凯爱瑞营养研究院（Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute）最新年度趋势发布

近期，凯爱瑞营养研究院（Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute，以下简称KHNI）发布了2026年全球健康与营养趋势。本年度趋势基于凯爱瑞集团内外部专家的多轮研讨，深度分析众多国家和地区的市场情况，为营养市场以及更广阔的食品饮料产业提供前瞻性观点。

2026年全球健康与营养趋势：

1. 食品，赋能健康与长寿
2. 法规调整与配方重构
3. 技术演进与创新
4. 重新审视加工食品：在营养价值和全球需求间寻求平衡
5. 保护自然与生物多样性，塑造供应链韧性

1. 食品，赋能健康与长寿

KHNI指出，到2030年，全球每6人中就有一位年龄超过60岁。截至2024年末，我国60岁及以上人口增长至3.1亿，占总人口的22%，老龄化程度尤为显著。

随着预期寿命增长，社会关注的焦点正从延长寿命转向延长“健康寿命”。在这一过程中，营养摄入发挥着关键的作用。同时，人们逐渐认识到，健康并非孤立的概念，而是心理、生理与社会福利交融的整体。

KHNI重点关注领域：体重管理药物，基于性别的差异化健康管理，可负担的营养，免疫健康，肠道健康，认知健康

中国重点趋势解读：

• • 体重管理药物
    2024年，司美格鲁肽火爆出圈。2025年，国产GLP-1类药物上市步伐加快，银诺医药、信达生物、博安生物、派格生物的GLP-1类药物先后获批。618期间，京东健康平台GLP-1类用药销量同比增长超3倍，反映出国人对体重管理的庞大需求。

在拥抱这一类体重管理方案的时候，我们也需要看到便秘、腹泻、恶心等常见副作用，探索更舒适的体重管理方式。

• • 基于性别的差异化健康管理
    在女性健康创新方面，生育期支持、更年期管理与激素平衡是值得关注的方向。其中，更年期女性卵巢功能衰退，雌激素水平下降，会导致一系列生理和心理变化。

在政策支持和社会热度方面，2025年可谓“更年期元年”。中国疾病预防控制中心完成《中国女性更年期症状首次大规模调查》，大陆首部以明星视角聚焦更年期的纪实片《看不见的更年期》引发强烈反响。值得注意的是，健康需求的精细化也并不局限于女性市场，男性健康产品也呈现出从“广泛”到“细分”的趋势。

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2. 法规调整与配方重构

各国政府正在大力推行更健康的食品饮料政策。在法规要求与消费需求等多重驱动下，企业也在积极推动产品配方升级，通过透明度和安全性构建消费者信任。

例如，马来西亚在实施含糖饮料税的基础上，将推行饮料强制性营养分级标识；阿联酋将推行强制性的“营养标记”；澳大利亚和新西兰正在考虑强制推行“健康星级评级”系统……在我国，关于“预包装食品营养标签”和“食品添加剂”使用的法规也在日趋严格和完善。

KHNI重点关注领域：法规与政策调整，围绕减糖、减钠、减脂的配方重构

中国重点趋势解读：

• •  法规与政策调整
    《食品安全国家标准 食品添加剂使用标准》（GB 2760-2024）于今年2月正式实施，对防腐剂、甜味剂提出了更高的要求。
    • 防腐剂：全面禁止传统防腐剂脱氢乙酸钠在糕点、面包等7类食品中的使用。领先企业已经开始升级配方，探索天然发酵产品，如采用发酵工艺产生的抗菌物质来实现防腐目标。
    • 甜味剂：规定阿斯巴甜、安赛蜜与天门冬酰苯丙氨酸甲酯乙酰磺胺酸共同使用时，总量不得超过单一甜味剂的最大限量。鼓励企业采用复合甜味系统，通过科学配比天然甜味剂和风味调节剂，在减少糖分的同时保持理想的口感体验。

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3. 技术演进与创新

微生物学、生物加工和人工智能的进步正在改变食品的生产方式，使其更智能、高效、可持续。KHNI指出，凭借生物工程技术的升级，科学家们可以对氨基酸序列进行精确修饰，实现对酶活性、选择性与稳定性等关键特性的调控，改进酶制剂，从而运用更少的资源，生产风味更佳的食品。

KHNI重点关注领域：精准营养，生物技术，人工智能

中国重点趋势解读：

• • 精准营养
    基因组学、可穿戴设备、AI技术的发展，推动精准营养从高端服务走向大众日常。它们的功能不仅限于追踪热量与营养摄入，更能引导个性化饮食和营养选择。

     例如，国内某基因检测品牌，基于用户的基因检测结果，有针对性地推荐营养补充剂；某营养补充剂品牌，通过FFQ饮食调查和多维度问卷信息收集，了解用户的身体状态和生活方式，量身定制营养方案。

• • 人工智能
    人工智能的发展，将血糖、微生物组等实时健康数据汇入精准营养平台。例如某血糖监测仪品牌，采用独家算法模型，定制多维度血糖报告与控糖分析，并提供AI智能助手，给予即时反馈与建议。

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4. 重新审视加工食品：在营养价值和全球需求间寻求平衡

联合国经济和社会事务部预测数据显示，全球人口预计将在2050年达到100亿。食品加工在保障粮食供应方面扮演着关键角色。它有助于延长保质期，减少浪费，对于因气候导致作物歉收和粮食不安全的地区至关重要。

