegan trends appeared: both healthy and not very healthy! Trends of the year:
1. “Gluten free.” The gluten-free boom continues, fueled in large part by advertising from gluten-free manufacturers that force even people who are not allergic to gluten to buy “gluten-free” foods. According to statistics, only 0.3-1% of the world’s population suffers from celiac disease (gluten allergy). But the “war” on gluten continues. According to the latest American forecasts, by 2019 gluten-free products will be sold in the amount of about two and a half billion US dollars. Gluten-free products are of little benefit to people who are not allergic to gluten. But this clearly does not stop buyers who, apparently, want to please themselves and their families with something “useful” for themselves and their families – without going into details.
2. “Vegetable Based”. The popularity of plant-based labeling in the US (where all the vegan trends come from) is at odds with the gluten-free slogan. Buyers sweep off the shelves everything that is “plant-based”! Cutlets, “milk” (soy) shakes, protein bars, sweets are sold well – always “plant-based”. Simply put, it just means “100% vegan product” … But “plant based” sounds much more fashionable than the already familiar “vegan”.
3. “Good for the digestive system.” Another hot trend brand making headlines vegan – and more! – presses. We can talk about the second peak in the popularity of probiotics, because. In the West, more and more often they talk about the “benefit of digestion.” In fact, probiotics can boost your immune system! Not to mention the fact that to establish excellent bowel function is literally the first task on any diet, and especially in the first months, for example, switching to a vegan or raw food diet. Be that as it may, “probiotics”, “friendly microflora” and other terms hinting at what is happening in the depths of our intestines are in trend. The nutritional public’s attention to this side of vegetarianism and veganism isn’t just fueled by the long-established benefits to overall health.
4. Cereal crops of the peoples of antiquity. “Gluten-free” or with it, but “ancient grains” is the super trend of 2016. Amaranth, quinoa, millet, bulgur, kamut, buckwheat, farro, sorghum – these words have already taken their place in the vocabulary of a vegetarian who follows the latest trends. And it’s true, because these whole grains not only supply tons of fiber and protein to the body, but they are also tasty and diversify the diet. In the US, they are now called “ancient grains of the future.” It is possible that the future really belongs to these cereals, rich in useful substances, and not to genetically modified Chinese and Indian white rice.
5. Fashion for nutritional yeast. In the US, there is a trend for “nutritional yeast” – Nutritional East – Nooch for short. “Nuch” is nothing more than ordinary nutritional (slaked) yeast. This healthy product contains three times the daily value of vitamin B12 in just 1 tablespoon, and is also rich in protein and fiber. “Well, what’s the news here,” you ask, “grandmothers fed us with yeast!” In fact, the “new” is the new name and new packaging of the old product. Nooch yeast is also called “vegan parmesan” and is now in trend. Nutritional yeast can be added in small doses to pasta, smoothies, and even sprinkled on popcorn.
6. Fat…rehabilitated! Until recently, many “scientific” sources vied with each other that supposedly fat is harmful. And vied with each other to offer ways to protect themselves from it. Today, scientists “remembered” that if we ignore for a moment the problem of obesity, which is acute in the United States (where it affects from 30% to 70% of the population, according to various estimates), then fat is necessary! Without fat, a person will simply die. It is one of the 3 ingredients needed in the diet: carbohydrates, proteins, fats. Fat accounts for approximately 10%-20% of daily calories consumed (there are no exact numbers, because nutritionists do not have a consensus on this matter!). So now it’s fashionable to consume … “healthy fats.” What it is? Nothing more than the common, basically natural, unprocessed fats found in our favorite vegan and vegetarian foods, such as nuts, avocados, and yogurt. Now it is fashionable to know that fat, in itself, is not harmful!
7. The second such “rehabilitation” occurred with sugar. Scientists, again, “remembered” that sugar is simply for the life of the human body, including maintaining a healthy state and functioning of the brain and muscles. But, as with fat, you just need to consume “healthy” sugar. And almost “the more, the better”?! This is how the trend for fruits with a high sugar content took shape. The idea is that such fruits (at least allegedly) give a quick boost of energy. “Fashionable”, i.e. the most “sugar” fruits are: grapes, tangerines, cherries and cherries, persimmons, lychees, dates, figs, mangoes, bananas, pomegranates – and, of course, dried fruits, in which the sugar content is even higher than in non-dried fruits. Perhaps this (like the previous one) trend is due to the fact that in the West people who are interested in a healthy lifestyle are learning more and more about sports nutrition. Indeed, unlike those who are obese and lead a sedentary lifestyle, people who are engaged in fitness appreciate foods containing “healthy” fat and “natural” sugar: they allow you to quickly replenish the body’s needs for these nutrients. It is only important not to forget where all these seemingly contradictory trends come from, and not to confuse what you need specifically – to lose weight – to reduce sugar and fat content – or to grow muscles and qualitatively replenish the energy losses of the body associated with intense training.
8. In this regard, it is not surprising that the formation of a new trend – “sports nutrition in a vegan diet”. More and more vegans are interested in herbal nutritional supplements for athletes. Many dietary supplements designed “for jocks” are quite applicable to non-athletes. For example, 100% ethical vegan protein powders, (branched chain amino acids), post-workout shakes and similar products are gaining popularity. British observers this is one of the top 10 vegan trends of the year. At the same time, marketers say, consumers prefer micro-brands, rather than products of giant companies – probably seeking to get an even more natural and high-quality ethical product.
9. Biodynamic is the new Organic. Perhaps there are no people interested in healthy eating who have not heard about “” products – grown in the soil, without the use of pesticides and more! Many even made it a rule to look for products in supermarkets and markets, and this has a serious scientific justification. The term “organic” has become so firmly established in everyday life that … it has ceased to be fashionable. But “there is no place empty”, and now you can try to take a kind of new height – there is a “biodynamic”. “Biodynamic” products are even safer, healthier, and more luxurious than “organic” products. “Biodynamic” products are grown on a farm that a) does not use pesticides and chemicals. fertilizers, b) is completely self-sufficient in terms of its resources (and this, among other things, saves “carbon miles”). That is, such a farm raises the idea of organic farming () to new heights. would be happy. The process of introducing a new agricultural standard began to be harmed by only one retail chain – an American one – but it is possible that the initiative will be supported. The bad news is that, obviously, “biodynamic” will be even more expensive than “organic”.
10. Mindful Eating – another well, oh-very ancient trend that “returned” in the XNUMXst century! The idea of the method is that you need to eat not in front of the TV and not at the computer, but “with feeling, with sense, with arrangement” – that is. “consciously”. In the US, it is now extremely fashionable to talk about how important it is to “tune-in” during a meal – i.e. “tune in” to the food (and not the TV program) while eating. This, in particular, means looking at the plate, trying everything you eat and chewing carefully, and not swallowing it quickly, and also feel gratitude to the Earth and the Sun for growing this food, and, finally, just enjoy eating . The idea is like from the New Age era, but one can only rejoice at its return! After all, as it was recently proven that it is precisely this “conscious eating” that helps to fight one of the newest “diseases of the XNUMXst century” – FNSS syndrome (“Full but Not Satisfied Syndrome”). FNSS is when a person eats “to satiety”, but does not feel full: one of the causes of obesity in the United States and other developed countries of the world, where there is a high level of stress and a “super-fast” standard of living. Adherents of the new method claim that if you follow the principle of “conscious eating”, you can put your weight and hormones in order, while not limiting yourself so much in calories and sweets.