For the 7th consecutive year, “The Fit Foodie” Mareya Ibrahim serves up the top 8 healthy food and beverage trends like a master chef.
1) ADAPTOGEN ADD-ONS
Traditional herbs, roots and plants like holy basil, ginseng, maca, rhodiola, mushrooms and spirulina stabilize cortisol levels and bring balance to your system. Try Moodbeli’s Calming Adaptogen featuring ashwaganda and ginger, Amare’s GBX SuperFood spirulina-based gut balancing probiotic blend and Four Sigmatic‘s Superfoods Adaptogen Blend with reishi and cordyceps mushrooms, ginseng, ashwagandha and ginger. Simply mix powder with water, your favorite nut milk, or a warm beverage to sip and stay calm.
2) ONE AND DONE
Treat yourself to a complete, macronutrient balanced meal on-the-go. Just add water to get perfectly balanced good fat, protein and carbs that turn your body into a fat burning, metabolic super machine! Try vegan powder products like Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal with sprouted fruit, veggies and 44 superfoods, MeleShake‘s grass-fed whey protein blend, and Orgain‘s USDA Organic Vegan Meal Powder.
3) FROZEN FOOD REDUX
The new wave of ‘real’ food frozen meals are surprisingly big on flavor, sustainability and quality. Try Good Food Made Simple‘s breakfast burritos and enchiladas made with cage-free eggs and artisan ingredients, Tribali Foods‘ line of organic, grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and natural pork, Saffron Road‘s ‘world cuisine’ flavors featuring certified halal-friendly ingredients, and Evol‘s Nutrition Bowls that offer a wellness message with each variety.
4) H2-OHHHHH
The elixir of life just gets a boost from protein, electrolytes, antioxidants, essential amino acids and even more oxygen. Try O2, a natural recovery drink claiming to offer 7x more oxygen than tap water, 2.5x more electrolytes than leading sports drinks and a natural caffeine pick-me-up; Fizzique, a fruit-flavored sparkling water with 20 grams of protein and zero carbs or sugar; and Blk Water, named for its pitch-black color from fulvic and humic minerals believed to provide 77 naturally-occurring trace minerals, trace elements, amino acids and electrolytes, along with natural prebiotics and probiotics (all without staining your teeth!)
5) BABY FOOD GOURMET
My new book, “Eat Like You Give a Fork,” (St. Martin’sPress, releases June 4th, 2019) explains why introducing a wide variety of flavors (aside from salt and sweet) before age 3 is critical to encourage a lifetime of healthy eating. Companies like Pure Spoon and Nurture Life make it easy, delivering HPP (high pressure pasteurized) baby food right to your door; Little Spoon’s ‘Babyblends’ offer brain- and muscle-boosting nutrient combinations; and Once Upon a Farm Fresh stocks refrigerated USDA organic and cold-pressed blends in a squeezable pouch.
6) FIT BOOZE
Low on sugar and carbs, and made without chemicals, color additives, refined sugars and artificial ingredients, Batiste“Rhum” is sweetened with 100% fresh sugarcane; FitVine offers a line of wines weighing in at less than 1 g of sugar per bottle, with reduced sulfites and no artificial flavors; and Square One produces 100% USDA organic rye vodka with mood- and flavor-boosting botanicals like bergamot, cucumber and basil. Major beer bottlers like Budweiser, Beck’s, Corona, Michelob and Coors are even trimming down to 2-4 grams of carbs per serving.
7) NEXT ‘IT’ VEGGIE: JICAMA
The crunchy “Mexican potato” is gaining popularity points for its versatility and exceptional nutrition profile. High vitamins C and B, its relatively mild flavor is perfectly suited for fries, slaws and salad croutons. Despite its starchy texture, jicama’s high inulin fiber content won’t cause sugar spikes, and at 50 calories per 1 cup serving, you can eat with abandon when the urge to crunch takes over. Intrigued? Try Xica Foods jicama sticks and tortillas to whet your appetite for this exotic up-and-comer.
8) NEXT ‘IT’ SUPERFOOD: TIGER NUTS
These low-calorie tubers (similar to potatoes and carrots) are high in prebiotic fiber to help manage blood sugar and rich in brain-boosting minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium. This powerhouse veggie also helps to maintain a healthy digestive system, and can be eaten whole or used to make flour or milk. With a healthy dose of monounsaturated fat to keep you fuller longer, it’s the perfect in-between-meals snack that won’t sabotage your diet.
