What’s cooking in 2025?

January is here and health and wellness are the words on everyone’s lips. 

Sherlock actor, Martin Freeman, is returning to meat for his health, while actor Russell Brand and singer Lizzo are giving up on veganism.

Celebrities might be shaking up their diets but what else can we expect to see in 2025? 

The rise of AI in personalised nutrition, pushback on ultra processed foods, the shift towards more local produce, and the drive to transform the healthcare landscape by integrating more nutritional therapists into the NHS.  

Phew, it’s all happening.  

This year certainly promises transformative shifts in how we eat and think about food.  

Experts from the nutritional world share their personal insights on current trends and discover what 2025 holds.  

Heather Rosa, Dean, Institute for Optimum Nutrition, on some of the key topics nutritional therapists and the public should be focusing on in 2025.  

This year, I see a shift in the world of nutrition. More celebrities, like Russell Brand, are giving up veganism.  

Veganuary might be on its way out, as it’s not the best time to start a diet that can be nutrient deficient, especially lacking vitamin D. Supermarkets are reducing plant-based products, and fake meat companies are struggling.  

We’re seeing growing public interest in low carb, keto and carnivore diets, along with a focus on local produce. People are embracing meat again, though we still hear “eat less but better quality.” 

There’s a lack of understanding about the environmental impact of animal farming. The internet is fuelling backlash against big food companies disrupting the food chain, like Arla and Bovaer. There are calls to review UK dietary guidelines, especially regarding fats and maltodextrin being disguised as sugar. Public awareness is rising about the health issues of industrial seed oils and the pushback against ultra-processed foods is increasing. Sadly, food poverty is worsening. 

As nutritional therapists, we educate clients and the public on diet changes and food quality, from farm to fork. We continue lobbying for good quality food and work increasingly alongside GPs and healthcare professionals. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) on the rise

Sam Feltham is Director of the Public Health Collaboration, a charity with ambitions to help as many people as possible to obtain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 
 
This year, we’ll witness a significant surge in personalised nutrition powered by AI. Public health efforts will increasingly focus on prevention, though the debate about its true meaning will persist.  

My hope is that AI will empower more people to make healthier choices, emphasising lifestyle changes over pharmaceutical interventions. With advancements in AI, we can tailor nutrition advice to individual needs like never before, making health more accessible and personal. Imagine a world where your diet is perfectly aligned with your body’s requirements.   

Dr Rana Conway, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, led a study which found that toddlers in the UK obtain half of their calories from ultra processed foods (UPFs). Her stark findings highlight the need for current policies to change to encourage manufacturers to provide honest labelling. 

UPFs are not going anywhere unfortunately. Our study found that toddlers in the UK obtain nearly half (47%) of their calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and this rises to 59% by the age of seven. 

We need more honest labelling on food products to make it easier for parents to identify and interpret. It can be a confusing field to navigate for parents. There will be constant questions like: “should I buy wholemeal bread, is it bad for me?

There are concerns that we stigmatise UPFs. For example, Weetabix, which contains added ingredients like malted barley extract, could be classified as a UPF but it’s high in fibre and whole grains so we must try not to demonise foods. 

Eating natural food is the best way forward, it’s not a new message but rather than buying a ready meal, why not make your own pasta sauce, snack on nuts and fruits. Find food in its most natural state.

Expanding the reach of nutritional therapy

Satu Jackson is the CEO of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), which represents over 3,000 nutritional therapists to achieve excellence in their clinical practice and beyond. 

We know that nutritional therapists have an integral part to play in the NHS. Our job is to represent our members and continue to expand the reach of nutritional therapy in support of individuals’ wellbeing through personalised nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.

It is predicted that that 25 million more people in England will have major illnesses by 2040. Nutritional therapy can reduce symptoms and improve health, offering hope for the NHS and the people it serves.  

We are urging the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, to extend the HCPC register and make nutrition and lifestyle practitioners the front line in preventing chronic diseases.  

This could revolutionise the NHS workforce, focusing on prevention-led care, easing GP waitlists, and tackling chronic diseases head-on.  

Our vision? See these skilled professionals in primary care, community settings, delivering life-changing nutritional interventions for conditions like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, IBS, cancer, dementia, and mental health issues. It will no doubt be an exciting year as we continue our drive to see more nutritional therapists collaborating with GPs.