By Carla Schuit – Registered Dietitian
Food trends are ever changing. There is always some new food you should be eating or a new top 5 list of foods you should avoid. We have all heard them. Eggs will give you a heart attack, Flaxseed will save your life, Kale is king!! So what is true and what isn’t? Here we will explore some current food trends and see if they are all they are hyped up to be.
Matcha Tea- This is a fine green powder made from grinding green tea leaves called Tencha. For 20 days before harvest these tea bushes are shaded to increase the leaves production of chlorophyll and L-Theanine ( an amino acid which occurs naturally in tea and certain types of mushrooms). Although green tea is also healthy and provides many antioxidants, it is believe that matcha provides increased benefits because you are consuming the whole leaf opposed to a liquid derived from it. Matcha and green tea have been credited with health benefit such as protection against heart disease, cancer, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure reduction and boosting metabolisms. Matcha is traditionally drank but can also be added to various recipes.
Fermented foods- Kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi have made a huge splash on the food scene recently. In any local paper you can find classes on how to home ferment foods. But what do they do? Fermented foods are actually very beneficial for gut health. When these foods are fermented they develop helpful enzymes and bacteria that aid in digestion of other foods. This digestive bacteria allows some who are lactose intolerant to consumer kefir or some yogurts because the lactose is digested by the enzymes. Home or small batch fermented foods are best. Those made commercially are pasteurized and lose their healthful benefits.
Bone Broth-This is definitely the hottie of 2015. Bone broth is made by first roasting then boiling chicken, beef or pork bones in water with vegetables and sometimes vinegar that when cooled will gel from the protein and collagen in the bones. It contains about 16g of protein, 17g carbs and about 27%, 9% and 13% for your daily needs of Vit C, iron and calcium respectively. It has been touted to treat everything from digestive issues to joint health. There are no studies available right now to substantiate the benefit of drinking a cup of bone broth a day. It is definitely a better option than buying store boxed broth and is more nutrient dense.
Turmeric- This wonder spice has so many benefits. I tis used for headaches, bronchitis, colds, lung infections, stomach pain, arthiritis, diarrhea, etc. It is also used as a natural color. But be careful! That beautiful, bright yellow color can stain anything you use. I know, I now have a bright yellow spoon instead of a white one. It is a vibrant and flavorful spice great in soups and other dishes.
Bullet Proof Coffee- This is another highly popular item right now. It coincides with the most popular diet at the moment, the paleo diet. High protein, low carb. Bulletproof coffee is taking a specific coffee brew and adding MCT oil and grass-fed butter. What you get is a high fat, high caffeine concoction in the morning. This has been shown to increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If you consume this in the morning you would need to then re-balance the remainder of your day. Adding more unsaturated fats and staying away from saturated fats, including red meat and coconut oil. I recommend skipping and eating a steak instead.
Cauliflower- This has become the savior to all low-carbers. Bland in flavor and versatile in texture it has proven a great substitute for potatoes, soup thickeners and rice. People are doing everything from roasting, ricing and pureeing to get more cauliflower in their diet. Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, folate, phosphorous and biotin. It is a great addition to any meal and easy staple in a low carb diet.
There will always be a new “best thing for you” coming out in the news and the nutrition field is always evolving. I recommend talking to your favorite Dietitian or doing some research of your own before jumping on any new nutrition bandwagons.
For next month I would love to get your thoughts on what you want to hear about. This article is here to inform you about food and nutrition. Please email topics to [email protected] so that you can hear about what interests you!!
Happy Eating!