Nutrition, Wellness & Fitness Trends for 2021
With 2020 having dramatically changed people’s lifestyles, habits, eating patterns and food preferences, we can certainly expect a huge shift in the food industry in 2021.
After looking at all the latest trends and predictions, I personally think this shift is a great step in the right direction!
It seems extreme diets, unnecessary ingredients, and false weight loss promises are out the window. Instead, we will be seeing more people looking to eat food that has a purpose and serves society and health. Beverages for mental health designed to reduce stress levels or boost our mood are entering the market now and of course immune boosters are a key trend as well! Wearables and apps are getting more personalized and are even adding micro-tracking features for our health rather than just counting calories or steps!
Some of the trends we can expect to see include:
Functional Nutrition – Eat to build your immunity.
“Food is medicine” cannot be more valid this year with COVID-19 having had a significant impact on our physical and mental wellbeing. Immune boosters and food to support our immunity is at the top of the list these days. We look at adding in food rich in Vitamin C like fruits and veggies and herbs and spices that have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties like garlic, turmeric, and ginger.
Foods for mental health
Since mental health was a big topic in 2020, functional beverages and supplements will become more popular moving forward. Ingredients that help reduce stress levels, improve mood and sleep quality will be used to come up with new products in the market.
Flexitarians- finding a middle ground in your diet.
A moderate, balanced and varied approach to food is becoming more prevalent as more people are choosing to adopt a flexitarian diet where they eat mostly plant-based and vegetarian food but are also ok having meat and animal products occasionally.
Anti-Diet Movement- Diet culture overhaul
Many people are getting tired of all the expensive weight loss solutions from supplements and surgeries to restrictive diets, and most importantly they are also realizing they don’t really work! With the growing anti-diet movement among many healthcare professionals, people are adopting a more balanced, moderate approach eating whole nutrient-dense foods and focusing on their health rather than the size of their jeans.
Environmentally friendly food- Eat for a healthier planet.
With the growing concerns of climate change, diets are expected to shift to include more environmentally friendly, sustainable food practices. For example, many people will buy organic produce not just for personal health reasons but for environmental reasons as well. People are now making food choices with the intention of changing how our food is grown -with less chemicals and better soil health, biodiversity, and healthy ecosystems.
Restorative fitness- the importance of rest, recovery, and repair
The future of fitness gyms may actually start to look more like spas!
Meditation, stretching, yoga, breathing exercises and other self-care workouts are picking up in gyms as ways to manage emotional and mental health. More and more people are replacing thoughts about training to reach an ideal weight or body type with learning how to be more present and mindful within their own bodies in fitness.
Supercharged Wearables- Personal health metrics
Wearables and apps that track our mental health and emotional wellbeing will also be popular in 2021 as more people will resort to relaxation and visualization exercises to improve their overall wellness. Wearables are also taking it one step further by adding micro tracking features to help us track respiratory rate, metabolic health and heart rate variability. COVID-19 has certainly taught us the importance of continuous monitoring of health metrics for avoiding health emergencies.
