Jumping on board the plant-based bandwagon has never been tastier.
Tons of trendy new foods are hitting store shelves this year – from seaweed snacks to animal-free "meat" and "dairy" products to fungi edibles. Most of these buzzy bites are focused on one central theme: plant-based everything. That's because more and more people are seeking out foods that are kinder, greener and healthier. Good for them! Ready to jump on the bandwagon? Here are five healthy eating trends to sink your teeth into in the new year:
Seaweed
Meet the new super veggie that's making kale green with envy: seaweed. Seaweed has been a staple in Asian cuisines for thousands of years, but you'll see more nutrient-rich and "sea"-stainable wakame and kelp salads on restaurant menus – and not just in sushi bars. You'll also see more delicate and crispy seaweed snacks at supermarkets, where sales of such products are soaring and poised to exceed sales of kale-based snacks, according to data from Mintel.
That's a good thing: Like veggies, seaweed is low in calories and fat, and provides several essential nutrients, including vitamins A and C, B vitamins, fiber, iron, iodine, zinc and magnesium. Some roasted seaweed snacks, like Annie Chun's, have just 25 to 30 calories per serving, while most fried chips pack in 150 to 160 calories per serving. What's more,
preliminary research suggests compounds in seaweed may even help tamp down hunger.
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