Five Food Trends to Spot in 2009

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2009 trends are everywhere. There are new trends in cars, fashion, home design and decor and yes, food and nutrition. The Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution among others have all served up trend outlooks. Five of the food trends you will spot this year include immunity booster or defensive foods, anti-inflammatory foods, brain booster and energy enhancer foods, condition-specific foods, and pure and simple foods. Here’s the short version on each trend so that you have your finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the food world.

1. Immunity booster or defensive foods: Think of these foods like a bullet proof vest. These products and foods claim to defend or strengthen your immunity or immune system.  Foods with healthy bacteria called probiotics as well as foods and products with various antioxidants are included in this category.
2. Anti-inflammatory foods: Inflammation can be good or bad. It’s good when you stump your toe or cut yourself because your immune system kicks in to jump start the healing process. Inflammation is not so good when it becomes chronic inflammation in your body. This more invisible type of inflammation potentially affects the risk for many common diseases from heart disease and auto immune illness like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis to some cancers, diabetes, and even stroke. Inflammation raises the level of what’s called C-reactive protein or CRP for short. Foods such as cherries and the Mediterranean-style of eating fall into this anti-inflammatory category.
3. Brain booster and energy enhancer foods: everyone wants more mental and physical energy. Move over caffeine…watch for more energy drinks and foods with herbals such as guarana, ginseng and various amino acids added. And watch for people who speak up with concern about the potential negative effects to the heart and blood pressure from many of these energy enhancing foods and beverages.
4. Condition-specific foods: Watch for foods to get specific in benefits they offer. You’ve seen the commercials…foods to improve your digestive health (nice way of saying less constipation along with other positive effects on your intestinal track), food for healthier bones, and to lower cholesterol. Think of this trend as taking aim at your specific body parts.
5. Pure and simple foods: contain ingredients that you can pronounce, spell and understand. This means fewer additives and artificial ingredients.  I love this…..a return to real food with its own impressive list of naturally occurring, powerful for the body nutrients. Guess what? Evidence-based nutrition research continues to find that real pure and simple foods are powerful for specific conditions, for mental and physical energy, to fight inflammation and to boost immunity. Real food, the biggest winner of all.