by AS REGISTERED dietician I have seen so many food and diet trends come and go. And, if 2024 is any indication, there may even be strong trends like the keto diet, plant-based meats, and air frying everything on the horizon.
But, as I saw recently when I traveled to Denver for a major nutrition conference, 2024 also holds some promise. After walking an expo showing all kinds of new products, sitting in on sessions about the latest nutrition research findings, and talking to my peers, I got a good idea of the food and nutrition trends we’re going to see enough. this year.
And, surprisingly, they are really kind and wonderful.
Here they are, and how I scored them for usefulness and overall health.
Protein Packed Snack Foods
Protein bars and powders are still a thing, but there seems to be a greater awareness of ultra-processed foods. And, as a result, manufacturers are bringing out a new class of on-the-go options made from whole proteins.
At the expo, I tried flavored egg sandwich wraps like those from Egglife, which are high in protein and the completely neutral-tasting unflavored variety. You can literally eat them with peanut butter and jelly and they are perfect.
I also liked Starkist’s SmartBowls, to-go packets of flavored tuna with grains. They have the perfect snack macros and are super portable. Wilde’s chicken-based protein chips—made with chicken breast, egg whites, and bone broth—are delicious and satiating. Whisps cheese crisps have new cheese and nut blends, containing the same toasted cheeses as regular Whisps, but with a good dose of fats from a nut blend.
Trend score: 4 out of 5
High protein foods not only taste better, but are often less processed. Now we have more options than beef jerky and dust-tasting protein bars.
Balance Over Limit
Restrictive diets may work initially for weight loss, but they are usually not sustainable in the long term. And no matter how it looks to you, a diet is not healthy if you feel terrible.
More permissive (but still healthy) eating patterns are trending. Think a Mediterranean style diet, with a wide variety of foods and a focus on health, not restriction. This trend is supported by research showing that restrictive diets have multiple negative physical and emotional consequences.
Trend score: 5 out of 5
As a nutrition professional, I see many of my clients, followers, and colleagues moving towards rejecting restrictive diets that have never worked long-term. People want to feel peace around food now. It’s a good thing.
Balanced diets have many benefits: They provide a wide variety of nutrients, are easy to maintain long-term, and allow you to live your best life, without restriction along the way.
Creatine
Creatine is known for gains, but it may no longer be just for muscle building.
There’s talk that creatine may also help prevent bone loss and improve cognitive function—and emerging scientific studies seem to back it up.
A recent study gave 5 grams of creatine daily to 129 participants for 6 weeks. As a result, researchers found a small but significant increase in cognitive function in the participants.
Although, as far as bone loss, the research is mixed, and mostly negative, especially in men.
Trend score: 3 out of 5
Creatine monohydrate is one of the safest, well-researched supplements available, but the best evidence for taking it is still for muscle gains, and not much else.
Research on creatine and cognitive function is still in its infancy, and the claims of bone loss prevention do not appear to be supported by solid science.
Adaptogens, especially Ashwagandha
Ashwagandhais herb used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for a variety of things, including male fertility, inflammation, and sleep quality.
Although many health claims are being made about ashwagandha on social media, this supplement has positive research for its cortisol lowering properties, and its stress and anxiety relief effects.
Ashwagandha may also increase cognitive flexibility, which is a measure of how well a person can shift their focus between tasks.
Trend score: 4 out of 5
Although we need more research to confirm the effects of ashwagandha, it appears to be safe when taken according to the supplement’s dosing instructions. Choose brands that are third-party tested, and deliver 300 to 600mg, which is the ideal dosage according to research. Having another tool in our toolbox to deal with stress and anxiety is definitely a plus.
Longevity
Living longer and stronger is a big focus in the fitness industry. Cold immersion, red light therapy, extended fasting, and NMN supplements are just some of the longevity trends currently making their mark. This trend is circulating among online biohackers, as well as among some popular public figures.
Score: 2 out of 5
Unfortunately, there is a lack of human studies to prove that any of these interventions have the desired effects, including prolonging our lives.
There is always the risk of going overboard with our health interventions and ‘hacks’, which can backfire. We all die; why not just focus on living our best life without complicating it?
While it’s great that people are trying to optimize their health, some of the longevity trends are still supported by human studies. Many of them are expensive, and the anxiety that comes from trying to ‘hack’ our bodies can work against us.
Abby Langer, RD is the owner of Abby Langer Nutrition, a nutrition consulting and communications company based in Toronto.
