The top health food trends to know now

Healthy lifestyle trends are increasingly changing the way people spend their money, according to Stephen Burgess, deputy director for prices at the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Every year, the ONS chops and changes the products in the basket of goods used to calculate the UK’s inflation rate. This is based on what British households are actually buying. This year, alcohol-free beer and houmous made the cut.

“This year, healthier lifestyle choices influence consumer spending,” Stephen says.

With habits changing, Speciality Food examines the key trends speciality food retailers should be aware of.

1. Hydration

Hydration is an often overlooked, yet incredibly important aspect of wellness. One study from Air Up, which uses scent to make it feel like you’re drinking flavoured water, found that 11% of Brits feel constantly dehydrated, rising to 22% of 18-24 year olds.

Of course, we could all add another glass or two of water to our days, but drinks brands are offering alternative solutions to tempt us to stay hydrated. And as Mandy Savan, content director at Stylus, previously told Speciality Food, this year hydration will go beyond water. “Consumers will be chasing electrolytes, trace minerals and functional salts as part of their daily wellness rituals. From salty seltzers to rehydration gummies, the focus is gradually shifting towards holistic replenishment, not just refreshment.”

Alongside drinks aisle buzzwords like sodium, potassium and magnesium, coconut water has become a go-to wellness drink, loved for its naturally refreshing taste and low-calorie appeal. “Coconut water has been in 33% growth for the last two years,” explains Adam Draper, managing director at Nurture Brands, which owns raw coconut water brand Rebel Kitchen. “Touted as a cleaner, more natural alternative to sugary fizzy drinks and heavily processed sports beverages, it’s become a staple for anyone looking to feel refreshed and revitalised,” he says.

Rebel Kitchen’s naturally pink-hued coconut water is made from just one ingredient: young green coconuts, which are sourced sustainably from smallholders in the Philippines.

“The brand uses high pressure processing to retain its natural flavour and nutrients without ever using heat. This process preserves the micronutrients and potassium found in fresh coconuts, which can naturally cause the water to turn pink over time, a visual sign of its purity that the brand proudly embraces,” Adam says.

Elsewhere, cactus water is growing in popularity. PRKL Cactus Drink boasts the natural health benefits of the prickly pear cactus: everything from anti-inflammatory properties to blood sugar regulation and naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for skin, bone, eye, heart and liver health.

Looking for another option? How about beetroot juice? New to the market is Beet It Sport, a performance-led juice range gaining traction for its dietary nitrate content, which supports stamina, reduces fatigue and improves circulation, making it a boon for post-exercise recovery.

2. Alternatives to ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are squarely in the spotlight today. A recent study by healthy eating app Lifesum found that almost half of British adults support regulation for UPFs similar to tobacco or alcohol. Nine in 10 feel ultra-processed foods are engineered to be addictive, and more than four in five Brits say they have felt unable to stop eating certain UPFs once they start. Two-thirds have tried – and failed – to cut back on foods like crisps, chocolate, biscuits, pizza, ice cream and sugary breakfast cereals.

With more consumers looking to cut these products out of their diets, there’s a strong place on retailers’ shelves for minimally processed food and drink.

As one example, Tom Parker Creamery is a brand looking to go back to basics, offering unhomogenised whole milk that is richly textured, creamy and – importantly – minimally processed. The company describes it as ‘just one step away from raw milk and much nearer to how it comes from the cow’.

Cow’s milk is already seen by consumers as minimally processed, with a Mintel study finding 63% of consumers prioritise its naturalness over its nutritional content. So how does homogenisation play into the UPF conversation?

Independent clinical nutritionist Eva Humphries says homogenisation is a mechanical process where milk is forced through tiny nozzles at high pressure to break fat globules into very small, uniform particles. “This stops the cream from rising and gives supermarket milk that consistent, smooth texture.”

Unhomogenised milk has not been mechanically altered. “The fat globules remain their natural size, so the cream rises to the top, a sign the milk is closer to its original state,” she explains.

While unhomogenised milk has the same nutritional value as homogenised milk, the larger fat droplets give it a more luxurious texture. “There isn’t any more fat present, we just perceive it to be creamier,” Eva explains. “Then there is that wonderful, sweet layer of cream that rises to the top. Pure nostalgia.” Based on the available evidence, she adds, unhomogenised milk can be perceived to be more filling. “The larger fat droplets may slow the rate of digestion, which in turn can support satiety.”

