ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Over the past few decades, warnings about the negative health effects of fat have become dietary canon.
But that guidance may be starting to show its age, as consumers, particularly young ones, have demonstrated a taste for oils and fats that are healthy and less processed, according to a new report from Packaged Facts, a market research firm based in Rockville, Md.
According to the report, millennials and Gen Z consumers are more inclined to view fats as a source of health benefits and gravitate toward foods that contain minimally processed, natural fats and oils that are GMO-free or organic.
The report says those younger generations are unfazed by the negative connotation bestowed on fat in the 1990s and 2000s.
“Instead, they are able to readily embrace and seek out specific plant-based and animal-based fats for their health benefits,” said David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts.
That includes fat from avocados, olive oil, eggs, butter and fish such as salmon, Sprinkle said.
Additionally, clean, simple labels with descriptors such as “raw,” “virgin,” “unrefined” and “cold-pressed” are more likely to attract young consumers, as they indicate less processing than terms such as “hydrogenated” and “refined.”
For example, young consumers are more likely to seek out natural, full-fat versions of butter, milk and cheese.
“Butter is reemerging because it gives a stellar performance as a familiar ingredient that facilitates clean and simple ingredient labels," Sprinkle said.
Plant-based specialty oils, such as avocado and algal oil, could also see a popularity boost, along with all plant-based oils that are unrefined, cold- or expeller-pressed, according to the report.
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