Saturday, January 7, 2012

Trends For Eating Healthy Foods

Eating Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

One of the top trends today for healthy eating is consuming fresh fruit and vegetables and not much meat. Some people eat primarily fresh fruits, grains and vegetable with occasional pieces of meat for protein. They have a diet low in fat and high in fiber. Consumers that follow this plan are less likely to develop hypertension, diabetes and cancer. Many studies show this is a healthy way to eat. People are looking for foods to eat with health benefits when dining out and cooking at home. Many consumers are interested in cancer preventing fruits and vegetable. They are looking at the ingredients in foods like calcium in yogurt and anti oxidants in some vegetables.

More consumers are buying food from local farm markets and farms. They are aware that sustainable food is often better grown locally. It does not have to travel miles to get to your supermarket or table. Some consumers are growing their own vegetables in the garden during warm weather months. Shopping for seasonal fruits and vegetables in season is another trend many consumers and restaurants have started. They cook recipes based around the seasonal fruits, vegetables and dairy items in the region.

Busier Life Styles More Convenience

Consumers are busy but still want healthy food that is convenient. Restaurants and supermarkets are addressing this issue by providing healthier choices for consumer to buy. Many supermarket and even some restaurants are hiring dietitians to consult with on what food items to eat. The dietitians combine the convenience factor with good sound nutrition. Some supermarket even have a dietitian for shoppers to consult on special diets or who give lectures and meet with customers.

Organic food is sold now in regular supermarkets. Slowly it is becoming more mainstream to eat organic fruits, vegetable, grains, meats, and other items. Local farm markets sell organic produce that consumers can buy. Even some restaurants cook with only organic products. Diets like the Mediterranean diet have given organic food some great press. There are many more farm markets in 2008 than there were ten years ago. Another trend is there is more concern over food safety. The food scare this year with tomatoes and peppers make consumer more aware of washing fruits and vegetables as very important. It is also important to know where products are grown and how they are handled for safety.

Consumers busy lifestyle and interest in food and dieting has created personal chef services for consumers with the necessary income. Some restaurants have meal delivery and many diet companies will deliver food items they manufacture to your home. Companies like Atkins, NutraSystem, and Zone Gourmet are a few of these companies Consumer want to know more about where the food they eat comes from and how it is packaged and made. Food with probiotics again like yogurt are becoming popular with consumers because they help digestion.

There are more whole grain products available for consumers to eat. Breads now have a wide choice of whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, oatmeal, and sunflower There are some new grains on the market like quinoa, millet and amaranth. More consumers are reading labels on food looking at the sodium, sugar and fat content of products than ever before. Alternative sweeteners like stevia are on the market and bottled water is popular because it offers less calories and a more healthy drink with less sugar.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about trends for eating healthy foods [http://www.cookingforyourhealth.info/trends-for-eating-healthy-foods], please visit Cooking For Your Health [http://www.cookingforyourhealth.info] for current articles and discussions.