不过，世界卫生组织对过度食用深度加工食品的危害性也发出了警告，例如加工肉类和含糖饮料可能会引发肥胖、2型糖尿病和心血管疾病等健康问题。对此，许多国家已采用“包装正面标识系统”来引导消费者做出更健康的选择。

KHNI重点关注领域：清晰标识助力明智决策，加工食品管控趋严，加工食品的增益价值

中国重点趋势解读：

• • 清晰标识助力明智决策
    该领域强调保障消费者知情权，帮助消费者解读食品标签。在我国，《食品安全国家标准 预包装食品营养标签通则》（GB 28050-2025）于今年3月正式发布。该通则规定：

1. 1. 1. 营养成分表须强制标识饱和脂肪（或饱和脂肪酸）与糖，以及“儿童青少年应避免过量摄入盐油糖”的引导。
      2. 明确“零脂、零卡、零糖”宣称的具体要求，并增添同义语说明

• • 加工食品管控趋严
    某连锁餐饮品牌因预制菜风波引发广泛争议。这场讨论本身，正推动社会形成一种更成熟的共识——我们需要的并非简单否定现代食品加工技术，而是以更加清晰、统一的标准去管理加工食品。通过严格透明的评估体系，使其在保障安全、效率、便利性与可及性的同时，更好地服务于人们对健康与美味的追求。

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5. 保护自然与生物多样性，塑造供应链韧性

KHNI指出，“可持续饮食”的要求是在满足当代人健康需求的同时，不损害后代的利益和需求。根据联合国粮农组织的定义，它应当促进健康、减少环境影响、尊重文化，并且可及、可负担、安全、公平。为此，食品行业需要提升营养标准，保护生态与生物多样性，通过各类举措减少浪费，并建设能抵御气候与经济波动的食品体系。相关的创新解决方案正在不断涌现。

KHNI重点关注领域：可持续营养，塑造更具韧性的供应链，再生农业，循环利用减少浪费

中国重点趋势解读：

• • 塑造更具韧性的供应链
    供应链韧性来自原料的采购和优化，也来自于行业中的一些“隐形创新”，例如通过风味提取技术重新制定配方，保障食品供应的稳定性和产品价格的可负担性。以近年来的可可供应问题为例，可可替代方案和风味提升技术，能够帮助下游客户在不增加可可粉添加量的条件下，提升可可风味，达到与高添加可可粉同等的效果。
  • 循环利用减少浪费
    KHNI指出，减少浪费的方式包括：使用可循环利用的原料和“0废弃”包装，在供应链各个环节设定“减少浪费”的目标，通过先进技术将废弃物转化为美味，从而系统性降低碳足迹，推动可持续发展。

而这也是契合我国“双碳”目标的行业行动。国务院新闻办公室发布的《碳达峰碳中和的中国行动》白皮书强调，节能是从源头减少碳排放的重要抓手，循环经济对碳减排具有重要促进作用。

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本文是基于KHNI五大趋势围绕中国市场进行解读，如需精准核对，请以原文为准。

The KHNI Health and Nutrition Megatrends, now in its eighth edition, highlights the scientific, technological, and consumer-driven changes redefining global food systems.

On April 8th, 2025, the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) hosted a webinar titled “What’s Shaping the Future of Food: Key Health and Nutrition Trends for 2025.”

Experts in neuroscience, nutrition, food science, and sports performance explored how evolving science and consumer needs are shaping the future of food.  Dr. Laura Collins and Dr. Zane Andrews highlighted the complex drivers behind why we eat (ranging from biological signals to social context and trends).  Understanding these factors are key to designing effective, sustainable nutrition solutions.

Insights from Dr. Lisa Ryan and Dr. David Dunne on elite sport athletes demonstrate how motivation, habit, and environment influence food choices, principles that are increasingly relevant beyond athletics.

The panel emphasised that while personalised nutrition tools and wearables are advancing rapidly, long-term behaviour change still centres on simplicity, taste, and social reinforcement.

Healthy aging was also discussed, with growing evidence supporting the role of nutrients like protein and omega-3s in maintaining physical and cognitive function.

Dr. Ryan and Dr. Andrews pointed out the unique challenges that the food industry must consider such as age-related shifts in appetite, sensory perception, and social interaction.

The rise of GLP-1 medications was also explored, with discussions around their impact on appetite, nutritional needs, social eating, and possible long-term health implications.

While these therapies show promise for metabolic health and weight management, they also highlight the need for complementary strategies—such as probiotics to support GI symptoms and behavioural guidance from doctors/nutritionists to ensure sustainable outcomes.

Finally, the panel addressed the role of ultra-processed foods and reformulation.  While often viewed negatively, these foods remain an important source of nutrition for many.

Improving their nutritional quality through innovation in ingredients and sensory design represents a meaningful opportunity for the food industry to support public health while acknowledging necessity of ultra-processed foods.

As insights from neuroscience, sports science, technology, and food science expand further, opportunities to create sustainable nutrition solutions continue to grow.

For science-led innovation to be impactful, it must be delivered in a way that fits naturally into people’s unique lives.

Whether supporting healthy aging, optimising performance, or enabling sustainable nutrition and weight management, the opportunities for the food industry will be in bridging scientific progress with everyday life.

For more on these topics and more see KHNI Health and Nutrition trends.  Register to our monthly newsletter to stay up to date with these insights and more.

Discover key insights into the benefits of reducing alcohol, the concept of mindful drinking, and innovative non-alcoholic beverage options for social settings.

