Hot & Healthy for 2015

Hoping to put bad eating habits behind us, we’re looking ahead to Vega nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos’ flavour forecast for the new year:

exotic waters: Coconut’s in for some stiff competition, with new exotic waters (think maple, watermelon, aloe, birch, cactus, barley and even artichoke) set to hit store shelves in 2015. One word of warning: be sure to check the ingredients for added sugar in these super-hip hydrators.

fermented fare: When it comes to aiding digestion, the Japanese are right to drink miso soup before each meal. Fermented foods, such as miso, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, raw sauerkraut and yogurts made of almond and coconut milk are becoming increasingly popular as gut health continues to trend.

no GMO: Increased disclosure and education has upped the ante for food-makers to become non-GMO certified—and say so on their labels. In 2015, look for the Non-GMO Project logo, which represents the industry standard for third-party verification.

ancient grains: We’ve had our run with quinoa; now, other ancient grains, such as teff and kaniwa—both gluten-free and high in protein—are stepping up to make a mark. (Teff, from East Africa, is super high in calcium, to boot.)

What healthy foods do you think will be hot in 2015? —Peggy Kotsopoulos

Visit Peggy at www.peggyk.com and follow her on Twitter and Google+.