Spring is a great time to kick-start healthy eating habits.
Photo credit: EatRight.org

We wrote previously about tips for spring cleaning your workout routine, but that’s only half the equation for healthy living; feeling (and looking!) good requires a balanced diet in addition to regularly moving your body.

So for some ‘food for thought,’ below are 10 of the most buzz-worthy nutrition trends for spring, care of the folks at Western Athletic Clubs.

1. The Paleo Diet means eating only what people did in Paleolithic times, including a whole-food diet of fruits and vegetables, animal proteins, nuts and seeds – but no processed foods, dairy or gluten

2. Hunting/Foraging is for those who want to know exactly where their food comes from (the farm, soil, etc.) and can take the form of gardening, preserving, hunting and more

3. Acidic/Alkaline nutrition opts for a less acidic diet by maintaining a neutral pH level of 7.4. This is achieved by increasing vegetable intake and decreasing processed sugars

4. Coconut Oil is a saturated fat with properties, such lauric acids, that aid in digestion and in the protection of the body against fungus and bacterial infections

5. Coconut Water is unlike coconut milk or oil in that it has no fat, few calories and is very high in potassium. Many athletes use it as a replacement for sugary sports drinks

6. A Low Inflammatory Diet eliminates certain foods that can cause inflammation of the body, affect weight, joint pain, hormones, digestion and autoimmune issues

7. The Grass-fed Beef movement means eating meat from cows that are 100 percent grass fed (no corn) because it is lower in total fat and has a high Omega-3 profile

8. Eating right for Your Digestion can help people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), for example, by decreasing sugar to limit bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine

9. A Low Fructose diet is popular with people combating weight gain, diabetes and inflammation because it eliminates high fructose corn syrup and similar processed foods

10. Finally, Gluten-Free diets eliminate gluten that’s found in wheat, barley and rye for individuals with allergies to it, as well as people who are experiencing related inflammation, poor digestion and weight gain