Whether you’re considering a healthier lifestyle or curious about the intersection of nutrition and alcohol, this insightful discussion is a must-watch.

What is Mindful Drinking?

A perspective by Derek Brown; author, wellness coach, bartender and founder of Positive Damage.

The holidays can be joyful and connect us with loved ones.  But it’s also a time where the alcohol flows freely, from feasting with family to toasting the year’s end.

In fact, it’s hard to imagine the holiday season without a glass of eggnog or Champagne.

But what is tradition––and part of our celebrations––can lead to drinking out of habit, conformity, and peer pressure.  And, sometimes, it can lead to drinking much more than you intended.

However, more and more, the scientific consensus is that little to no alcohol is the best approach to health and that previous studies suggesting alcohol could have a positive effect on health–especially the French Paradox that suggested wine had protective factors against cardiovascular disease–were biased or neglected to consider certain factors such as “sick quitters,” which are participants that quit alcohol for health reasons.

Some governments, such as Canada, have gone so far as saying there is no amount of alcohol that is healthy.

Whether you drink or not, there remains a need to be social and have complex adult-sophisticated beverages.  It can feel isolating and frustrating if you don’t drink or are drinking less than everyone else.

And social wellness is an important aspect of our health–we should spend time with our friends and family.

On top of that, alcohol is often a part of our cultural foodways.  It doesn’t just connect us to our family and friends, it connects us to where we’re from and our past.

With alcohol playing such an important role in our lives and culture, it’s hard to ignore it.  But also with all of the health implications, it’s important to be deliberate in the way that we drink (or don’t drink) alcohol.

The solution to this is mindful drinking.

Mindful drinking is a self-led strategy to drink (or not drink) in a way that supports your goals, health or otherwise.  This self-directed approach is really just drinking with intention.

With mindful drinking, you can choose not to drink alcohol, to drink some alcohol, or even substitute alcohol with delicious no- and low-alcohol beers, wines, and cocktails.  It’s about making choices that support your goals. And those choices are getting better all the time.

Where Does Mindful Drinking Come From?

There have been a number of different phrases to express reducing or eliminating alcohol in the past decade such as “sober curious” and “sober-ish.”

Books like “Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life” by Rosamund Dean and “Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol” by Ruby Warrington have inaugurated a movement to drink more mindfully.

There are also newly emerging terms such as “tempo drinking” and “flex drinking,” which indicate when someone is switching back and forth between no- and low-alcohol drinks based on the occasion.  All of these fall under the category of mindful drinking.

Mindful drinking may be a trend but it also has roots in traditional wisdom and foundational religious texts.

In the 19th century, there was a movement to reduce the way we drink called Temperance that found a stronghold in the US and was eventually hijacked by zealots, leading to the Prohibition of the sale and transportation of alcohol in the US between the years 1919 and 1933.

However, mindful drinking in its more contemporary form is more about individual consumption and less about governmental policy, culture, or religion.

Anyone can adopt mindful drinking and set the rules for themselves.

Try Dry January

January is a great time to start drinking mindfully.  During Dry January, people generally take a break from alcohol for the entire month.

Although some may choose to practice “Damp” or “Dryish January,” drinking less alcohol than they normally might.

Either approach can help you explore your own drinking habits during a time when other people are doing the same.  There are even some studies that suggest the effects of Dry January can be seen for months after.

The important thing to remember is that you set the rules.  Therefore, drinking in a way that meets your goal is a higher priority than purity or perfection.

You can break the rules for one night if a friend is in town or decide you’re going to only reduce alcohol on the weekends.  This is not to say you shouldn’t give it a sincere try, but that black or white thinking may even be a hindrance to achieving the month’s goal.

Incorporating Non-Alcoholic Beverages

One of the best ways to achieve your goals around mindful drinking is by substituting delicious no- and low-alcohol drinks, including non-alcoholic beers, wines, spirits, and cocktails.

This has even been shown to reduce the amount of alcohol people drink in a recent Japanese study.  Instead of concentrating on what you aren’t drinking, focus instead on trying new things.

And no- and low-alcohol products are not just growing but also getting better.

At one point in time, non-alcoholic beverages were relegated to syrupy sweet mocktails and bad tasting non-alcoholic brews.

However, over the past few years we’ve seen a tremendous growth in both the number and quality of non-alcoholic beverages. Perhaps one of the largest growth areas has been non-alcoholic beer.

However, non-alcoholic wine and spirits are also growing, too.  Then there are the cocktails, which range from ready-to-drink cocktails to cocktails made on the spot using fresh ingredients.

Making Non-Alcoholic Cocktails

In my book, “Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails,” I outlined four sensory characteristics that make great non-alcoholic cocktails.

Really, these characteristics are what distinguish a non-alcoholic cocktail from other non-alcoholic beverages like ice tea.

I came up with the sensory characteristics after thinking about cocktails like the Tom Collins.  The only thing that distinguishes a Tom Collins from lemonade is the gin.  What characteristics does the gin add besides gin’s unique flavors?

Intensity of Flavour

Alcohol has an intense flavour itself but it’s also a great solvent.  Therefore alcoholic drinks from flavoured vodka to Bourbon include strong flavors from additives such as extracts or barrel ageing.

Using strong flavours in non-alcoholic drinks can help to mimic this sensory characteristic.  This might include over-steeping tea or packing in more spices and herbs.

Piquancy

Piquancy is that burn you get from the alcohol itself.  Another way to say this is stopping power––cocktails contain some element we don’t usually enjoy drinking by itself.

