FOOD

WITH GLUTEN STILL “THE SOURCE OF ALL EVIL” AND THE WORLD DIVIDED OVER GOOD FATS VS BAD FATS, NUTRITION IS A HOT TOPIC. FAB FOODIE, JORDAN BRUNO IDENTIFIES THE COMING GASTRONOMIC TRENDS.

Australian native superfoods!

BACK TO BALANCE

Diets that cut out entire food groups are a thing of the past. Whether it’s vowing to never eat another carbohydrate or giving up fats or sugars, cutting out entire food groups has been proven to be largely unsustainable or functional in the average diet.

Eating in moderation and listening to your body is, in my opinion, one of the biggest health trends of 2017. With a focus on sustainable wholefoods in our diet, it’s no longer a sin to have some butter on your toast, or a cheeky afternoon snack.

In a recent interview, Dr David Katz from Yale University told American industry publication

Food Navigator, “We’re just finally catching on that vegan, Paleo, gluten-free, fat-free or sugarfree are not panaceas to our problems.”

Listening and moderating how your body reacts to particular foods will give you an understanding of what you should and shouldn’t eat. If you feel lethargic after a big bowl of cereal, try to compensate with some fruit and nuts instead of your usual amount the next day. Bring balance into your diet and make it functional and sustainable for long term results.

GUT HEALTH

Researchers are now naming the gut the second brain of the human body. And here’s why: it turns out that 90 per cent of serotonin receptors (the stuff that makes you feel happiness and joy) and 50 per cent of dopamine receptors (the stuff that regulates your mood and impulses) are found in your gut. Thus, there is now a huge focus on gut health. Having a good balance of bacteria in the gut is essential to process and absorb the nutrition from food.

So, how does one eat their way to good gut health? By eating foods with good bacteria. Fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut or even kefir all contain good bacteria and are quickly becoming staples in diets to encourage a good gut composition. A daily probiotic is also a strong way of ensuring your stomach is getting the right balance of good bacteria.

AUSTRALIAN NATIVE SUPER FOODS

Super foods have been centre stage in health food trends for many years now. We’ve seen the rise of quinoa and kale and the inception of acai bowls making their way into every café.

Now, Australian super foods are set to make it big in 2017. An array of native bush plants that have been used medicinally by Indigenous Australians for thousands of years are becoming available to the general public.

These are about to become the must-have item of the health food market. Among them, the Kakadu plum, which has the highest recorded amount of vitamin C of any fruit in the world ( just a casual 100 times more than one orange) and is 5.2 times more potent in antioxidants than blueberries. Lemon myrtle is already widely used for its creamy lemony f lavour, but with high concentrations of antioxidants and essential oils it’s being used to boost the immune system, help digestion and cleanse the liver. Australian wattle seeds, quandongs and native thyme are expected to make an impression on the market with their unique f lavours and health benefits. MORE: Get The Gay Chef free from jordanbruno.org and donate to one of his LGBTI charity recipients while you’re there

The Kakadu plum has the highest recorded amount of vitamin C of any fruit in the world and is 5.2 times more potent with antioxidants than blueberries.