5 DIET TRENDS to try for 2020
MAKE THIS YOUR HEALTHIEST YEAR EVER!
There’s nothing like a new year to start afresh and overhaul your eating habits after December’s diet of Panettone and mimosas. If you want to shed some excess kilos and feel more energetic in 2020, here are five new expert-approved diets to try.
1 THE SUSTAINABLE DIET
Forty-six per cent of Aussies mentioned environmental concerns as the most important problem facing the world, according to a recent Roy Morgan report. If you’re keen to eat in a way that’s a little more earthfriendly, try Scott Gooding’s sustainable diet. On the menu is alternative meat sources such as kangaroo and cheaper cuts of meat like shoulders and cheeks, free-range eggs, and making your own hummus. “A sustainable diet is naturally low in carbs and high in nutrient dense foods that are farmed in a low-impact way,” says Gooding.
2 SOBER HAPPY HOUR
A trend predicted for 2020 by US retailer Whole Foods Market is that more of us will be searching out non-alcoholic drinks such as Seedlip spirits and mocktails such as Nogronis. Research from La Trobe University on 120,000 Australians found that one-third of us have reduced how often or how much we drink in the past year. “There are lots of health benefits from cutting back on alcohol, including an improvement in your moods,” says dietitian Chloe Mcleod.
3 HEALTHIER ITALIAN
You might start eating your spag bol with pasta made from lentil or chickpea flour, according to the Whole Foods Market report. As Australia is becoming increasingly health conscious, traditional foods like pasta have new options. Barilla has launched a range of pasta that is made with legume (lentil or chickpea) flour that holds the ‘al dente’ texture just like regular pasta. “Legumes are a delicious gluten-free powerhouse, loaded with protein to help you feel full,” says dietitian Rebecca Gawthorne.
4 SEAGANSIM
Tweaking your diet to contain more omega-3s from fish and seafood is another trend that’s come about from people who feel veganism is too restrictive. Seaganism involves pickling, fermenting, smoking and/or ageing seafood, with dishes like octopus salami, shellfish sausages or swordfish ham. If you’re not a fish fan, get the nutritional benefits by crushing nori sushi sheets (which are made from seaweed) over salads. “Seaweed is prized for its high nutritional content – it is rich in protein, fibre and omega-3,” says Dr Michael Mosley in The Clever Guts Diet.
5 FLEXITARIAN DIET
If you’ve ever tried ‘Meatless Mondays’ then you’re probably already doing this. “The flexitarian diet is essentially a plant-based diet with the option to ‘flex’ and consume animalbased products (meat, dairy, poultry etc.) in moderation,” says nutritionist and Harvest Gourmet ambassador Jacqueline Alwill. While meat is a good source of protein, iron and zinc, eating more than 700 grams (raw weight) of red meat a week increases your risk of bowel cancer, according to the Cancer Council.