And, though it may seem counterintuitive, this is what makes cocktails so delightful.  Ideally, it slows us down and makes us sip the drink slower and more thoughtfully.

For non-alcoholic cocktails that element can include bitter, sour, or spice.  Think gentian (a bitter root used in bitters) or capsicum (spicy peppers).

Texture

Cocktails are also richer than juice or tea.  They carry more weight and mouthfeel.  This is partly from syrups and juice but also from the alcohol.

To get a similar mouthfeel with non-alcoholic cocktails, a salt tincture, aquafaba (chickpea water) or fresh juices that are high in pectin can be used.

Length 

Lastly, there is length or volume, which is the amount of liquid that is not from juice or sugar.  In a cocktail with alcohol, this is usually the spirit.

There are a number of things to use in place but also non-alcoholic spirits are a great way to replicate the flavor profiles of classic spirits such as Gin, Bourbon, and Tequila.

Ultimately it’s not just the taste but the ritual, too.  It’s fun to make non-alcoholic cocktails and you can substitute them on occasion whether it’s Dry January or just because you have a big meeting the next day.

No matter how we choose to drink, mindful drinking can be there to help make your choices more intentional.  We can’t always, and likely shouldn’t, avoid our friends and family when alcohol is present.

And we can’t always avoid the pressure to drink alcohol.  But we can be deliberate and choose to substitute non-alcoholic beverages when the occasion calls for it.

Most diets have one thing in common, though: they all over-promise easy and quick weight loss.

Short-term these diets may lead to weight loss, but over the long-term we know most people will gain the weight back, if not more, because they haven’t learned how to develop healthy eating habits for life.

Does intermittent fasting work? Unlike many of these weight loss fad diets, intermittent fasting has been slowly gaining traction in the research world.

What exactly is intermittent fasting and how does it help lead to weight loss?  First, let’s define intermittent fasting as there are several different versions of the diet in the mainstream.

What is Intermittent Fasting? 

Adapted from Patterson, 2015.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Weight Loss?

Typically, when a person wants to lose weight, they will reduce the number of calories below their normal daily intake over time.

For example, a rule of thumb is to reduce daily calorie intake by 500 to lose one pound in a week, since one pound is equal to ~4500 calories.  This is called continuous caloric restriction (CCR) and is the ‘traditional’ weight loss diet.

Studies have shown that CCR regimes not only reduce body weight they may also help prevent obesity-related diseases [NIA 2018, Schübel 2018].  It is important to note that CCR does not cause malnutrition or deprivation of essential nutrients [NIA 2018].

A fasting diet or intermittent caloric restriction (ICR) is an eating regimen where a person does not eat at all or severely limits intake during a certain time frame (e.g, day, week, month) [NIA 2018].  Over time on a fasting diet, a person may consume fewer calories thereby leading to weight loss.

Decreased calorie intake, whether it’s done through CCR or ICR, leads to weight loss.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but research is starting to show that not only do fasting regimes lead to weight loss, but they may have greater metabolic benefits including lower insulin levels and decreased fat mass compared to traditional dieting [Harvie 2011, 2013].

Intermittent Fasting Benefits

A recent systematic review of four intermittent fasting studies reported a decrease in fat mass and reductions in both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride levels, suggesting improvements in cardiovascular health [Ganesan 2018].

Additional studies are also suggesting that these fasting regimens help lead to weight loss with potential effects on glucose metabolism and inflammation.

These are also benefits shown by traditional weight loss diets, suggesting intermittent fasting may have similar benefits. As more studies on intermittent fasting are conducted, systematic reviews continue to support these cardiometabolic benefits.

Like other intermittent fasting regimens, time restricted eating is also associated with weight loss and may be important for optimal metabolic function [Patterson 2015].

Why researchers are observing these metabolic benefits with ICR is still unknown.  More research will help to identify the mechanisms behind the benefits.

Fasting is a major component of Ramadan, and a review of studies focusing on the effects of fasting during Ramadan reported weight loss and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood glucose in both men and women when compared to the beginning of Ramadan [Kul 2013].

Other studies have also reported that Ramadan fasts are associated with lower levels of inflammatory molecules in the blood stream (e.g. C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha; Aksungar 2007, Faris 2012).

However, these types of molecules are produced normally by our bodies as part of metabolizing the food we eat, so it may make sense that restricting food would lead to lower measurements.

The more important question, and what is still unknown, is whether these changes are permanent or if they go away when people resume their normal eating habits.

Which One is Better, Continuous Calorie Restriction (CCR) or Intermittent Fasting?

To date, most systematic reviews of intermittent fasting studies have suggested that intermittent fasting is equal to standard CCR regimens when it comes to weight loss [Patterson 2015].

More recently in 2018, Shubel et al. showed that the 5:2 diet is equivalent, but not superior, to traditional CCR diets for weight loss and the prevention of metabolic diseases.

A systematic review from 2021 comparing intermittent fasting diets versus CCR diets found that intermittent fasting diets were associated with higher weight loss in four out of 18 studies. At this point, it appears that both dietary methods of weight loss have similar effects.

How Does Fasting Help Improve Health?

While health improvements from fasting might sound counter-intuitive, science is starting to show there might be something to it.  The exact mechanisms of action are still unknown, but to date a few hypotheses have been proposed to explain how intermittent fasting can benefit overall health [Patterson 2015].

Recent studies have suggested there is a possible link between the microbiome and these cardiometabolic intermittent fasting benefits.

