As 2018 approaches, we take a look at the ingredients that everyone's been talking about over the past year. Some have impressive health benefits, others are just delicious. These are the foods and drinks we're getting excited about and how you can cook with them over the coming months.

One of the fastest-growing trends in recent years, fermented and pickled foods are cropping up everywhere from restaurants to recipe books. Ferments like kimchi, kombucha and the meat substitute tempeh are thought to improve gut health. Start experimenting in the kitchen with something simple, such as this recipe for kimchi fried rice.

Seaweed, sea vegetables and spirulina are all types of algae, defined as a simple aquatic organism. It's easy to grow and cultivate which makes it an attractive food for the future. Once associated with Japanese cuisine, it’s now popping up in dried and fresh form and can be used to replace salt in crisps and popcorn or as a vegan substitute in salad dressings and ice cream. Give chilled soba noodles with nori or shrimp and seaweed tortillitas a try.

Creative chefs have incorporated floral flavours into food for some time but the trend is set to go mainstream since appearing on the Whole Foods 2018 top trends list. There's rose, lavender, hibiscus, violet, lemon balm and chamomile infused food and beverages, with elderflower taking the crown as Whole Food’s "most valuable petal". Here’s how to incorporate florals into a savoury dish, a dessert and baking.

Readers of a certain age may disregard sherry as grandma’s sweet festive drink but there’s more depth and complexity to it than we once appreciated. Sherry cocktails are increasingly popping up in bars and restaurants where the fortified wine adds dryness and a unique flavour to drinks, and it's being hailed as an ideal aperitif. For connoisseurs and lovers of natural wine there’s en rama sherry – unfiltered raw straight from the cask. Once you’ve had your fill drinking it, try adding sherry to food.

Paneer, a fresh firm Indian cheese, has rapidly gained popularity and is now becoming widely available. Try it skewered, in kathi rolls, or in spinach and potato bites. Next year, we'll also be looking out for Indian small plates, such as papri chaat and the 'potato burger’ vada pav, popping up more and more.

The turmeric trend continues apace. The golden spice is revered for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial qualities, and its orange hue brightens up everything from curries to cakes. Forget about endlessly disappointing turmeric lattes and try it in this warming turkey and squash laksa instead.

Microgreens have long been used as garnishes in restaurants but they're increasingly becoming available in supermarkets and at farmers' markets. They’re also relatively easy to grow yourself. Follow this step-by-step guide to get a windowsill harvest in less than a month.

The heritage produce renaissance has had a vibrant side effect – some foods like asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and corn are now appearing in other shades – notably purple. Roast them, boil them, grill them.

Curious diners are delving deeper into Japanese cuisine and looking beyond sushi and ramen. Miso, a thick paste used for seasoning and flavouring, is well-known for being used in soups but also makes a great umami-rich glaze or coating – try this glazed tofu recipe.​

Enthusiasm for spiralised vegetable spaghetti is starting to wane, with a raft of alternatives made from grains and vegetables cropping up in its wake. Varieties include pastas made from lentils (pictured), rice, quinoa, green peas, chickpeas, mung beans, edamame and konjac (a type of root). They're ideal for those with food intolerances.

A fruit common in Japan and Korea, yuzu resembles a mandarin but has bumpy yellow skin. It tastes like a cross between a lemon, lime and grapefruit, though it’s rarely eaten as it comes. Instead the rind and the fragrant, slightly sweet but citrusy juice are used in cooking. It’s available in larger supermarkets and Asian stores – try it in a sauce to accompany fried chicken or in a sweet cheesecake.

Move over matcha, moringa is set to be the next powder we’ll be sprinkling in our smoothies, mixing into lattes and seeing on trendy menus. It has a vivid green hue, mild spinach flavour and reported anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting and stress-relieving properties. US company Kuli Kuli sell a range of powders, bars and teas and in the UK, moringa products available to buy at Holland & Barrett get rave reviews.

There’s rarely a time when charcuterie isn’t on trend and this is 'ndjua’s moment in the sun. Valued by chefs for its versatility, the Italian smoked pork sausage hailing from Calabria is infused with heady spices and roasted hot peppers. It's soft so it can be spread like pâté or used as a rub on poultry or fish. Smear it on sourdough with fresh young cheese on the side, add to pasta sauces, or sprinkle on pizza. Learn more about it in our complete guide.

Move over ketchup and Tabasco, new creative condiments are gaining ground and taking up space in our kitchen cupboards. Whole Foods list these as beetroot salsa, black garlic puree, za’atar and black sesame tahini (or paste) which with its depth of flavour and striking colour, can be used to colour hummus, soup, cakes and ice cream.

Research indicates that millennials drink less than previous generations and what's followed is a trend for more low or no alcoholic drinks. In bars, more thought is going into mocktails and alcohol-free spirits are available to buy from supermarkets. Staying off the booze is no longer a hindrance to making a decent drink.

Bakers know the benefits of lard for producing a light, flaky crust. But this rendered pork fat has been shunned over the years from people worried about their health, yet it has less saturated fat than butter. And it's making a comeback. Give it a go and make these fluffy golden doughnuts.

Pomegranate molasses isn’t new but it's seriously taken off and is set to become a staple in even more kitchens. The sweet and sour thick, dark syrup can be used in savoury and sweet dishes, from salads to drinks and desserts. Try it in this pomegranate-glazed pork recipe.

Jujubes – or Chinese red dates – are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, and help digestion. Sprinkle them over your granola or porridge, blend into smoothies, eat it as a snack, or even infuse them in tea.

Also known as mooli, this long, white member of the radish family has a crunchy texture and a peppery taste. It’s also a good source of Vitamin C and calcium. Daikon is popular in Asian, Caribbean and Japanese cuisine, where it’s often pickled. Add to salads, stir-fries or curries, eat raw as a crudité or pickle to serve with Korean fried chicken.

Mushrooms are moving from our plates to our mugs in a fast-expanding range of mushroom-based teas and coffees. Brands championing their reportedly brain-boosting properties include Four Sigmatic, who sell sachets of mushroom coffee, hot cocoa and mushroom elixir containing powdered chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi.

It’s all about plants at the moment. In 2017, plant-powered growth was one of Innova Market Insights' top trends. Whole Foods predicts an upward swing in plant-based products and in the UK, the Waitrose Food & Drink Report 2017/18 cites plant proteins as one of five upcoming trends. Think grain-based protein like quinoa, soy-based protein like tofu, legumes, nuts and seeds, and mycoprotein like Quorn.

Arguably the biggest trend right now is veganism. In the UK the number of vegans has risen by 360% in a decade and 6% of Americans say they now follow an animal-free lifestyle. Popularised by the health benefits of a meat and dairy-free diet and as a reaction to the burden meat-eating has on the planet, veganism has now firmly entered the mainstream. If you're interested in trying more vegan cooking, start with this guide to nutritional yeast, which adds a cheesy, umami flavour to dishes.

Euromonitor predicts that the meat substitute market will grow by 23% over the next five years and Lux Research suggests it could make up a third of the protein market by 2054. US-based companies Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are leading the way, creating ‘meat’ products from protein-rich soy, wheat, peas and other vegetables. Want to make your own? Here's how to cook veggie burgers from scratch.

Another example of veggie 'meat' is jackfruit. It's a nutritious, versatile Asian fruit that's popping up in sweet and savoury dishes including burgers where it's used to resemble a vegetarian version of pulled pork. It has a stringy texture and the capacity to absorb other flavours.