The Future of Nutrition: How Technology Is Changing the Way We Eat

Do you eat differently today than 5 or 10 years ago? Chances are you do. 

We now have the luxury of ordering fast food from a phone or computer. The food arrives at our doorsteps hot and ready to eat. That’s convenient, but it also encourages us all to eat out more often because it’s so fast and convenient. 

It’s estimated that food delivery apps will grow into a $320 billion industry by 2029. 

Delivery applications aren’t the only technologies impacting the way we eat. From robots to meat grown in a laboratory instead of sourced from animals, there’s a lot to look out for in our food supply. While some technological advances can help improve our health, others may lead to more unhealthy habits and potentially more toxins at the grocery store. 

The best way to stay on top of these high-tech advances is to find a nutritionist who keeps up with the trends. We can help you get started today with a discussion of the leading tech advances in the food industry. Get ready to see what scientists have been up to as they play with your food and possibly your health. 

How Does Technology Impact the Way We Eat? 

There are multiple ways technology can impact the way you eat, including but not limited to: 

• Change your access to food 
• Change how your food is delivered 
• Change the price of your food 
• Change the quality of your food 
• Change the source of your food 

Everything from where your food is produced to how it’s packaged and how quickly it’s delivered to your kitchen is impacted by technology. For instance, many food brands are actively embracing new technologies that allow them to process, package, and ship their products with less impact on the environment. Those initiatives can change the way your food looks or even how it tastes. 

Technology and the Way You Eat – Recent Advances that Make a Difference 

Are you ready to learn about some of the new technologies that are currently impacting the food industry? There’s a lot more than we can discuss here, so we encourage you to connect with a dietitian or nutritionist who stays up to date on the high-tech advances. They can help you navigate the world of food as it continues to evolve. 

Alternative Protein Sources  

For years, you had just two options for protein sources: animal or plant-based. Today, the market for plant-based protein is expanding due to high demand, and even more options are surfacing. 

For instance, have you heard about the potential for laboratory-grown meat to hit the market in the near future? These “meat” products aren’t quite ready to hit store shelves, but the FDA has approved one lab-grown chicken product and designated it safe for consumption. The next step is for this innovative food product to get the red light from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which many expect to happen in early 2023. 

Could lab-grown meat benefit your diet, or could it potentially harm your health? There isn’t a lot of research to say one way or another with certainty, but manufacturers are already promoting their products with some potential health benefits: 

• Produced without antibiotics, which are often administered to animals used as food sources
• Produced in a controlled environment, which could lead to greater production in a short period of time to feed more people 
• Production process is safer for the environment 
• The meat is considered cruelty-free since no animals are harmed in production 

The downside is that the process still requires the use of dead animals to obtain the biopsies used to create the lab-grown meat. The production process is also quite expensive, which will make the first products hitting shelves equally pricey. 

Nutraceuticals 

If you’re interested in eating healthier foods and using more natural medication, the concept of nutraceuticals may grab your interest. 

What are nutraceuticals? They’re foods that are fortified with additives believed to improve your health in some way. We’re talking about the intersection of medication and food at this point, which is both intriguing and potentially worrisome. 

Some of the best nutraceuticals will make it easier to add things like probiotics and prebiotics into your diet. Think about eliminating those bottles of dietary supplements and simply eating foods that already have those supplements in them. 

That’s incredibly convenient, but what about adding things like prescription medications or even vaccinations into edible food sources? Scientists are exploring that right now, which may get tricky in the future, with the concern for forced vaccination of unknowing consumers. 

Those are worries for the future, but it’s on the horizon as technology continues to advance. 

Robotics & Food Printers 

Robotic technology is expanding into the restaurant sector. Some start-ups are creating robot assistants capable of maneuvering busy restaurants to help servers deliver large orders tableside. There are also food printers emerging that may allow you to one day print your own edible products on demand. 

Could that replace your favorite food delivery service in the future? Possibly! 

What to Look for in the Future of Food Technology 

As technology continues to develop, you can expect to see significant changes in the way you dine out as well as in the quality of food in your home kitchen. We’re likely to see more man-made proteins with the expansion of plant-based foods and other healthy alternatives in every aisle of the grocery store. 

You may enjoy a meal at your favorite pizzeria with a fully functional robotic waitress. Maybe you’ll drive through to grab a burger and drive off with a healthy meal made entirely of plants. 

While technology can help improve our health, it also has the potential to introduce unhealthy elements into your diet. The best way to stay informed is to select a nutritionist or dietitian who follows the trends in nutrition closely. The right nutrition expert will take the time to answer your questions and will help you determine which trends to incorporate into your diet and which ones to pass up.