Blog – 2016 Google Food Trends Report

The 2016 Google Food Trends Report out of the US has uncovered some interesting info on the way people, particularly Millennials, are choosing the food they eat.

The report highlights the rise of ‘functional food’, the name given to ingredients known for their health and wellness benefits. Searches in ingredients that are known to benefit specific health areas such as skin, hair and acid reflux have increased tenfold since 2005.

Top of this list is ‘spice of the moment’ – one of our favourites – turmeric. Lauded as a wonder spice throughout history for its many health benefits, turmeric is high in curcumin, an active compound that is believed to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects as well has being a very strong antioxidant. According to the report, Google searches for turmeric have risen a whopping 300% over the last five years.

Millennials are leading the way in searches for functional foods, not only Googling for the health benefits of ingredients, but also the ways in which to consume them. In the case of turmeric, the top associated searches include ‘powder’, ‘smoothie’, ‘recipe’ and ‘drink’.

And just when you thought your coffee order couldn’t get any more out there, the turmeric latte has arrived to shake things up. Much like the matcha latte before it, the turmeric latte pitches itself as a healthier way to enjoy your caffeine hit with an added antioxidant kick.

There’s a lot to be said for the health benefits of using herbs and spices over processed ready-to-use sauces and flavour enhancers. Thanks to the ever expanding knowledge bank that is the World Wide Web, knowing how best to incorporate them into meals is only a quick Google away – and there’s also plenty of inspiration on our recipe pages.