These hypotheses include:

1. Improvement in the gene expression associated with the circadian rhythm to favour energy metabolism and body weight regulation.  In other words, fasting regimens may impose a daytime rhythm in food intake, leading to improved energy metabolism and body weight regulation.
2. Enhancement of beneficial colonies of gastrointestinal microbiota which may be more favourable to weight loss.
3. Modification of lifestyle behaviors (e.g. energy intake, energy expenditure, sleep) may accompany fasting behaviours.

To Fast or Not?

So, does intermittent fasting work?  The short answer is yes, it is at least equally effective as traditional weight loss methods.  Every year more studies are reporting benefits beyond weight loss with intermittent fasting regimens.

It is still too early to say that one fasting regimen is better than the other, but studies are showing at the very least these eating patterns lead to weight loss and could even improve overall health.

The questions that remains to be answered is whether or not these regimens are sustainable over a lifetime in adults as well as whether these regimens help reduce risk of diseases.

So, when considering trying an intermittent fast, an appropriately qualified health professional must be consulted to ensure an adequate macro- and micro-nutrients diet is achieved.

The purpose of this article to explain why this happens.  The reality is, nutrition is a relatively new and constantly evolving science.

It’s a good thing that we see dietary recommendations change, because it means we learned something new and can apply those learnings to improve health.

The downside is it results in confusing messages for people.  So, let’s walk through a couple of the most confusing food stories in recent decades and see what there is to learn.

Foods like eggs or coffee, staples for breakfasts far and wide, have both been a part of the human diet for centuries.  For many years, though, we were encouraged not to consume them regularly lest we shorten our life span.

For eggs, the concern was focused on the amount of cholesterol in an egg, thought to be associated with heart disease.

For coffee, it was the caffeine.  So, when did the egg- and coffee-shaming begin?

Are Eggs Healthy or Not?

It all began in 1968 when the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended that people consume no more than three eggs yolks per week to lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) [AHA 1968].

From the perspective of a health care provider, it was simple to explain to explain the link between dietary cholesterol and high blood cholesterol, and for patients it was an easy dietary modification.  It appeared to be a win-win for everyone, unless you were an egg farmer.

Not until 1999, when Hu et al. published a large, long-term population study on egg intake and heart disease incidence did we start looking at the egg differently.  The study, which included over 117,000 men and women, found  there was no difference in CVD risk between people who ate one egg/week and those who ate one egg /day.

Since then, multiple epidemiological and meta-analyses have reached the same conclusion [McNamara 2015].

Eggs Are More Than Their Cholesterol Content

One theory is that dietary cholesterol does not impact our blood cholesterol as much as we once thought.  Another theory, which is becoming more common in nutrition science, is that foods can be more than the sum of their parts, just as we’ve seen with dairy.

The ‘incredible edible egg’ is packed full with all kinds of nutritional goodies.

One medium egg does have half of the daily value for cholesterol, but with it comes 6 grams of complete protein and many micronutrients that many people in the US do not get enough of, like calcium, potassium, and choline, according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines.

For egg-lovers and the egg farmers, nutrition science continues to show how important eggs are in our diet.  Two recent studies have further supported the health benefits of eggs.

The first, a 9-year cohort study, examined the effect of egg consumption in over 415,000 subjects who were free of any chronic disease (e.g. heart disease, diabetes) at the beginning of the study.  Researchers found that 13% of the subjects had at least one or more servings of eggs a day, and 9% rarely consumed eggs.

After nine years, the people that ate eggs every day had lower overall heart disease risk, with up to 26% less risk of haemorrhagic stroke, 28% less risk of dying from a haemorrhagic stroke, and 18% less risk of lethal complication from CVD.

The second study was designed to determine the effects of either high (>12 eggs/wk) or low (<2 eggs/wk) egg consumption in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes (T2D) on a 3-month energy-restricted diet [Fuller 2018].

Weight loss was similar between groups and there were no differences between groups in glycemia, traditional serum lipids, markers of inflammation, or oxidative stress. Interestingly, the presence of 12 eggs/week did not lead to weight gain [Fuller 2018].

Our understanding of egg’s role in a healthy diet has evolved quite a bit since 1968, which is why we have seen recommendations change over that period of time.

Is Coffee Healthy or Not?

“Coffee: it will stunt your growth, give you a stomach ulcer and increase your risk for heart disease!” Does this quote sound familiar?  For years doctors warned their patients not to drink coffee because of its purported negative health effects.

There was also concern that when people drink coffee, they would become addicted to the “energy” they felt from the caffeine.

As people increased their coffee consumption, they would develop a tolerance to caffeine and would need to drink more coffee in order to get that energized feeling.

Thankfully for the more than 60% of Americans that drink at least one cup of coffee a day, research is now starting to highlight coffee’s positive health benefits and debunk the previous negative [Daily Coffee News].

So, why the change in heart? It is partly due to the recognition that the earlier studies on coffee did not account for common high-risk behaviours among heavy coffee drinkers (e.g. smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity) that each have their own role in heart disease risk [Mayo Clinic].  

Scientists are also now identifying many components in coffee with potential healthful benefits (e.g. antioxidants, caffeic acid, cafestol, and so on) [Mellbye 2018, Kang 2009].   

Other studies have suggested that drinking 3-4 cups of coffee per day is associated with ~25% lower risk of developing T2D compared to people consuming < 2 cups coffee per day [Huxley 2009, Santos 2016, Jiang 2014].

