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GOURMET NEWS JANUARY 2018 www.gourmetnews.com NEWS & NOTES 7 Natural Grocers Forecasts Top Nutrition Trends Natural Grocers tapped its nutrition ex- perts, category managers and more to iden- tify the expected breakout trends in nutrition and health in 2018. Jon Clinthorne, PhD, Natural Grocers' Man- ager of Scientific Affairs and Nutrition Ed- ucation, is the author of the report that breaks down why Natural Grocers thinks we'll see these trends gain ground in the New Year. Collagen is in. The popularity and selection of nutrient- dense and "superfood" collagen has ex- ploded over the past year, and for good reason. Collagen supplements are rich sources of two amino acids that are impor- tant for health, but not typically found in high concentrations in modern diets. One of these amino acids, proline, has been shown to be crucial for joint health and also helps support smooth and supple skin by strengthening the collagen that keeps our skin firm. Glycine, the other major amino acid in collagen supplements, has been shown to modulate inflammation in the digestive tract, participate in detoxifi- cation and liver health and also helps sup- port healthy, restful sleep. Everyday detox diets. Instead of trying unhealthy fasts and juice diets for detoxification, consumers are more interested in what foods they can eat that will help facilitate the body's natural processes. While labels make it easier to avoid foods with genetically modified or- ganisms in their ingredients, there still isn't a standard label for everyday toxins. Organic is the way to go. American consumers are still confused about which is better – the USDA Organic label or the Non-GMO Project Verified label. Not only does a "Certified Organic" label mean that an item is naturally GMO- free, it also means that the contents are 95 percent or more organic, free from chemi- cal dyes, grown without the use of syn- thetic pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers and must not be processed using industrial solvents, or irradiation. Pasture-raised is raising the bar. Healthy land management begins with properly managing the animals on that land. Rotating animals through pasture- lands can dramatically improve the health of the soil, trapping carbon dioxide in the soil (where it belongs), helping with water retention and reducing erosion. As an added benefit, having animals on pasture also results in animal products that are more nutrient dense. Black seed oil. Black seed oil (also called Nigella sativa, black coriander oil, or sim- ply black oil) is very popular in various traditional systems of medicine, like Ayurveda. The seed and its oil are thought to be effec- tive in various health conditions. Research suggests black seed oil helps insulin function and also keeps the insulin-producing pan- creas working at a healthy level. Other studies show that by mod- ulating inflammation, thymo- quinone (the active component of black seed oil) helps build strong and healthy bones. Keto diets. Shortened from ketogenic diets, "keto" diets are making their mark on the nutrition world. It's common to think that the body (and more importantly, the brain) relies solely on glucose and fatty acids for en- ergy. However, there's another type of fuel made from fatty acids, known as ke- tones—which are especially important for neuroprotection and also have been shown to support brain function and cog- nition. Research shows that medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are easily converted into ketones by the liver, meaning foods that contain coconut oil, palm oil, cheese and butter could all contribute to ketone production in the body—and why de- mand for these ingredients is high. Diets, like the keto diet, that are high in fat and low in carbohydrate also result in en- hanced ketone production. Drinking vinegars. Similar to kombucha, drinking vinegars are a trendy new alternative to sugar-laden sodas and juices. Most of these are made with apple cider vinegar and other health- promoting ingredients that make them a tasty, tangy and trendy way to balance blood sugar. Vinegar may also help facili- tate the absorption of vitamins and miner- als from food as well as help people feel full longer. Sneaking in vegetables. Americans have a hard time eating enough vegetables, and many people acknowledge this problem and seriously want to increase their vegetable consumption. The trendy solution? Sneaking antioxidant-rich veg- etables into food whenever possible. Possi- bilities for doing this include swapping out typical noodles for organic veggie noodles, snacking on vegetable chips and adding frozen cauliflower or greens powders to smoothies. GN Good Food Continued from PAGE 1 homes for about two weeks – they couldn't get in to get clean clothes or anything." Thistle Meats is a small butcher shop that specializes in house made charcuterie made from meats from local farms and is a Good Food award finalist for its Milano Salami. Day has a strong bond with "his" farmers, and says McGruder Ranch, in Pot- ter Valley, California, which supplies him with beef and lamb, was especially hard hit. "He had hundreds of acres burned and lost about 50 cows. He's just a small company, and was greatly impacted. Some of the guys and I went up there to help for a couple of days after the fires." Other California Good Food finalists also had close calls with the wildfires. Cheesemaker Keith Adams of Wm. Cofield Cheese, a Good Food award finalist for its McKinley Clothbound Cheddar, lives in Santa Rosa, where smoke from the wildfires was at its worst. "We didn't make cheese the week of the fire," he says. "The plant is in Sebastopol, and it came through just fine. The animals were in west Petaluma, so it was smoky for them but not as bad as Santa Rosa. It was a really grim time." All but one of the 11 finalists in the Good Food Olive Oil category are California pro- ducers. As of January 2016, more than 38,000 acres of olive trees for the produc- tion of extra virgin olive oil had been planted in California, and there are more than 400 growers and producers of olive oil in the Golden State. Most of those producers es- caped serious damage to their groves. "The Cherokee fire swept down the moun- tain very fast, but it stopped at our property line," says Darro Grieco, who owns Berkeley Olive Grove 1913, a finalist for its California Mission Blood Orange olive oil. "Of course, that oil was produced last year – we harvest from November through Jan- uary." This year's crop is being harvested now, and we have yet to determine if there will be a flavor effect from the smoke, but I don't think so. Olives are washed twice – once for dirt, once for leaves and twigs – before being pressed. I don't think the smoke is going to affect our olive oil." Over all, says Patricia Darragh, Executive Director of the California Olive Oil Coun- cil, "there was very minimal damage to our members. None were affected – one mem- ber lost their residence, but their grove was not affected. And a couple of small produc- ers had some scorch, so they didn't harvest this year." While the harvest season is just begin- ning, Darragh said, "we haven't had any oils that haven't passed our inspection." California winemakers had a similar near miss, says Jane St. Claire, whose website, www.savorcalifornia.com, is a showcase of "the best gourmet foods and beverages in the state of California." "In Healdsburg, we were just sur- rounded," she says. "The wind was the total determining factor. We not only had to contend with the fire, but nobody could get to the brick and mortar stores because the roads were closed, or your employees can't get in. And the smoke! You simply couldn't breathe." In an odd way, the timing of the wildfires was almost perfect. "The wine vines were just going dormant, because we were right at the end of the harvest season. Except for the cabernet vines, and the winemakers still aren't sure whether they'll have to deal with smoke taint on the grapes." St. Claire says that lost tourism dollars have hit the two counties almost as hard as the fires themselves. "People lost money in canceled hotel and restaurant reservations, Air BnB cancellations and so on," she says. "And now they think everywhere looks like the news photos they saw. But we really want people to come back. It's hard to say when it will start to be normal again." GN

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