Health Food Is Still a Dirty Word, So Some Pick a Low-Key Approach

(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- The Texas wagyu tri-tip is as popular as you’d expect it to be at the Well, a 20‑minute walk from the state Capitol building in Austin.

This plate of steak comes with a secret, though: The accompanying barbecue sauce is sweetened with beets, not sugar. The tacos at the restaurant use tortillas fashioned from cassava flour, which, unlike white flour, is gluten-free, higher in protein and fiber, and lower in calories. And cocktails such as the Valldemosa are sweetened with dandelion honey instead of syrup.

But the team behind the restaurant would rather not make a big deal about it. Owner Jack Zimmermann says the key to the Well’s success—he’s already planning a new branch in West Austin in April—is keeping the healthfulness discreet. “Instead of leading with ‘We are gluten-free, dairy-free, a clean-oil-only restaurant,’ we say, ‘We care a lot about modern American ingredients.’ And if they want to talk, we say, ‘By the way, all our ingredients are clean.’ ”

Here the focus is on nutrition, but with the option to throw some nitrate-free, house-made bacon into the mix for its clientele, which includes transplanted tech employees from the nearby offices of Deloitte, Google, and Meta. “Austin didn’t have a comprehensive dining experience where you can have a smoothie and grain bowls but also cocktails and steak, and still wake up feeling great,” Zimmermann says.

In 2020 the loosely defined health and wellness global food market was estimated to be $764 billion. It’s projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2027; since the start of the Covid‑19 pandemic consumers have shown a growing awareness about what goes into the food they eat and how it makes them feel afterward.

“It’s a trend that’s grown out of quarantine,” says Rob Rubba, chef-partner at Oyster Oyster in Washington, D.C. “A lot of people had to start cooking for themselves and saw what goes into their dishes. Our diners are more conscious about what we’re serving them.”

His vegetable-based restaurant doesn’t use refined sugar and minimizes salt by seasoning with ground kelp. The tasting menu contains dishes such as cornbread with marigold “butter”—which is made by blending the flowers with sunflower seeds and the fermented grain koji—and roast carrots with black truffles.

These calling cards, however, are understated. What lures diners is the taste of the good-for-you food and an attractive ambience that’s perfect for a date night, instead of simply a place to fuel up after hitting Barry’s Bootcamp.

Brands that have leaned into natural ingredients for years are finding ways to extend their offerings, too. Le Pain Quotidien, the communal Belgian-based cafe with 59 locations across the U.S. and 207 worldwide, has long championed organic sweeteners and whole grains. This year the company is using buckwheat as the base for its featured banana bread, which will sit alongside pastries like organic butter brioche. The company’s global initiative is to prioritize plant-based products, according to Kaelyn Tomaszewski, vice president for supply chain and restaurant systems.

Supermarkets are also adjusting to the merger of conventional foods with nutritional boosts. Kelly Landrieu, the global coordinator for local and emerging brands at Whole Foods Market Inc., says the biggest pandemic-related shift in grocery-buying habits at the chain has been customers looking for more items related to health and wellness.

“We saw the blurring between the supplement and grocery aisles really accelerate in 2021,” she says. The company’s suppliers are ramping up prebiotics, probiotics, and botanicals in beverages; adding nutrient-packed moringa to pilaf and chocolates; and putting vitamin-C-rich hibiscus in bottled water and yogurt.

This low-key-healthy-food trend is trickling up, too. Mike Bagale, former executive chef at the three-Michelin-star Chicago restaurant Alinea, plans to open a high-end, health-focused spot later this year. “The future of food in fine dining is where people are more educated about what’s good for their body,” he says.

Bagale sees some of the world’s most influential chefs moving in that direction, such as René Redzepi’s work using digestion-friendly fermentation to get better flavors at Noma in Copenhagen. Or the medicinal plants Virgilio Martínez uses at Central in Lima. “I believe it’s possible to serve a three-Michelin-star meal that’s as delicious as a traditional meal, but one that leaves your body in a better place than when you sat down,” Bagale says.

Spots with a strong plant-based ethos also believe there’s room to make all customers feel welcome. At the new outpost of Spring Cafe Aspen in New York, the menu is heavily, but not exclusively, vegan—that’s real feta cheese dotting the real-egg huevos rancheros. “It’s heartening to see that ‘healthy food’ is no longer a compromise on joy,” says fitness guru Tracy Anderson, a regular.

There’s also a beer and all-organic wine list curated by Jordan Salcito, the former wine director at Momofuku. “We’ve seen a lot of people embrace this idea of ‘what I eat is impacting how I feel’ since the start of the pandemic,” says Spring Cafe Aspen founder Sabrina Rudin. “But they aren’t drawing strict lines. They say: ‘I want a healthy dinner, but also a fun vibe and a glass of wine.’ ”

The Clean Cuisine Pantry

Avocado Oil
Vegetable oils can release chemicals when they’re heated, unlike fragrant avocado oil. It has a high smoking point and beneficial fatty acids such as oleic acid, which is believed to lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation.

Buckwheat
The old-school grain (technically a seed) is gluten-free and stocked with fiber and protein, properties that are key to many diets. It can be ground into a flour that adds a dark, nutty flavor.

Coconut Sugar
The tan-colored natural sweetener, made from the dried sap of coconut palm trees, is less processed than refined sugar. It also contains insulin, which can help prevent blood sugar spikes after a big meal, as well as small amounts of iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Cassava Flour
This gluten-free flour is produced from the root vegetable yucca, also known as cassava. It’s got a mild flavor but a high level of vitamin C and resistant starch, which, like fiber, is good for gut health.

Kelp
Benefits include high levels of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and K. The seaweed also has versatility: Add to salads and stews, mix into a pesto-style pasta sauce, or pickle it. And because of its natural brininess, it makes an excellent alternative to iodized salt for savory dishes.

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