Most people will tell you they want to eat healthier and make smarter dietary choices but putting that plan into action is a little harder. It takes knowledge, motivation, and planning. Wanting to eat healthy doesn’t necessarily translate into doing it. Factors like the convenience and personal taste in food get in the way of making healthy choices. More than ever, people are aware of the importance of eating a healthy diet. The good news is adults of working age consumed fewer calories in the year 2009 than they did in 2005 — but are we making healthier food choices? Let’s see what the latest report on American eating habits shows.
Food Trends in America
Recently released was the 29th Annual Eating Patterns in America Report. This report offers an inside peek at how Americans have been eating over the past ten years. Is the news good or bad? A little of both. There are some positives. People are eating more meals at home rather than ordering out or dining at restaurants where the menu offerings often lack healthy options. But when you look at the top ten foods people are eating more than they were ten years ago, it’s a mixed picture.
The number one food people are eating more of now than 10 years ago is yogurt. In fact, yogurt consumption has risen by over 12%. A ready source of calcium, yogurt is a food you have to choose wisely to avoid a sugar crash. That’s because some containers of yogurt have more sugar than a candy bar. Greek yogurt is usually lower in sugar and higher in protein but has only half the calcium of regular yogurt. On the plus side, some yogurt contains probiotic bacteria that may offer additional health benefits.
Second on the list was bottled water, available at most supermarkets in plastic bottles that are easy to carry along and sip. Consumption of bottled water has risen more than 10% in the past decade. No doubt we should be drinking more of this universal liquid our bodies need, but why pay for it? Research shows most bottled water is no cleaner or purer than tap water. Plus, it may be less healthy than tap water due to the BPA in the plastic bottles it’s packed into. BPA, or bisphenol-A, is under scrutiny after animal studies linked it with fertility problems, disruption of hormones and possible risks to brain health in children. The BPA lining the inside of plastic bottles may leach into the fluid, especially if you store bottled water in a hot car. Water is good, but bottled water isn’t better in most cases.
Another positive — fresh fruit consumption has risen by 7%. Fresh fruit, in the whole form, is a good source of antioxidants and fiber and a heck of a lot healthier than a candy bar (with the exception of dark chocolate). What about veggies? According to the CDC, vegetable consumption is still weak, at least among children. Children ate more fruit between the years 2004 and 2007, but the amount of vegetables kids ate remained about the same. Certain areas of the country are more vegetable and fruit friendly. Based on a survey, the two top states for fruit and vegetable consumption are California and Oregon.
Other Top Foods
Other foods Americans are eating more of than they did a decade ago include pizza, Mexican food, poultry sandwiches, bars, frozen sandwiches, chips, and pancakes. Some of these foods, especially chips and pancakes, and frozen sandwiches, show processed food consumption is still strong.
What about food trends for 2015? According to U.S. News, fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir will be hot. That’s good news because these foods are a source of gut-friendly probiotics. A growing taste for Asian flavors including Thai and Japanese cuisine is driving Americans to restaurants that serve more exotic fare. One positive note on the horizon, you may see potatoes replaced with root vegetables in some restaurants as Americans crave something different. That’s one way to get more vegetables.
According to a 2015 trend report, other healthy options you’ll be seeing more of in supermarkets and restaurants in 2015 include plant-based proteins, seaweed and pistachios and a green tea powder the Japanese use in their tea ceremonies called Matcha, a good source of antioxidants. Two hot and healthy trends of 2014 that may lose some their steam in 2015 are kale and quinoa, although coconut water, a rehydration beverage, should stay strong.
Interest in local foods and beverages should remain strong. If you’re a food adventurist, you’re free to explore another possible trend on the horizon — edible insects. Yes, some sources predict insects, especially crickets, will be on menus in the upcoming years. At least they’re abundant and a good source of protein!
The Bottom Line?
Food trends are always changing. That much you can depend on, but from a health standpoint, whole, unprocessed foods never go out of style. Trends in food will come and go — but you can count on whole foods to be around to help you stay healthy.
References:
NPD Group. “Know What’s Worth Watching — Separate Trends From Fads”
Food Product Design. “Yogurt Tops List of Top 10 Foods of the Decade” November 2014.
Natural Resources and Defense Council. “Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype?”
WebMD. “The Facts About Bisphenol A”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Vital Signs: Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Children — United States, 2003-2010” (2014)
CoExist. “Mapping Where Americans Eat The Most Fruits And Vegetables”
International Food and Restaurant Consultants, Baum and Whiteman, 2015 Trend Report.
The Wall Street Journal. “U.S. NEWS Americans’ Eating Habits Take a Healthier Turn, Study Finds” (2014)
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