In 2025, gut health became one of the biggest wellness conversations across the world, and several superfoods took the spotlight. What started as diet suggestions soon turned into full-blown trends on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms shaping what people ate, bought, and recommended throughout the year. From Indian kitchens to global supermarkets, the focus shifted towards foods that improved digestion, strengthened immunity, and supported overall gut health.
Fermented foods
One of the biggest gut-health trends of 2025 was the rise of fermented foods. TikTok creators, health coaches, and nutritionists posted millions of videos on kimchi, kombucha, yogurt bowls, raw pickles, and kefir. Hashtags like #FermentedFoods, #GutTok, and #HappyGut easily crossed billions of views.
Kefir, which was once considered a niche wellness drink, became a mainstream supermarket item in several countries. Many cafes and restaurants introduced gut-friendly menus, offering kimchi bowls, yogurt smoothies, and probiotic shots.
Millets
The momentum created by India’s International Year of Millets 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the time, continued to reflect in 2025 food trends. Ragi, jowar, bajra, and foxtail millet saw renewed popularity as gut-friendly grains.
Fitness experts and doctors praised these millet varieties for being high in fibre and easy on the digestive system. Instagram recipe pages highlighted “millet meal-prep ideas” and “5-minute ragi breakfast bowls,” making these traditional grains cool again among young professionals.
In supermarkets, millet noodles, pasta, snacks, and breakfast mixes became top-selling items in several metro cities.
Basil seeds became the new chia seeds
Another major trend of 2025 was the rise of basil seeds (sabja / tukmaria). After nutritionists on Instagram and a few international doctors spoke about the benefits of basil seeds for digestion, gut lining, and bloating, they quickly went mainstream.
Searches like “basil seed pudding,” “sabja vs chia,” and “basil seeds for digestion” became widely popular. What made them trend even more was their affordability, they became the Indian household alternative to costly imported chia seeds.
Vitamin brands and wellness cafes also started adding basil-seed drinks and desserts to their menus.
Protein-rich lentils
Across the world, sustainability became a major talking point in 2025. Because of this, lentils especially Indian dals gained attention not only for protein but also for gut health.
Global magazines listed lentils as “2025’s most sustainable superfood.” Gut-health influencers explained how moong dal, masoor dal, and urad dal were easy to digest, soothing for the stomach, and great for gut bacteria.
The trend grew so much that “dal bowls” became a new viral food format in the U.S. and Europe, similar to buddha bowls.
Papaya and berries
Fibre-rich fruits also had their moment. Papaya, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries trended heavily due to their link to digestion, regular bowel movements, and skin benefits.
By mid-2025, the term “gut-glow” became one of the biggest wellness buzzwords. The idea that healthy digestion could improve mood, immunity, and appearance led to the popularity of plant-based foods, fermented foods, and natural fibres.
Health apps and diet planners launched gut-friendly meal plans, while restaurants created “microbiome menus” with fibre-rich and probiotic ingredients.
