Chef Mareya Ibrahim Shares Top “8 Great” Healthy Living Annual Trends Report for 2021
The new decade came in like a lion, teaching us a lifetime of lessons in one compressed year, shaping how we shop, live and adjust to a ‘new normal.’ Industry expert and trends watcher , predicts 2021 is the year whole health gets ‘real’ with her 9th annual “8 great” healthy living trends report. Every year, the award-winning entrepreneur behind the eatCleaner® brand uncovers what’s next in America’s food, wellness and lifestyle scene. Here, the best-selling author of Eat Like You Give A Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive, shares what every health-conscious shopper should be focused on in the upcoming year, as we reach for creature comforts, cook at home more than ever before and look for ways to feel better.
Bamboo You- From bathrobes and bedsheets to toilet tissue and paper towels, bamboo is quickly beating out paper and cotton as the “it” material – and for good reason: it’s sustainable, soft-as-silk, fast-growing, naturally antimicrobial and takes a fraction of the natural resources to cultivate. Expect to see dramatic market growth at an estimated 5 percent annually to reach more than $98 billion by 2025.
Instant Flavor Blends- With at-home cooking on the rise, sugar and sodium-packed ready-to-use sauces have become an essential pantry item. Keto-friendly and gluten-free brands will dominate the category, as people continue to eat modified diets, with world-inspired flavors transforming a humble dinner into a gourmet meal without the unnecessary additives.
Power-Packed Pantry Staples- This year, pandemic panic mode forced us to rethink our pantry approach. 2021 will continue having us stock up on nutritious, versatile basics with affordable healthy staples like packaged beans, tomatoes, hearty vegetables, canned seafood, grains and pastas, oat milk and aseptic packaged broths, sustainable, gluten-free and organic leading the pack. Ready-to-eat and ‘just add water’ shelf stable options will also gain steam.
Clean Baked Goods- keto-friendly, quick and simple, options in a mix form keeps comfort baking in the ‘clean zone.’ Looks for ‘just add water’ options and no-bake ideas that are quickly gaining popularity across social media. Also, try ‘The Best Kinda’ Date Balls’ and ‘Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies’, ‘Tahini Marble Fudge Bars’ and ‘The Best Kinda’ Date Balls’ found in Ibrahim’s book (recipes and images available on request).
Water Elevation- Water degustation is on rise. “Water sommeliers” – popularized on Zac Efron’s Netflix show Down to Earth – point out flavor nuances and points of origin, highlighting natural, sustainable and highly mineralized waters that tickle the taste buds. Even boozy brands are giving way to the spiked sparkling boom, leading to an estimated annual market growth of 16 percent and a $10 billion sales increase by 2027.
TurboMoodBoosters- Adaptogens will remain popular as people continue to seek balance and feel-good energy. Combinations of these ingredients, plus protein and probiotics for gut health, will reign supreme. Mushrooms, Ashwagandha, Sacha Inchi seeds, pumpkin seed protein, and probiotics are also gaining popularity. The CBD market will continue to boom, as well, reaching an estimated 36 percent increase of more than $11 billion by 2027. Look for highly potent, water-soluble varieties (designed for easier bodily absorption) in body sprays, bath soaks, chews and more.
‘It’ Superfood: Green Banana Flour- Made from (you guessed it) green bananas, this potent superfood, high in potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamin C and a variety of other vitamins and minerals, naturally, without being enriched. It’s a gluten-free baking alternative and a resistant starch that acts like a prebiotic, helping to support good gut bacteria and weight loss, colon health and lowered cholesterol levels – while also preventing food waste by saving underripe fruit from the trash heap. Find it showing up in more protein powder and baked goods offerings.
‘It’ Veggie: Gemstone potatoes – According to Robert Schueller, Marketing Director at Melissa’s Produce, the trends that started post-Covid and forecasted into 2021 were fueled by more than average at-home cooking and consumers desiring items with longer shelf life. Gemstone potatoes are a mixture of yellow, white, red & purple potatoes – the latter containing anthocyanins, a unique class of antioxidants – making picture-perfect meals. Organic ginger root and turmeric root are also seeing huge popularity for their culinary and medicinal value.
Mareya Ibrahim is an award-winning entrepreneur, chef, author, speaker, patented inventor and 25+ year food industry expert. This is her 9th annual Healthy Food & Beverage Trend Report. Click here – the premiere destination for clean living – to learn more. Follow @eatcleaner on Instagram for “fit food for thought,” and connect with Chef Mareya on Facebook or on her smash-hit podcast, “Recipes for Your Best Life” – available now on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify. For the full 2021 Trends report or to interview Mareya, contact jessidanielle.k@gmail.com