Is sorghumthe new quinoa? Is bitter melon the newkaleorcauliflower? Do you ponder these questions while sippinga charcoal lemonade(which could be the nextkombucha)?
The trendiest health food ingredients often make the most flattering Instagram photos, but many of them have something else in common. They're not new.
"They have deep cultural roots. They're not some invention introduced by the food industry," says Sarah Marion, senior manager of syndicated research at the Hartman Group, a food industry consulting firm.
But they reflect the larger trend of clean eating that the people snapping those photos—hey, that's us!—have made a priority. "Health and wellness over the past several decades have taken a more central role in terms of how consumers define themselves and their lifestyles. There's an emphasis on real, whole foods not made in a lab or full of quote-unquote 'chemicals,'" Marion says.
Expect to see more of these nine ingredients filling our plates—and Instagram feeds—this year.
Yes, it's related to the marijuana plant. No, it won't get you high. Of all the nuts and seeds withsuperfood status,hemp might have the most staying power, saysgrocery trend expertPhil Lempert, a.k.a the Supermarket Guru. It's high in protein and versatile as an ingredient in snack foods, oil,milk, and butter. It also is one of the easiest and most sustainable crops to grow, part of what's drivingthe push to legalize industrial hemp productionin the United States. (Thirty states allow for some production, but the hemp we consume comes mostly from Canada and China.) "It's going back to the future. George Washington grew hemp," Lempert says. "As federal restrictions loosen up on growing hemp, I think we're going to see a lot more of it," says Marion.
This tropical fruit hits on two big trends: meat alternatives and Southeast Asian cuisine. The unripe fruit has a meaty texture and is relatively flavorless, instead taking on the flavors of whatever it's cooked with. "And it's non-GMO," says Marion, something more consumers are looking for. Watch for products from more companies likeUpton's Naturalsandthe Jackfruit Company, which sell prepared, seasoned jackfruit in packages. In its 2017 foodservice trends report, market research firm Mintel predicts you'll see more jackfruit on restaurant menus, too.
The Epi test kitchen isalready sweet on sorghum syrup, long a staple in Southern baking. As interest in alternative,better-than-sugar sweetenerscontinues to grow, this rich, dark liquid is poised to take a more prominent spot in the pantry. Sorghum has gained a following in its whole form, too. Dubbed "the new 'It' grain" by the James Beard Foundation, it is in fact ancient and plays right into the gluten-free trend, says Marion. It's versatile, nutrient-dense, and cooks up chewy like farro, an appropriate anchor for the still-ubiquitous grain bowl. Orpop it like popcornfor a familiar-tasting, cool-looking snack.
It's hip to be#wastelessand thus, we havebottled whey. Until recently, food makers and chefs weren't doing much with what's known as acid or sour whey, the probiotic-rich liquid left over frommaking yogurt and soft cheese like ricotta. (This is different from sweet whey, a byproduct of hard cheese used to make protein powder.) But that's changing, with artisanal yogurt companyWhite Moustache's lineof bottled, flavored whey and more chefs using acid whey in savory and sweet dishes and drinks. "Anything that helps [food waste] and can also be a good PR position is on trend," Marion says. You, too, can use whey in smoothies or as a tenderizing marinade for meat. (Plus, you don't need to buy it: just strain yogurt overnight in a cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl. You'll be left with liquid whey plus thick yogurt to make intolabnehordips.)
This bumpy-skinned, aggressively bitter vegetable is packed with nutrients and has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. A common ingredient in many Asian cuisines, including Indian andFilipino(also trendy!), it's onGoogle's list of most-searched functional foodsand one that the company calls a "seasonal riser" and a trend "likely to come back even stronger." Marion points out that bitter melon requires some knowledge ofhow to prep and cook it. "For a lot of Americans that can be a big barrier, so right now we see it more as a restaurant trend," she says. (Feeling ambitious? Try thesecrispy tempura cakes.)
The bandwagon was pushed into motion last April by New York City's Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream on Instagram (where else?), witha photoand, soon enough, a zillion likes of the shop's new flavor, coconut ash ice cream as black as squid ink. Activated charcoal, the ingredient in question that BA's Andrew Knowlton says isone to watch this year, has been used for centuries in other cultures for its supposed detoxifying and purifying properties. Neither Marion nor Lempert are convinced it will fully catch on. Nevertheless, the current fascination with it, aside from ice cream, is as an ingredient in drinks and beauty products.
