Clean eating, healthy makeovers for packaged products, probiotics, sprouted grains -- those were some of the hottest foods trends at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo, the world's largest meeting of food and nutrition professionals. Over 11,000 dietitians met in Nashville recently to learn about the latest nutrition news and food trends.
Here are some of the trends you can expect to see more of in your grocery stores:
--More clean, minimally processed foods. Manufacturers are getting rid of artificial colors and flavors as consumers want real and unprocessed, more sustainable foods.
--Transparency. Manufacturers want to be open and honest with consumers about where their food comes from -- whether it's milk in the dairy cooler or tuna in a can.
--Pulses. Pulses include legumes, peas, dry beans, lentils and chickpeas. 2016 has been named the International Year of Pulses. Pulses are in a variety of hummus products as well as baked into chips and pastas.
--Sprouted grains and seeds. Bread made from sprouted grains also has less carbohydrates and higher protein and vitamins and minerals and is thought to be easier to digest. Now we are seeing sprouted watermelon and pumpkin seeds as snacks. Kashi has a sprouted grain cereal and Panera sells sprouted bread with its soup.
--Healthier on-the-go snacks. FNCE's big expo of products included singe-serve salads -- with ingredients packaged separately -- as well as new, healthier frozen meals, globally inspired.
--Options for full-fat dairy as well as lower fat. The idea is to give consumers more choices in the marketplace. Research still supports a lower fat diet is best, but consumers who need extra fat in their diet want manufacturers to give them options.
--Gluten-free remains popular for new products. It's not that more people have celiac disease, but more consumers want a choice to go gluten-free if they desire.
--Probiotics. Beyond yogurt, you're seeing probiotics in beverages like Kefir. GoLive also offers a probiotic in the lid that will come alive when mixed in a drink.
Q and A
Q: I keep hearing about "sprouted grains." What are they and what's all the fuss about?
A: Sprouted grains are whole grains that are soaked and then put under controlled conditions until the heat and moisture prompt development of a small sprout. The wet sprouted grains can then be pureed and used to make bread or other grain products. The sprouted grains can also be dried for use as a cooked grain (just as you would cook rice) or ground into sprouted grain flour. Many different types of whole grains are available as sprouted grains, including brown rice, wheat, millet and buckwheat.
Much of the interest in sprouted grains involves potential for increased amount and absorbability of dietary fiber and some nutrients, including vitamin C and several B vitamins (including all-important folate). Grain products normally only contain small amounts of vitamin C. In sprouted grains, enzymes are activated that break down a compound in whole grains called phytic acid. Since phytic acid can tie up iron, this means that more iron from the whole grains and other plant foods eaten at the same time may be better absorbed.
However, research supporting nutritional benefits is not as established as some headlines may make it seem. Health benefits that headlines tie to sprouted grains are often referring to studies in rats and mice, or short-term studies of less than 20 people eating the sprouted grains in multiple servings every day. And some studies compare sprouted grains to refined grains, which could reflect the well-established greater healthfulness of whole grains in general compared to refined grains (like white bread and white rice). If you want try sprouted whole grains, they have potential to offer extra nutritional benefits. Nevertheless, if you are choosing whole grains and eating a wide variety of plant foods, those are the most important steps for getting bountiful nutrients and protective compounds.
Note: Raw, uncooked sprouts can pose food safety concerns and the Food and Drug Administration recommends children, the elderly, pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems avoid eating raw sprouts.
Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Recipe
If you want more whole grains in your diet, try this recipe for whole-grain cornbread, from Cooking Light's new Holiday issue. Make it a day ahead of your Thanksgiving meal and use it for cornbread dressing or it eat fresh with dinner.
WHOLE GRAIN CORNBREAD
1 1/2 cups whole grain yellow cornmeal
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups nonfat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (leave pan in oven as it preheats). Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and eggs stirring with a whisk. Add to cornmeal mixture; stir just until batter is combined. Cut butter into pieces. Carefully place butter in hot skillet in oven; bake at 450 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes or until butter melts and begins to brown. Carefully remove pan from oven and pour butter into batter, stirring just until combine. Immediately pour batter into pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned on edges and lightly browned on top. Cook 5 minutes before slicing; serve warm. Serves 12 (serving size: 1 wedge).
Per serving: 185 calories, 5 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 9.1 g fat, 39 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 301 mg sodium.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill, and a spokesperson for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD.
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