Hadley Malcolm

USA TODAY

Bye bacon. So long pumpkin. The buzz words on the tips of diners' tongues in 2016 will be matcha, sambal sauce and rendang curry.

Those are among the flavor trends forecast by spice company McCormick to start taking off this year. The trends are all heavy on vibrant ingredients, some of which are already showing up on takeout menus, in bakeries and on grocery shelves across the country.

McCormick's annual Flavor Forecast report is often a harbinger of viral food trends, and a hint at big business opportunities for food companies as sales of certain flavors start to spike.

Take the soaring popularity of pumpkin pie spice. McCormick first forecast the trend in 2010, and since 2011 sales of pumpkin products have grown 79%, according to consumer research firm Nielsen. Similar success may be in store for the latest batch of fads. In fact, sales of some items included in this year's report have already started rising, including chia seeds and turmeric. GrubHub, a food-delivery service, saw orders of dishes containing chia seeds increase 26% last year over 2014 and orders with turmeric increase 30%.

Fueling the growth is the fact that Americans have become increasingly experimental when it comes to what goes on their plates, says Kevan Vetter, McCormick's executive chef and director of culinary development. "We're not necessarily eating just where you grew up and Mom and Dad's food," he says. "People are being much more adventurous."

Here are five flavor trends you'll be chewing on this year:

Healthful herb mixes

Blending together bold flavors that have health benefits is on the rise. Ingredients like chia seeds — high-nutrient, low-calorie seeds eaten by the Aztecs for a quick source of energy — and turmeric, an antioxidant, are ideal for mixing in with other spices and adding to everything from meat spice rubs to oatmeal or smoothies, Vetter says.

Matcha is also having a major moment. Another antioxidant-rich ingredient, the ground green tea traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies is starting to gain culinary ground in the U.S. not only as a drink but as a dessert.

Brooklyn-based pie shop Four and Twenty Blackbirds started selling a matcha custard pie in the fall, and it has gained considerable popularity thanks to its vibrant color and appealing flavor.

"People are kind of obsessing over it," says Emily Elsen, owner and founder of the shop. "It’s creamy, kind of grassy and earthy. There's an umami element."

Spicy, tangy dishes

Keeping with the trend toward eating foods that zing, spicy ingredients combined with citrus or vinegars balance out the heat but still deliver a kick. McCormick expects to see the trend play out in particular with ingredients like sambal sauce, made from chilies, rice vinegar, sugar and garlic. It's commonly found in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine.

"Flavors like that blow up because they're just so bold," Vetter says. Though easily found in Asian markets, more mainstream retailers are starting to pick up on the trend. Even Williams-Sonoma sells its own version of sambal sauce.

Ancestral ingredients

We're going back to the basics, with a twist. As Americans seek more natural foods, we're looking at what our ancestors ate and incorporating the ingredients in modern preparations. That means herbs, including thyme, rosemary and lavender, are becoming trendy cocktail mix-ins — such as a warm lemonade made with gin and lavender — and amaranth, an ancient grain that can now be found in crackers or popped like popcorn, is making a comeback.

Alternative proteins

Quinoa may have been the protein-packed darling of ancient grains a few years ago, but now cranberry beans and black beluga lentils are the up-and-comers. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2016 the "International Year of Pulses." Pulse is another word for legumes such as dry beans, lentils and peas. A diet that includes these foods can help curb obesity and manage chronic illnesses like diabetes, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Tropical Asian ingredients

McCormick is betting our more adventurous palates will be craving dishes from Malaysia and the Philippines this year, such as rendang curry and pinoy barbecue, a Filipino grilled pork made with a banana ketchup sauce.

It looks like the prediction has already started to come true. Delivery.com saw orders of rendang curry — a Malaysian dish made with chilies, lemongrass, garlic, ginger and turmeric — increase 70% over 2014 and 2015 compared with the previous two years.