Where do things stand now?  The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reviewed the literature on coffee’s link to health, and found that moderate coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.

The science also showed that both decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee were associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Finally, caffeine intake from coffee was associated with improved cognitive health and could play a role in preventing Parkinson’s disease [Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee].

Coffee, Cancer, and California: Missing the Forest for the Trees

Despite this evidence, debate around coffee continues.  In 2018, California made an attempt to require warnings on coffee regarding a possible role in causing cancer, under Proposition 65, due to its acrylamide content.

Scientists across the globe gathered to debate this legislation, due to the association between coffee consumption and the positive health outcomes listed above, and the legislation was eventually overturned.

This is a great example of the mistakes that can be made when we focus on one specific chemical or nutrient in a food, rather than the whole food’s role in health.

Moderation is key

While it the tide has definitely changed for coffee and health, it is important to keep in mind that the too much of anything is not necessarily a good thing, and coffee is no exception.

For example, high consumption of unfiltered coffee (boiled or espresso) has been associated with mild elevations in serum cholesterol [Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee].

It is also generally recommended that people consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine at once, and no more than 400 mg of caffeine over the course of a day [ILSI NA].

We are still learning how different individuals metabolise caffeine, so these are recommendations for populations rather than specific individuals.

The Bottom Line: Use Moderation and Focus on the Big Picture

The verdict for eggs and coffee- they have their place in a healthy diet, but moderation is key.  So go ahead and have coffee with your eggs in the morning, just keep an eye on the calories you may be adding to the eggs with different ingredients (e.g. butter) or the cream, sugar, or syrups in coffee.

The World Health Organisation global estimates that more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older are overweight (WHO,2018).

What if we could make healthier choices in restaurants more obvious and easier to make for consumers, with minimal effort on their part?

In a lot of cases, obesity is preventable. However, our current food environment makes this challenging. Behaviour change measures can be an effective means of changing consumer dietary habits.

Consumer dietary choices are influenced by personal preferences, habits, nutrition information, availability, cost, and placement, among other reasons (Glanz & Bishop, 2010).

What can Operators do to Enhance Healthier Behaviours? 

Research on behaviour change is showing the following 3 strategies are helpful tools to help encourage healthy behaviours.

Read on for the ‘how’ behind these strategies.

1. Ensure their menus provide visible and meaningful nutritional information to the consumer.
2. Nutritionally optimise their recipes and provide healthier alternatives that motivate consumers to make healthier choices.
3. Add environmental cues that encourage the healthy choice, such as signage at point-of-purchase, appealing pictures of healthy menu choices, etc.

Motivating Choices

Behaviour change can refer to a transformation or alteration of human behaviour or patterns.  Approaches focusing on the individual, community and environmental influencers can support behaviour change.

Buying a car is one example. A person may be considering an energy efficient car as a more beneficial choice for the environment. Environmental influencers like awareness campaigns and financial incentives can motivate this individual’s purchase intent.

There are many credible models for behaviour change, one of which is the Capabilities, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour model (COM-B) of behaviour change.

Behaviour (B) occurs as the result of interaction between three necessary conditions:

• Capability (C): do you have the means available to do it? Money, time, or knowledge are examples.
• Opportunity (O): has the situation presented itself for you to make the change?
• Motivation (M): do you want to make the change?

Each of these conditions can influence each other, as well.

The below figure shows there can be potential influences between components in the model; opportunity can influence motivation or capability. (Michie, Stralen & West, 2011).

COM-B Model of Behaviour Change. Michie, Stralen and West (2011).

Applying this Model to Restaurants and Away-from-Home Eating

Capability is defined as the individual’s psychological and physical capacity to engage in the activity concerned.  It includes having the necessary knowledge and skills (Michie et al. 2011).

For example, the visibility of nutritional information can enable a consumer to make the healthier choice.

• Calorie labelling on menus when eating out of home,
• Front of pack labels such as the Keyhole logo used in the Nordic countries,
• Callouts of low-calorie options for example: “Under 600kcals”.

Calorie labelling on menus is an intervention that is being widely analysed and implemented in various countries such as USA, Australia and UK.

A study by Bollinger et al, 2011 assessed the effectiveness of calorie labelling in 222 chain restaurants and found the labelling led to a 6% reduction in calories per transaction.

Calories were posted on menu boards and menu in a font and format that was as prominent as the price.

The reduction was a result of consumers changing their food choices, possibly due to the calorie information making them more capable to make the healthy choice.

The study also grouped consumers data into one of three categories of calories purchased: less than 125, between 125 and 250, or greater than 250 calories purchased.

The data suggests that calorie labelling had a greater influence on consumers that tend to make high-calorie purchases with an average reduction of 26% calories per transaction.

A Cochrane review assessed the effectiveness of calorie labelling at point of consumption in restaurant settings. This intervention provided promising results that nutritional labelling on menus may reduce energy purchased.

However, a wider set of measures would be recommended to tackle obesity (Crockett et al. 2018). Calorie labelling remains one tool in the toolbox to help tackle obesity.

Opportunity is defined as all of the factors that lie outside the individual that make the behaviour possible or prompt it (Michie et al. 2011).

For example, the availability and accessibility of healthier products vs. unhealthier foods so that the consumer can easily make a healthier choice.

If there are no healthy foods available when making a decision, there’s no opportunity to make the healthy choice.

