Gluten free; low carb; plant-based protein; essential amino acids; prebiotics. If there were a food that embodied all these dietary buzzwords you'd probably have heard of it by now, seen it plastered all over social media, and filled your larder with kilos of the stuff.

Well, there is – though it's only just starting to make waves. The latest super-healthy food doing the rounds is lupin, the legume seed of the lupinus genus of the popular flowering plants. Lupin's late entry into the health-trend world stems partly from it not being very photogenic (avocados are much better for Instagram), and from its relative lack of flavour (they have a slightly bitter taste and require a fair bit of soaking and cooking to make them palatable). But what sets it apart from a long list of healthy grains and superfoods?

Over the past two decades, scientists have been studying its properties and believe lupin will now have its time in the sun. "Lupin flakes have a unique combination of low-carb, gluten-free, plant-based protein and prebiotic fibres, with high levels of bioavailable essential amino acids and minerals," explains Sofi Sipsa, chief scientist for Revolupin Flakes, one of the leading manufacturers.

Sipsa, who has been studying lupin for over 20 years and has helped develop the flakes, says these properties make lupin "ideal for improving health issues arising from today's modern diet, such as diabesity, hypertension, gut health and cardiovascular health.