From calories to care: Gen Z is redefining healthy eating

Gone are the days of restrictive diets and low-fat snacks. Gen Z is reshaping what it means to eat healthy by following food trends: ditching calorie-counting and instead focusing on nourishment that supports both the body and mind.   

Twenty years ago, food trends were monopolized by diet culture. The early 2000s had glorified low-fat meals and 100-calorie snack packs. In other words, “healthy” food habits were often restrictive, leading to negative effects on people’s health because of individuals cutting carbs, skipping the fat and avoiding anything with high calorie value. When following these food trends, mental health was barely, if at all, part of the conversation. Flashforward to the present — food trends are improving with the current generation. Gen Z is attempting to redefine what it means to eat healthy by popularizing food trends that not only provide proper nutrients and immune boosts to the body, but also improve one’s mental and emotional health.  

With the help of social media and micro influencers, Gen Z food culture is starting to prioritize asking, “Why are we eating this and how does it make us feel?” For example, the “hot girls have IBS” trend that went viral in 2022 raised awareness of common stomach problems that led to more people stopping food restriction and starting to eat balanced meals with some favorite treats. These trends have also allowed young people to discover new cuisines and recipes, avenues for incorporating new or healthier ingredients into their daily lives. Social media also promotes questioning one’s food habits — questions such as, “Where does my food come from? Is it sustainable? How does it improve my mind and body?” This shift toward conscious consumption allows us to eat happily and healthily. Whether it’s making an acaí bowl or drinking an iced matcha latte, Gen Z is starting to strive for foods with ingredients that provide long-term mental and physical benefits. In the end, it boils down to one thing — if the product has ingredients that are hard to pronounce, it’s a good idea to look up those ingredients and learn how it affects your body. 

Growing up in the early 2000s, I’ve always been surrounded by older cousins who calorie counted themselves into a restrictive diet. They preferred the 100-calorie snack packs as an alternative to any sweet treat, and they tended to spiral into depression when they eventually ended up eating seven packs after initially opening just one. While one can eat those packs if they simply enjoy the taste of it, one cannot gaslight themselves into thinking a small pack of thin, low calorie baked chocolate wafer snacks will replace the craving for a German chocolate cake. At that point, it’s just better for your physical and mental health if you satisfy the chocolate craving early and move on with life. It took years to learn that choosing an indulgent dessert first will lead to choosing more nutritious meal options, showing that some indulgence can support healthy eating habits.  

These days, we’re able to enjoy our comfort foods and experiment with trends with ingredients that were originally not commonly found in a typical American grocery store, such as matcha. Younger Americans began to experiment with matcha around 2015 because of its long-term health benefits, such as improving heart health, boosting metabolism, improving concentration and by promoting healthy skin and reducing the risk of chronic diseases with its abundant antioxidants. While it is also usually found in a typical South Asian household, the experimentation allowed us new ways to ingest and enjoy it. 

However, that does not mean Gen Z is always eating healthy or choosing completely natural foods. We all get the craving to indulge ourselves in comfort foods from time to time. According to a survey, Gen Z prefers sweeter snacks than Millennials, who prefer salty snacks. However, in a survey of 2,000 consumers, 39% of Gen Z prefer to avoid snacks with too much sugar compared to 30% of adults over 60. Furthermore, the same survey showed that 73% of Gen Z preferred snacks with quality ingredients, showing that there’s always a way to eat healthier. Lastly, these trends can still be a hit or miss. Eating healthy can be expensive and exclusive, with organic food being at least twice as expensive compared to nonorganic food. However, the very notion of eating foods with long term physical and mental health benefits is still a step in the right direction.  

In an era with high cost of living and mental health issues, it is nice to see the current population redefine wellness in a manner that feels holistic and humane. Gen Z has changed the idea of eating healthily and turned it into a culture of care for the body and mind. And that’s a food trend worth following.