January 9, 2025

By Anna Varriano

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Happy New Year!

One of the first nutrition-related articles I read in 2025 was a Newsweek article entitled: “Food Trends to Embrace in 2025, According to Scientists”. That title caught my interest, as in addition to my nutrition certification as a Registered Nutritional Therapist, I have a Bachelor of Science, so I wanted to learn what the scientists had to say.

The article started with these statements from two different scientists:

In 2025, it’s time we take a hard look at what we’re eating, prioritize whole food and stop being swayed by marketing tactics that put profit over our health.

and

The evidence is clear: the food we eat has a profound impact on our health. A diet low in fiber and high in unhealthy, heavily processed foods is linked to insulin resistance, increased inflammation and an elevated risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I wholeheartedly agree with all of that!

I thought it would be interesting to share the trends listed in the article with you, as well as my two cents worth related to each one, so in no particular order, here they are.

Trend #1: Stop Worrying About Getting Enough Protein

My two cents: I agree! Unless you are a body-builder, you’re likely getting enough protein (textbook for the average adult is 0.8 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight). Chances are you may even be getting too much protein, especially if you regularly use protein powders. Too much protein can cause health issues, including putting a burden on your kidneys. An easy rule-of-thumb is to make your breakfast, lunch, and dinner plates ¼ protein, whether that be a grass-fed/pastured/free-range/wild-caught animal-based protein, or a WHOLE food plant-based protein (avoid the fake meats and other highly processed products). Eggs are a super star when it comes to protein bioavailability! Confused about all the different kinds of eggs out there? Check out this blog I wrote that’s all about eggs!

Trend #2: Try Some Gut-Healthy Drinks.

My two cents: I agree! Try some kombucha for a delicious and refreshing drink that will support your gut health. Gut health isn’t just about supporting your digestion – it’s about supporting overall health, both mental and physical. Our gut is the boss of us! It’s easy and fun to make your own kombucha. Find out how I make my own by clicking here.

Trend #3: Veganism or the Carnivore Diet

My two cents: There isn’t one way of eating that is right for everyone; however, most folks would benefit from eating more whole, natural plant-based foods, especially more vegetables. Beware of fake animal-based products (e.g. immitation meats, dairy, eggs, cheese) as many are highly processed and contain a lot of unhealthy ingredients. In the end, many of these pseudo-animal-based products offer little benefit and could even do more harm than good. You don’t have to become vegan or vegetarian to be healthy; in fact, some people who become vegan or vegetarian do not do it in a healthy way and end up becoming deficient in some very important nutrients, in particular vitamin D and vitamin B12. Strive for 5 to 7 servings of vegetables a day and/or strive to make ¾ of your lunch and dinner plate vegetables. Veggies are loaded with fibre and powerful health-boosting nutrients that are foundational to overall health.

Trend #4: Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)

My two cents: I agree! The article states that “Over 60 percent of our diets consist of UPFs, which are linked to increased disease risk, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and even brain disease and dementia. Cutting back on UPFs can help reduce metabolic disease and heart disease, the two biggest killers.”

If you buy packaged foods, it’s critical to read and understand the nutrition and ingredient labels, and choose minimally processed packaged foods with few ingredients listed. For example, a healthy yogurt only needs two ingredients: whole milk and bacterial cultures. If there are ingredients listed that you’ve never heard of before or that you’d be more likely to find in a science lab than in the average kitchen, think twice about putting that product in your grocery cart. Packaging claims such as ‘natural’, ‘organic’, ‘gluten-free’, ‘non-GMO’, mean nothing if the product is also full of unhealthy ingredients. At the VERY least, avoid excess sugar (note that 4 grams of sugar = 1 tsp) and highly processed oils, including vegetable, corn, soy, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, and canola (to name a few).

Trend #5: Intermittent Fasting Has Real Benefits

My two cents: It depends, and it’s not for everyone. The research I’ve read on it suggests it still isn’t conclusive, and that more needs to be done. Some folks think intermittent fasting means you can eat whatever you want if you restrict your eating to an 8-hour window. That is absolutely FALSE. You still have to make healthy choices. In my opinion, one issue is that most folks eat their heaviest meal, supper, way too late in the day. The process of digestion takes A LOT of energy, and when we’re sleeping the majority of our energy should go towards cleansing and repairing our cells and tissues, not towards the process of digestion.

My nutrition mentor who is now 102 years old, always said to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper. By eating most of your calories earlier in the day, you have the entire day to use/burn them. I guess I have been intermittent fasting for decades without knowing it, as I usually start my day by eating breakfast (breakfast = break the fast from a night of not eating) around 7:30am/8:00 am and end my day by eating dinner around 5:30pm/6:00pm. That equates to around 14 hours of ‘fasting’. Personally, I would suggest that before you think about intermittent fasting, you should think about whether or not you’re making healthy food and beverage choices throughout the day regardless of what your ‘eating window’ is.

Trend #6: Swap snacks for healthier options such as nuts, seeds, and whole fruits, and eat them earlier in the day to support metabolic health.

My two cents: I agree! I’m not sure what kind of ‘snacks’ they are talking about swapping out, but if they come from a vending machine or your local popular coffee shop … you can imagine that a change to nuts, seeds, and whole fruits is a good step.

Trend #7: Add rye bread, kimchi, sauerkraut, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and dark chocolate to your diet.

My two cents: I found it funny that some of these foods were listed as ‘trendy’ as they’ve all been around for centuries. Regardless, the most important two words in nutrition are VARIETY and MODERATION, so while there is nothing wrong with any of the foods listed in this trend, here are a few things to consider.

Rye bread – I’m not sure why rye bread was specifically mentioned. It’s not gluten-free and there are breads that are healthier than rye bread. I’m not going for this one. I’ll stick to the occasional slice of sour dough or sprouted grain bread. Which one is better? Click here to learn more.

Kimchi & sauerkraut – Both are made with cabbage, which is loaded with health boosting nutrients. If properly fermented, these foods are a great source of probiotics. It’s super easy to make your own sauerkraut. Here’s a video where I show you how!

Mushrooms – Different mushrooms offer different health benefits. Instead of always going for the more popular ones, including button and portobello mushrooms, try those that research suggests offer a bigger health-boosting punch such as shiitake, maitake, oyster, and lion’s mane.

Nuts & Seeds – Variety and moderation is key, as is choosing raw and unsalted varieties. Check out this blog to learn more about maximizing the health benefits of nuts.

EVOO – EVOO is generally considered to be heart-healthy, but not all olive oils are created equal and many on the grocery store shelf are faking it! Click here if you’d like to know how to shop for the best EVOO.

Dark chocolate – I LOVE dark chocolate and eat a little piece of it almost everyday. Some studies say that craving dark chocolate is a sign of a magnesium deficiency. Go for dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa and be aware that overindulging can be a problem due to the potential presence of various heavy metals. You can learn more about that issue here.

Trend #8: Consult A Nutritionist

My two cents: Of course I agree! Full disclosure: This wasn’t mentioned in the article as a trend for 2025 but it should have been! While nutrition research is slowly improving, there is still a lot of contradictory information out there, including some that is just plain wrong and misleading. Also, believe it or not, social media is NOT your best source of evidence-based nutrition-related information. This year, why not get on the right track by having a consult with a Registered Nutritional Consultant, like yours truly, and save yourself a lot of wasted time, money, and effort chasing the latest and greatest trend.