The Wellness Foods We've Forgotten

Green matcha, chia pudding, kombucha, turmeric shots!!! You’ve probably seen these products or similar a lot online, in stores or on advertisements around. Why? You may ask - this is because they are the current ‘face’ of wellness. These superfoods are pushed out to the consumer as ‘must-haves’ or ‘essential products’ needed to keep your body looking and feeling healthy. And with society today’s obsession with wellness food there is a growing market to continuously push out new and trendy wellness products. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness industry hit a record of $6.8 trillion in 2025 and is set to reach $9 trillion by 2029. But before the trendiness of wellness, at the time where no one knew what matcha was, people were still eating foods that were good for their body. Wellness doesn’t necessarily mean something new, exotic or expensive – it can be simple eating.

In our search for the next superfood, have we overlooked the nutritious foods that have been part of traditional diets for generations?

Back in the day when fibremaxxing wasn’t a word, people were still able to consume foods with good nutritional value from cheap everyday products and ingredients. For those who struggle with the overload of information out there regarding what you should be eating for your body, let me put you on some very basic and un-fancy foods that will do the trick.

Oats – Once an everyday staple, oats are affordable, versatile and good source of fibre. It can be eaten hot, cold, used as a topping or mixed in with other bits.          

Pulses – Lentils, peas and beans have long featured in traditional cuisines. They're affordable sources of protein and fibre, while also being useful in more sustainable diets. Consider a lentil soup, a pea salad or a bean dip.

Cabbage and leafy greens - Often dismissed as humble vegetables, seasonal greens can provide valuable nutrients while being inexpensive and widely available. A hearty stew is always an excellent choice.

Small fish - Sardines, mackerel and herring have traditionally been eaten in coastal communities and provide protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Do note, with the recent depletion in mackerel stocks the other two may be more widely available.

Why did we stop valuing the simple foods?

The need to hop on the latest wellness craze largely stems from strong marketing tools that turn ordinary ingredients into trendy products which then uses social media to spread the craze and reach large audiences. If we take turmeric for example, in supermarkets today you may well see turmeric shots being sold for an outrageous price of £5 a bottle, yet this ingredient has been used in traditional cuisines for centuries. Nevertheless, now it’s become fashionable, a new narrative is given to it: superfood; gut health; immunity; clean eating!

Wellness beyond nutrition

Perhaps wellness is about more than the nutrients on our plates. Traditional foods can connect us to seasonality, culture and community, reminding us that eating well should additionally incorporate how and where our food is produced. A bowl of homemade soup made with seasonal vegetables, can represent more than a source of vitamins and fibre; it can reflect local food traditions, support farmers and encourage us to make use of what is available around us. In a world where wellness is increasingly well packaged and marketed to us, perhaps returning to simple, known foods can offer a more holistic approach to eating well — one that nourishes both people and the food systems they depend on.

It’s important to note that it is definitely a good thing that people are making a conscious effort to look after their body and be healthy. The current wellness craze does offer good products to help with the journey. Though wanting to take care of yourself shouldn’t cost a fortune, nor does what you buy have to be a viral product. Maybe the future of wellness is about rediscovering the foods we’ve already been eating for generations. Not about fashion, not about trends, just about good food that makes us feel good inside.