The Importance of Implementing New Sustainable Trends

Increasing citizen awareness, investor pressure, and government action around the health, environmental, social, and animal welfare impacts of our food systems

FREMONT, CA: The urgency and necessity to reform our food system to meet the 21st century's planetary and human health issues is an important task. The world shifts at a spectacular and often breath-taking pace as we transition to a new normal in the aftermath of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Because of the intricacy of our food systems, events seemingly unrelated to food will likely set the stage for some of the most significant sustainable food trends in 2022 and beyond. It is essential to transform a food system that many believe is unfit for human consumption.

Food diversity and local resilience

In the aftermath of the pandemic, there has been much attention, criticism, and debate over the robustness of our global supply chains and centralized distribution networks. Already, there is a lot of discussion about how Covid-19 may help us decentralize our food systems and produce more of our most healthful and nutritious items, like fresh produce, closer to home. Fresh fruit and vegetables in the UK are mainly sold through a highly centralized retail-dominated system. Citizens will want a wider variety of nutritious, culturally appropriate, and locally produced foods.

Plant-based diets

While plant-based foods are healthier for the environment, not all plant-based foods, mainly those high in carbohydrates, saturated fats, and salts, are necessarily good for your health. Food manufacturers must use extreme caution to guarantee that plant-based foods are not less healthful than the meat products they are intended to replace. There are hints that plant-based foods' health credentials will be questioned more frequently, highlighting the need for innovation around various nutrient-dense clean, labeled plant-based foods like whole grains, nuts, legumes, and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Reduction in meat consumption

In 2022, the trend toward more flexitarian diets, which reduce meat, dairy, and egg consumption without eliminating them, will continue. With worries about animal welfare, climate, biodiversity, and health implications of industrial forms of factory farming increasingly in the public limelight expect much more conversation about the role of livestock and meat in our food system.

Foods that improve health and immunity

With a considerable surge in demand for food and drink products driven by concerns about Covid-19, there is growing evidence that a robust immune system helps to keep a person healthy. Foods like broccoli, blueberries, dark chocolate, spinach, ginger, garlic, and red peppers increase immunity when combined with a healthy and balanced diet. A vast amount of evidence also shows that a diet rich in plants, such as vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, can reduce inflammation and increase immunity when paired with lifestyle choices.