Food & Beverage Asia February/March 2021

1 SUPERFOODS
One of the prominent trends in major
Asia-Pacific countries has been the rise
of the superfoods. These are considered
to be foods that can promote vitality
and overall health, and also play a role
in boosting the human immune system.
Superfoods generally contain one or more
bioactive components such as polyunsaturated
fatty acids, vitamins, minerals,
probiotic micro-organisms, antioxidants,
essential amino acid, polysaccharides and
enzymes. They are often the sources of
various important antioxidants such as
vitamins A, C and E, flavonoids, selenium,
B-carotene, zinc and lycopene. Various
types of berries, tea, ginger, walnuts,
almonds, broccoli, spinach, chia seeds,
acai, coconuts, red beans and cocoa are
some of the widely consumed superfoods.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to some of
the largest populations of senior citizens
in the world. Therefore, such superfoods
which may promote overall health and
vitality have become extremely popular in
the recent years.
2
PLANT-BASED DIETS
There are indicators that the plantbased
food trend will gain momentum
in the new normal. A recent survey
by Herbalife Nutrition among 8,000
consumers in Asia-Pacific showed that in
the past year, 49% of respondents who
have made changes to their diet started
eating more fruits and vegetables, 46%
ate less meat, while 39% chose to eat
more plant-based foods. The top reason
cited for the changes was to improve their
health.
For those who want to eat more plantbased
food but do not want to give up the
taste of meat, there are plenty of meatless
meat options. While bean and grain-based
burgers have been around for some time,
there are newer products made with plant
protein powders that provide the taste
and texture that meat-eaters crave. This
is positive news for many of the survey
respondents who did not want to eat less
meat because of the taste factor.
Lastly, the affordability of meat-free
products was not seen as a significant
barrier to its wider-spread adoption. In all
the eight countries surveyed, key obstacles
were overwhelming about taste and how
other family members preferred meat.
3
GUT FOOD
The enteric nervous system is
made up of neurons that line the walls
of the gastrointestinal tract, and is often
referred to as the “second brain” or the
“gut brain” because it has the ability to
operate independently of the brain and the
spinal cord, which constitute the central
nervous system. These millions of neurons
coordinate to control various functions
of the digestive system, including the
creation of muscle contractions which help
to move waste through the last part of the
digestive system.
Today, the focus is on consuming foods
that support digestive health and
reduce the incidence of indigestion, gas,
bloating of the stomach or other common
gastrointestinal problems. Insoluble fibres,
which are prominent in whole grains, nuts
and beans, promote regularity; while foods
rich in soluble fibre – such as oats, apples
and barley – are prebiotics which help
promote the growth of beneficial bacteria
in gut microbiome. Fermented foods such
as pickles, yoghurt and fermented soybean
products are a source of these beneficial
microorganisms.
PROTEIN PRODUCTS
4 Consumers are also starting to
realise the importance of providing
enough proteins to their bodies. Hence,
protein products have witnessed a surge
in demand. Due to the lower cost, easy
availability and functionality, soy and dairy
products will continue to dominate as the
leading protein sources in the region. As
per estimates, plant-protein consumption
in the region is on the rise, and is expected
to register about 12% year-on-year
growth until 2025.
Soy protein is the largest source of
proteins in the region, and it is followed
by wheat, pea, rice and whey proteins in
terms of market size. In a lot of areas,
protein shakes and supplements are
rapidly replacing conventional aerated
beverages. They can even be found on the
menus of restaurants, hotels and beverage
corners in many countries.
5
FOCUS ON INGREDIENTS
A major emerging trend and one
that will become a major practice in the
years ahead is the focus on ingredients. An
ever-increasing number of consumers is
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021