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New Year, Fresh Start Healthy Lifestyle


Promotional Content • Saturday 24th January 2026


The future of our food L


ooking back at 2025, nutrition fi rmly cemented itself as a key indicator for longevity. So, what’s in store for 2026?


Out with UPFs


As evidence mounts for the negative impact ultra-proccessed foods (UPFs) have on our health — and the October 2025 UK restrictions on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) cement these concerns — we’ll be looking for low- ingredient, low-additive foods. Health and nutrition coach Grace


Williams predicts: “We’ll see a rise in nose-to-tail eating and organ meats to gain back nutrient density.” Shoppers will be turning to whole


food supermarkets and seeking guidance on how to identify non-UPF products in mainstream shops.


Functional foods step up


Trends like ‘cortisol face’ and ‘cortisol belly’ have highlighted the impact of high stress lifestyles. With growing awareness of food as medicine, we’ll be looking to functional foods to support our health counter the eff ects of an always-on lifestyle. Kerry Beeson, nutritional therapist


WE’RE GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT WHOLE FOODS/GETTY


(BSc) at Prep Kitchen, says: “We can expect to see ingredients like maca, moringa, medicinal mushrooms, seaweed and microalgae woven into everyday dishes.”


Protein rebrand


‘Protein’ — as we know it — may have fi nally run its course. In 2026, we’re going back to basics. Nearly half of UK adults increased


their intake last year, according to a national survey for Ocado Retail. From the powders and bars to Khloé Kardashian’s protein water, we’re starting to ask, how much of it is marketing over real substance? We expect a return to whole-food


protein sources as we prioritise food transparency. Nutrition coach Grace Williams says: “T ere’ll be a focus on amino acid profi les, digestibility and bioavailable sources of protein.”


Eating for your hormones


Conversations around hormonal health conditions have gained attention. And research by the Institute for Functional Medicine shows that diet can impact everyone’s hormonal balance, not just those with diagnosed hormone conditions. In 2026, hormone aware nutrition


will shift from a niche interest to everyday practice. Expect people of all ages and genders to seek hormone testing, tailored eating plans and supplements, hormone-focused apps and meal kits matched to individual hormone profi les. Belle Amatt, registered nutritional consultant at W-Wellness, says:


Living360 reveals the nutrition trends to watch out for in 2026. Words: Elizabeth Bennett


“We’ll seek nutrition that adapts to our biology, not broad dietary rules.”


Convenience food 2.0


Nutrition conscious, but time-poor, people are looking for ways to eat well without spending hours cooking. A study by AHDB found that the average UK evening meal now takes just 31 minutes to prepare. Frozen meals are already having


a revival. Whole Foods Market launched its Freezer Fine Dining range and ByRuby make healthy handmade frozen dishes. “People want transparency and


quality. Ready-to-eat food and snacks that are both nutritious and accessible,” says Eleanor McClelland, head of R&D at Graze.


T is is an excerpt from the Living360 Health Report 2026. To download the full report, visit living360.uk


SOURCES


• Ocado Retail, national survey, 2025 • Institute for Functional Medicine, Nutrition and Impacts on Hormone Signaling, 2025


• AHBD, Consumer cooking trends, 2025


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