Increasing availability of healthy foods was one of the top three interventions suggested in the McKinsey Global Institute report on Obesity (Dobbs et al, 2014).

A review by Grech & Allman-Farinelli (2015) evaluated interventions in vending machines and found that sales of healthier items were increased when made available in five of the six identified studies, with no loss of overall sales volume.

Increasing the amount of no added sugar beverages, low calorie snacks could change consumers purchase intent. In this example, people may have had sufficient capability to make the healthy choice but did not have the opportunity to do so until the healthy foods were added to vending machines.

Motivation

Capability and opportunity feed into motivation, which is defined as the brain processes that energize and direct behaviour, not just goals and conscious decision-making.

It includes habitual processes, emotional responding, as well as analytical decision-making (Michie et al. 2011).

For example, promotional advertising of the healthier choices to entice and enthuse the consumer on digital platforms, social media or menu boards, or printed posters located near checkouts or within the consumers eye line can influence motivation by providing the right stimulus at the right time.

Advisory prompts through digital platforms or employees when a consumer selects their food of choice is another nudge tactic that can motivate healthier options (e.g. “would you like this without cream?”).

A study focusing on the interaction between food choice and food advertisement exposure  suggest that health-conscious consumers opted for the healthy snack following exposure to health message advertising (Dovey et al. 2017).

There are limited studies focusing on a combination of behaviour change interventions specific to dietary consumption when eating out of home.

One pilot trial study involving 18 worksites in England evaluated three interventions assessing the impact on calories purchased.  The interventions altered one of (a) portion size in six worksites (b) availability of healthier options in six worksites and (c) energy (calorie) labelling in six worksites.

The three intervention studies showed the following results:

Portion size – reducing portion sizes (by 10% or more) may be effective in reducing energy purchased and consumed from targeted food categories such as main meals, sides, desserts and cakes (Holland et al. 2018).

Availability of healthier options, like offering more low-calorie options on a menu, could be a promising strategy to reduce calories purchased (Pechey et al. 2018).  For example, lower calorie beverages or healthier side options incorporating fruit and vegetables or alternative cooking methods like baked vs. fried.

Calorie Labelling – only one out of the six sites showed a reduction in calories purchased when calorie labelling was implemented in menus.  However, the lack of a significant reduction in calories purchased in five out of the six worksites may have multiple explanations relating to barriers to calorie labelling implementation (Vasiljevic et al. 2018).  The use of bigger fonts or differentiation through colour could highlight and make the calorie information more meaningful for consumers. In this case, enabling consumer capability by adding calories to menus may have not been enough to strongly motivate behaviour change.

The first two interventions, reducing portion sizes and increasing availability of healthier options, showed promising results for reducing calories purchased.  These pilot study gives some positive indications that using these interventions in combination could promote healthier dietary patterns compared to using one of the strategies alone.  However further research on a larger scale is needed to evaluate the optimal implementation and combination of these interventions.

Knowing is Only Part of the Battle

Changing consumer behaviour takes time and can be very challenging, especially when eating out of home.

Often, changes that do not require conscious decision making are the most effective.  For example, reformulation to nutritionally optimise recipes is a method widely used by the food industry and recommended in many public health initiatives worldwide.

It is an effective method of improving nutrition as it does not require any behavioural change from the consumer.

Evidence is growing to suggest that changing small cues or slightly tweaking the physical environment may provide an effective way of changing behaviour, in ways that do not require a lot of cognitive processing by a consumer.

These are commonly known as “nudge” interventions for example slight reduction in portions sizes or the placement of products near checkouts or on digital ordering systems to change the consumption behaviour of consumers (Vasiljevic, M et al. 2017).

Key Takeaways

Three things operators do to enhance positive, healthy behaviours in their food environments:

1. Ensure their menus provide visible and meaningful nutritional information to the consumer.
2. Nutritionally optimise their recipes and provide healthier alternatives that motivate consumers to make healthier choices.
3. Add environmental cues that encourage the healthy choice, such as signage at point-of-purchase, appealing pictures of healthy menu choices, etc.

Establishing a food environment that combines these approaches could potentially help shape the way in which food operators support consumers to promote healthier dietary behaviours.

It’s not a big deal if it happens here or there, but if you’re someone who travels a lot, this can add up in the long run. Here are some helpful tips to avoid having your health be disrupted by travel.

1. Time your meals and snacks to be consistent with your normal routine

One important strategy is to try to keep your food intake as close to normal as possible. Our bodies like consistency, so when we shake up our schedule it can take some time for our hunger signals to adjust. This means planning to eat meals at times you’d normally eat. If you’re in a hotel, set your alarm to wake up at a time close to when you’d usually wake up and have breakfast. Plan to have snacks at the times you’d usually eat snacks. If you’ll be on the road when you’d usually be having something to eat, try to plan ahead for what food choice you’ll make so you’re ready when your normal mealtime comes around.

This gets a lot harder when crossing multiple time zones. If time changes mean you’ll end up sleeping during a time you’d normally have a meal, try to have a snack before you go to sleep so you don’t wake up as hungry. High protein snacks (yogurt, nuts, cheese, etc) are great choices since protein can help us feel full longer.

The more hunger we feel, the harder it is to make a healthy choice. Staying consistent with our usual eating patterns can not only help us make the right food choices, but also gives a sense of normalcy while traveling and is a great way to improve mental and physical well-being on the go.

2. Be prepared

Packing meals and snacks helps tremendously with tip #1. You never know when you’re going to be stuck on a plane or not have access to food during a time you’d normally be eating, and for me that added desperation makes the hunger feel so much worse.

