The Future of Plant-based Eating

As we near the end of 2018 (and get ready to sit down to a turkey-centric Thanksgiving meal), it’s worth examining the plant-based food trend that experts say was the food trend of the past year. You may have noticed that restaurant offerings extended beyond the typical veggie burger with other plant-based proteins such as savory bean-filled breakfasts, tofu and vegetable poke bowls, and entrees featuring chickpeas, lentils, and other legumes. The good and bad news is that this trend isn’t going away. The demand for meat alternatives—for health, environmental, and ethical reasons—continues to grow, and many businesses are happy to oblige. The downside is the potential for the market to be flooded with unhealthy, highly processed meat alternatives. Unfortunately, just because it’s vegan or vegetarian doesn’t mean it’s good for you; always look at the ingredients and balance your diet with whole foods, such as vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grain foods.