Natural Grocers Predicts Top 10 Nutrition Trends for 2017

Natural Grocers has released its predictions for the top 10 nutrition trends for 2017. The grocer talked to a panel of the company's category managers, nutrition experts, and editorial staff to find out what trends to expect in nutrition and health for the upcoming year. The trends include: 

Eating Healthy Also Means Eating Ethically: Whether it is ethical eggs or humane animal husbandry, consumer interest in how their food is produced is at an all-time high. This is perhaps most evident by the passage of legislature in New Hampshire that bans the use of inhumane animal confinement methods. Even more telling, 78 percent of voters supported this law.

The Popularity of Organics Continues to Grow and Grow… and Grow: As more people, especially Millennials, realize how pesticides and nutrition impact their health, they are demanding food that is healthier and more nutritious. This has translated into a robust organic industry that has experienced double-digit annual growth.

Mocktails: These non-alcoholic beverages are thoughtfully constructed and eye-catching Recipes for how to make mocktails are popping up all over, and Karen Falbo, natural foods chef and director of nutrition education at Natural Grocers  created several recipes that fit the trend.

The Spice Turmeric is Hot: Turmeric, one of the most heavily researched supplement and dietary ingredient, is showing up all over. It's in juices and tonics, used to color macaroni, and driving herbal supplement sales. The powerful free radical scavenger supports a healthy inflammatory response and cognitive function—two highly important aspects of health for the American population.

Noodles Have Been Replaced by Zoodles: Nutrient-dense vegetable noodles, such as zucchini noodles (zoodles), or sweet potato noodles, can be made with a spiralizer and used to replace high-carbohydrate, nutrient poor processed grains. From Pad Thai to spaghetti and meatballs, these dishes are versatile.

Minimize Food Waste: Almost half of the food in America is wasted, but it doesn't have to be that way. A saved chicken carcass can be used to make soup, roast carrots with a little balsamic vinegar and used as the tops in a salad. 

Grassfed… Everything:  While organic milk and milk from cows not given recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) have been popular for some time, quality grassfed dairy takes it a step further. When cows or goats only eat grasses and other forages, as nature intended, it translates into healthier milk from healthier cows. And it's not just dairy; grassfed meat and even dietary supplements like whey protein are now being sourced from grassfed cattle.

Snack Attack Is Back: Snacking—especially for Millennials, has become the perfect opportunity to eat healthy. This is especially important considering a recent demographic trend report in which 62 percent of Millennials reported snacking throughout the day. More and more of these snacks are low in sugar, non-GMO and/or gluten-free: meat bars, hummus, vegetable dips and sardines will define this trend. 

Fat Phobia is Ending: With recent scientific literature showing no clear association between saturated fat and the risk of heart disease, and a society more open to embracing healthy fats, fat phobia is coming to an end. Fats from coconuts, olives, and avocados are appearing in a variety of products and full-fat dairy is also making a comeback. This is a positive trend as fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins E and A are frequently missing from Americans' diets.

Easy Ways to Supplement the Diet: Most Americans will admit—their diets aren't perfect. That's where dietary supplements can help fill in the gap. However, while everyone wants to have a nutrient-rich diet, not everyone is ready to embrace taking pills. That's where all the new and often less intimidating forms of dietary supplements come into play. Tasty fish oil liquid swirls, multivitamin gummies, superfood-rich smoothie mixes, and collagen powders are all easy ways to supplement the diet, providing a nutrient-dense boost to a daily routine.