Diets come and go but which ones are actually worth your time? Food and nutrition expert, Jessica Corwin, MPH, RDN, has looked into the latest nutrition trends of 2018, so you don't have to. Register for this session if you would like to learn more about the good (or bad) when it comes to topics such as the keto diet, coconut oil, kombucha, and more!

Merge these into 5 main areas?

Grain-free
- gluten free
- coconut
-protein
-keto
-paleo
- nutrient dense
-chickpea snacks
- red lentil flour in kashi
- cauliflower

Pre + Probiotics
- kombucha
- kefir
- yogurt

Real Food.
-whole food
- recognizable ingredients
- kashi, lara bar, Rx bar

Plant-Based
- plant based dairy
- coconut

Salmon Jerky
Turkey jerky has had its moment, and now the EPIC meat snack brand has released a wild-caught salmon jerky, a portable protein more rich in omega-3s. This also offers a high-quality portable protein option for those following a pescetarian diet. Salmon jerky is a perfect recommendation for those who travel frequently and athletic clients.

The Power of Probiotics
With so much buzz about the health benefits of good bacteria, it’s no surprise probiotic food products are popping up everywhere.

Farmhouse Culture: A crunchy corn chip with 1 billion good bacteria per serving may sound too good to be true, but the Kraut Krisps from Farmhouse Culture offer just that. They’re made with ingredients like sauerkraut and Bacillus coagulans, and they have a slightly salty, zesty flavor. Other probiotic products in the Farmhouse Culture lineup include fermented vegetables, Sparkling Probiotic Gut Punch (the Ginger Lemon flavor was really refreshing), and Gut Shots with 11 servings per bottle. I sampled the Ginger Beet Gut Shot, and while the flavor of these probiotic drinks may take some getting used to, it was great to see so many new probiotic foods trending at FNCE®.

Kefir: I’ve been giving my boys kefir, a fermented milk beverage, for years; they’ve always loved the slightly sweet, slightly tart flavor of pomegranate, blueberry, and peach varieties. The brand available in my area is Lifeway Kefir, so I was happy to see them at the Expo. In addition to kefir, the company now sells a variety of Kefir Cups, which it describes as a tart, tangy, and spoonable snack. I also had an opportunity to sample Nancy’s Kefir, which comes in both a 32-oz carton and a convenient single serve 8-oz carton for on-the-go snacking and lunch boxes. Each serving provides 56 billion live probiotic cultures.

GoodBelly: Watermelon Lime, Orange Pineapple Basil, and Lemon Ginger are varieties of GoodBelly’s juice-infused waters, with 20 billion probiotics per bottle. They’re thirst quenching and a quick and easy way to add more probiotics to the diet. I loved the Watermelon Lime, and I’m pretty sure my kids will like it, too. GoodBelly also sampled its StraightShot, described as a gently flavored, dairy-free oatmilk with 20 billion live and active probiotic cultures per serving with no added sugars.

Switchel
While switchel has apparently been gaining traction recently and was a popular beverage in the 17th century, it wasn’t something I’d heard of until the food show. Switchel is a beverage made by mixing water with ginger, apple cider vinegar, and either maple syrup or honey. Based on those ingredients, the resurgence of this drink makes sense, since ginger, apple cider vinegar, and honey are trendy right now! While not all health trends have science to support claims, not only may there may be some anti-inflammatory benefits from the ginger but the ginger and apple cider vinegar also may be helpful for those with sensitive stomachs. Since the drink can be high in sugar, one brand, Cide Road, sells both traditional switchel and a lower-sugar switchel seltzer, which debuted at the show.

Kefir: I’ve been giving my boys kefir, a fermented milk beverage, for years; they’ve always loved the slightly sweet, slightly tart flavor of pomegranate, blueberry, and peach varieties. The brand available in my area is Lifeway Kefir, so I was happy to see them at the Expo. In addition to kefir, the company now sells a variety of Kefir Cups, which it describes as a tart, tangy, and spoonable snack. I also had an opportunity to sample Nancy’s Kefir, which comes in both a 32-oz carton and a convenient single serve 8-oz carton for on-the-go snacking and lunch boxes. Each serving provides 56 billion live probiotic cultures.

Tiger Nuts
While tiger nuts are actually tubers, in the potato and sweet potato family, they’re so small that when dried, they look and have a texture more comparable to nuts. Sold whole, peeled, and in flour form, tiger nuts are rich in prebiotic fiber, thereby supporting gut microbiota and the myriad health benefits research indicates those bacteria provide. Since tiger nuts are also gluten-free, the flour provides an excellent alternative to traditional gluten-free flours, which tend to be extremely low in fiber with a poor satiety level. While the texture of the nuts takes some getting used to, I thoroughly enjoyed the cookie I sampled made from the flour.

Nutrient-Dense Snacks
Why fill up on empty calories between meals when a world of nutritious snacks awaits you? I couldn’t stop eating Biena’s roasted chickpeas, especially its new dark chocolate flavor, and I appreciate the 4 g protein and 4 g fiber per serving. KIND had a large booth at the show, top yogurt companies had a major presence, too, including Siggi’s (technically Icelandic-style skyr), Dannon, and Stonyfield.

could highlight the latest plant based cookbook and trendy meatless burger?