While raw milk by contrast is fully unprocessed, unhomogenised milk is the least processed milk found in supermarkets.

Across the aisles, consumers are looking for minimally processed versions of food and drink that use fewer ingredients.

3. Organic

The organic food and drink market is in its 14th consecutive year of growth, continuing to outpace non-organic, and reaching £3.9bn, double the size it was just 10 years ago, according to the Soil Association’s Organic Market Report 2026. The report found that consumer demand for organic remains strong, with rising awareness around pesticides, ultra-processed foods and nutrient density driving shoppers to seek more organic whole foods.

In 2025, dairy and produce claimed the biggest share of organic sales, accounting for over half of all organic sales by volume through major retailers. Berries had a particularly strong year, with more than 20% volume growth, however organic vegetables were impacted by inflation and lack of variety in stores, the report found.

Staples like tinned goods, cereals, home baking and savoury and sweet spreads fuelled a 2.6% volume increase in organic ambient grocery. Interestingly organic poultry sales increased “significantly” (meat, fish and dairy rose 2.9% year-on-year) despite being up to three times more expensive than non-organic counterparts.

For independent retailers, the Soil Association says, organic is already an important part of their offering, making up approximately 80% of food lines. Despite sales dipping, the report found most (56%) anticipate sales growth while 44% forecast a stable year in 2026. “Some of this optimism comes from the fact that they see organic as actively aligning with consumer concerns – highlighting strong demand for products shoppers see as healthier or more sustainable. Retailers say this powerful customer connection is their biggest growth factor,” the report said.

4. Skincare via diet

Skincare has long been a growing market separate to the food and drink sector, but now consumers are keen to shift their diets in order to improve the look and feel of their skin. 

Collagen, which is the body’s most abundant protein, supports not only skin but also our joints, bones and connective tissue. Increasingly, shoppers are eating and drinking collagen to boost their body’s collagen production.

“Collagen supplements, such as Vital Proteins are gaining more traction this year as consumers look to move beyond topical skincare,” says Jo Sharp, in-house nutritionist at Vital Proteins. 

While topical collagen products (like face masks and eye patches) can feel great, they don’t work the way many people think they do, Jo says. “Collagen molecules are very large, which means they can’t penetrate the skin deeply enough to stimulate your body’s own collagen production. Collagen in masks or eye patches acts more like a hydrator, forming a film on the skin. It temporarily plumps the skin by locking in moisture and smoothing the surface,” she explains.

“When you consume collagen peptides like in Vital Proteins, they’re broken down into amino acids and bioactive peptides that can support youthful skin appearance,” Jo continues.

5. Protein and fibre

Two words that are increasingly making appearances on the front of pack are protein and fibre. 

Protein was once relegated to the powders and bars of gym sharks, but today growing numbers of consumers are aware of the ability of the macronutrient to sate appetite and support our health as we age. 

At least half of consumers globally are actively working to increase the protein in their diet, Innova Market Insights found. This is another area where milk and dairy drinks can shine, as well as quality meat.

Plant-based protein is also an option to consider, however. “We understand now, more than ever, that we have agency over our health and food has power, so let’s help ourselves and the planet by upping our plant-based protein intake,” says M&S head of innovation Annette Peters. Here, products that shirk processed ingredients are key, such as beans and legumes.

Mandy at Stylus also told us fibre is the buzz nutrient to watch within whole foods in 2026, having evolved from a “quiet gut health hero” to a “headline ingredient” across snacks, drinks and wellness product development.

While adults are recommended 30g of fibre a day, a whopping 96% of us aren’t getting enough, so it’s certainly an area where retailers can be doing more to signpost high-fibre food and drink.

As research from IGD found, front-of-pack claims about health content are often missed by consumers, with traffic light labels (36%), five-a-day messaging (34%) and familiarity with the product (34%) among the cues shoppers find most useful in a physical store. 

“For physical retail, an easy adjustment is simple signposting to remove friction,” Bryony Perkins, senior insight analyst at IGD says. “Fresh food categories should lead with natural health credentials and cross category inspiration, such as easy meal solutions.”

With consumers more interested in health than ever before, now is the perfect time to revisit the health-forward foods in your shop.