If you have kids, you probably know how chaotic it can be when their snacktime rolls around and you find you forgot to pack anything for them to eat. A hungry kid can often be more easily upset, especially when young, can bring all kinds of unpredictability to your day.

Deep down, we are still like that as adults, we have just learned to repress our screaming and tantrums – instead we just silently suffer with hunger. The phrase ‘hangry’ comes to mind. Treat your hunger just like you would treat your kid’s!

3. Choose the right foods

Most dietary recommendations suggest people should get more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, so these are great to focus on when deciding what snacks to pack or meals to prepare ahead of time. Convenience is often the #1 priority when traveling, so be realistic with your food choices. It’s not safe to eat a salad while you’re driving, and the nose of your neighbor on the plane probably won’t be thrilled if you somehow managed to pack yourself some grilled fish.

Dried fruit and nuts can make a great snack, as long as you are aware of the proper portion sizes. It’s easy to end up eating 500 calories after a few handfuls before you realize it! Convenient fruits and vegetables like bananas, apples, or carrots can be good choices for cars or planes. Fruit and vegetable 100% juice blends can offer fruit and vegetable servings in a convenient package, although this can also be easy to consume too much of – aim for 4-6 oz rather than an entire bottle. High protein, whole grain snack bars can also be a good option.

More and more products are offering fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains in convenient formats like dried, poppable bites, scoops, bars, and beverages, so keep your eye out for these if you’re looking to try new things.

At breakfast time, one trick is to add more protein, since many people don’t get enough protein early in the day. Most breakfast foods are high in carbohydrates and low in protein, like cereal, bagels, pastries, muffins, and things like that. Adding more protein to breakfast helps people feel full longer, and it also helps our bodies hold on to our muscle mass when we’re losing weight. If you’re facing down a hotel breakfast buffet, try to choose some protein-boosting strategies like adding peanut butter, protein powder, eggs, or dairy foods like milk or yogurt to your breakfast.

One of the biggest challenges when traveling can be eating out at restaurants, where large portion sizes loom. These aren’t bad every once in a while, but if you’re traveling for a few days the feeling of being stuffed can wear you down.

Some tips for dining out might include:

• Ask the server to put half of your dish in a to-go container, so you’re only eating a half portion. If where you’re staying doesn’t have a refrigerator, share a meal with someone.
• Choose smaller dishes, like salad paired with an appetizer, or choose a few plates to share among the table.
• Use menu nutrition information, if it’s available, to help guide your choices.

The hardest time to eat healthy is when we’re unprepared. We lose a lot of the control we normally have over our lives when traveling, so use these tips to try to gain some of it back.

Dr. Slavin is a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Minnesota and a member of our Scientific Advisory Council.

To see the horizon of nutrition in the world of food ingredients, processes, and technologies, there’s no better place to go than the annual Food Expo of the Institute of Food Technologists. Each year, over 20,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors come to share their latest developments in food technology. The Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute team walked the Expo to bring back some insights about nutrition from the show.

Same trends, new forms

Trends like plant proteins, whole grains, and sugar reduction were prominent among many ingredient innovations this year. These trends have been strong for years, and their continued presence suggests they are becoming mainstream developments rather than temporary trends.

Scientists continue to find new ways to incorporate these trends into food and beverage, aiding the ‘mainstreaming’ of ingredients like plant proteins by making them taste better, more functional, and continuing to appeal to consumer demand for natural products.

Plant Protein

Finding new methods to deliver plant protein was a common theme, especially in high-moisture applications. A standout ingredient was faba bean protein, which saw use in high-moisture applications including yogurt, ice cream, and iced coffee. Using nut butters to deliver plant protein in new applications was also a common sighting.

Pea protein continued to be a strong presence, with new ingredients emphasizing improved functionality or taste. Emerging plant protein sources included hemp, pumpkin seed, and sunflower.

Whole Grains and Ancient Grains

Finding traditional ways to use trending grains, like Amaranth hot cereal, was just as common as finding new ways to use mainstream grains, like quinoa powder for beverages. Although whole grain consumption increased by 50% from 2004 to 2014, consumer acceptance of whole grain products can be a hurdle to consumption of these nutritious ingredients. These innovations are promising for improving palatability and convenience for consumers in the future.

Sugar Reduction

The strong push for sugar reduction in the food industry was clear at the Expo. One common ingredient was allulose, a naturally occurring type of sugar that provides fewer calories than other sugars. Other innovations included a new extract from stevia leaf claimed to have improved taste compared to other stevia extracts. Natural flavors and flavor modulators were demonstrated as a way to reduce sugar without adding alternative sweeteners. Monk fruit and fibers also had a presence in the sugar reduction category.

Emphasis on Natural

‘Natural’ was a prominent theme and could almost be assumed to be associated with all new launches throughout the Expo, especially at the booths with the most traffic. Keeping foods and ingredients as close to a natural source or method as possible, ‘clean’ language, and claims aligning with natural products like Organic, Non-GMO, etc. were impossible themes to ignore, suggesting once again that something previously thought to be a trend may be on its way to becoming a movement with staying power for the entire industry.

The findings from the 2017 Food Expo show that, when it comes to nutrition, plant proteins and sugar reduction are here to stay and we can expect more and more variety in ways to deliver them in foods and beverages. Moving forward, an emphasis on keeping ingredients close to nature will continue to dominate nutrition-related ingredients.