Rising interest in gut-friendly superfoods to growing calls for better nutrition education amid a flood of misinformation on social media are top nutrition trends shaping consumer behavior in 2025, according to a new survey from Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian.
Gut health remains a top priority for consumers’ health preferences with 58.3% of shoppers prioritizing food and beverages that boost their microbiome, according to a 2025 study surveying 874 registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).
Fermented foods, like yogurt, kimchi and kombucha ranked as the top superfoods this year, according to Pollock and Today’s Dietitian’s study. Other ranking foods include berries (i.e., cranberries, blueberries and raspberries), seeds such as chia and hemp, ancient grains, green tea and pulses (i.e., dry peas, beans, lentils). The list also featured new inclusions like bone broth and leafy greens such as kale and spinach, emphasizing an interest in nutrient-dense foods, according to the survey.
A Danone North America study found that while consumer interest in gut health via Google searches has more than doubled in the last three years, 41% of consumers do not know about the gut microbiome and half are unaware of its impact on gut health – underscoring an opportunity to improve consumer education on the microbiome.
Plant-based diets show sustained interest for whole and minimally processed foods, while keto diet falls out of favor, per the survey. However, consumers are still confused about which plant-based foods contain protein and if these products contain the same quality of protein as animal-based products, highlighting an opportunity for brands to education shoppers, according to the survey.
Roughly 45% of consumers purchase food and beverages that support immunity, and 39% of shoppers buy foods that promote comfort and emotional well-being, the surveyed RDNs predicted.
While more education is needed on nutrition, consumers increasingly rely on social media for nutrition information and yet many of these platforms are rife with misinformation, per the study.
RDNs in the survey point out that TikTok is the leading source of nutrition misinformation, followed by Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and blogs/vlogs.
Top purchase drivers
Consumers continue to prioritize value-based shopping as they face mounting grocery prices from inflation, with 77% of consumers purchasing food and beverages that are both affordable and provide value, according to the surveyed RDNs.
Convenience, lower cost and taste rank the highest among the top five attributes consumers look for when making a purchase, followed by foods that are healthy and natural, per the study.
Supplement use on the rise amid class action lawsuits on claims
Consumers’ use of supplements to address nutritional gaps continues to grow, per the study. Some of the top recommended supplements include multivitamins, vitamin D, probiotics, protein powders and calcium, in addition to fiber, magnesium and electrolyte replacements.
As consumer access to GLP-1 weight loss drugs expands, supplement companies are launching products as alternatives to GLP-1s or to curb side effects of the drug.
Recently, supplement brand Lemme, is under fire in a class action lawsuit for misleading marketing practices related to its GLP-1 Daily supplement. The supplement is marketed as a natural alternative to GLP-1 with no adverse side effects like nausea and diarrhea – however, the capsules are not clinically substantiated, according to the lawsuit.
Lemme, founded by public relations executive Simon Huck and reality star Kourtney Kardashian Barker, is the first supplement company with a class action lawsuit for its on-label GLP-1 support claims. While the verdict is still pending, the lawsuit reflects a growing need to ensure proper labeling to fit a claim, per previous reporting.