(Akiit.com) The whole food trend is gaining momentum all over the world. People are becoming more health conscious and they are making informed choices about what they eat and this is why whole foods are buying highly sought after. They play a key role when it comes to healthy eating, which is why I am going to explain everything you need to know about this trend below, as well as some other trends.
To begin with, it is imperative to establish what whole foods actually are. This is a term that is used to describe foods that are unrefined and unprocessed as much as possible before they are eaten. This means that there will have been no chemicals added to the food. These ingredients are as raw and natural as you will find. Some examples include meats, fruit, vegetables, beans, unpolished grains and non-homogenised dairy products.
There are several benefits to be gained by incorporating whole foods into your diet. These are as follows…
- They supply naturally occurring protective substances
- They provide essential dietary fibre
- They provide a greater amount of complex micronutrients, which makes them a better source of nutrition
This trend is part of the popular organic movement. This refers to individuals and organisations that promote organic farming. This is something a lot of restaurants do. They follow a strict farm to table philosophy. This means that they use locally sourced ingredients and take a great amount of care when it comes to sourcing the best produce.
Restaurants like this believe that the most delicious dishes are created with the finest ingredients, which is why they follow the popular organic movement. This movement began in the 1990s. Synthetic nitrogen pesticides and fertilisers were being used in farming excessively and this movement came as a reaction to the process of growing food with the assistance of man-made chemicals.
Farmers who produce organic food will place a strong emphasis on the conservation of water and soil as well as the use of renewable resources. The food they supply is grown without the assistance of ionizing radiation, bioengineering, fertilizers and pesticides. Dairy products and poultry come from animals that have not been given any growth hormones or antibiotics. This ensures that they are much healthier to consume and most people remark that they taste much better as well.
It is not difficult to see why whole foods are so popular and the organic movement shows no signs of slowing down.
With every year that passes by, we welcome new and interesting food trends and we say goodbye to others. There are some crazes that have dominated the culinary world for several years now, with whole foods being a prime example. So, let’s take a look at some others…
You have heard of nose-to-tail, but what about peel-to-steam?
The best restaurants follow a nose-to-tail philosophy. This means that they believe in using all of the animal. Not only does this ensure that they are not wasteful, but it gives diners the opportunity to experience some tasty cuts that they otherwise wouldn’t think to order. This trend has been around for a while now, but the concept of it is starting to be applied to vegetables, with a peel-to-steam trend emerging. So, you can expect carrot tops and root vegetable peels to be left on.
Customised eating plans
Another trend that a lot of people are embracing is customised eating plans. Rather than following all of these fad diets, it is about eating plans that are catered to your taste and your goals. Here’s a great resource, which explains about eating plans for those with anorexia.
It may be the year of the sheep, but in the kitchen it’s going to be the year of the rabbit
If there is one ingredient that is really going to be embraced this year then it is rabbit. A lot of chefs agree that this is the meat of the future. It is truly delicious and can be cooked in a number of different ways.
The sharing plates trend is only going to get more and more popular
The sharing plates trend is one we already started to notice over the past few years, yet it is going to become even more popular throughout 2019. This concept involves ordering a selection of smaller dishes for people to share between them. It is not a new idea. After all, the Spanish have been enjoying tapas for years. However, it’s a concept that is being enjoyed in all types of restaurants. It is a quite a fun approach to dining in my opinion, as you get to try a little bit of everything.
It’s not a case of the bigger the better when it comes to fish
For many years there has been a ‘big fish’ culture in terms of catching fish for cooking purposes. However, I think this culture is about to be replaced, as more and more people are appreciating the versatility and tastiness that can be found with smaller fishes. From belt fish to needlefish, we will see a greater appreciation for smaller species.
In-house fermentation will be all of the rage
The final trend we predict we will see a lot of throughout the year ahead is in-house fermentation. Fermented foods are present in all cultures and they are actually extremely beneficial in terms of gut health. Many establishments will embrace this as we move forward, with everything from pickles to kimchi being fermented in-house.
So there you have it… some of the important trends in food for the mind and the body!
Staff Writer; Greg Brown