Foods that GLP-1 users like: overview
- GLP-1 drugs reduce appetite but consumers still prioritise taste experience
- Users favour lighter foods like yoghurt, soup, fruit, vegetables and porridge
- Craving suppression shifts choices from impulsive eating towards deliberate selection
- Premium chocolate sales rose 17% among GLP-1 users versus 6.5% among non-users
- Consumers seek nutrient-dense foods combining protein, fibre and sensory appeal
What do GLP-1 users eat? This has been a central question for the food industry since the weight-loss drugs exploded on to the scene several years ago.
For most, the focus has been on the foods that may be at risk. Sweet and salty foods have been the most discussed, but many have wondered if GLP-1 drugs could pose a risk for the alcohol industry as well.
Because GLP-1s reduce appetite, many have speculated that they will change our fundamental relationship with food, leading consumers to see eating in terms of getting nutrients into the body rather than pleasure from the food itself.
But what about foods that GLP-1 users still eat? What foods do they actually enjoy?
Do GLP-1 users still enjoy food?
Much of the conversation around GLP-1s centres on enjoyment; on how users often prioritise getting the right nutrients over taste and texture, and even how their ability to enjoy foods is shifting.
Despite this, users can still enjoy food. “While experiences vary from person to person, the emerging pattern we’re seeing is that GLP-1 users continue to seek foods that deliver enjoyment alongside nutritional value,” says Nathalie de Clercq, director of R&D application for health and nutrition at ingredients company Cargill.
“GLP-1 users still expect foods to deliver on taste and overall sensory satisfaction, even as their nutritional priorities evolve.”
Nevertheless, the foods that these consumers eat are often chosen more thoughtfully, suggests Andy Wardlaw, chief ideas officer at market research company MMR Research.
“When cue-driven cravings are dampened but in-the-mouth pleasure remains, the products that win are those chosen consciously rather than grabbed impulsively,” he says.
According to MMR’s research, GLP-1 drugs suppress ‘wanting’ more than ‘liking’. While impulses are dampened, consumers still enjoy foods. Therefore, their choices become more selective.
What foods do GLP-1 users still enjoy?
When consumers are on GLP-1s, they tend to prioritise foods that are not heavy in the stomach.
“Users tend to favour foods that feel lighter, simpler and easier to tolerate, rather than rich or overwhelming,” explains MMR’s Wardlaw.
Foods that users still enjoy include dairy products such as cottage cheese, yoghurt and kefir, for their smooth textures and easy digestion. Soup is also popular because it is light on the stomach.
“Pleasure increasingly has to work alongside digestive comfort, predictability and control. In other words, people are not abandoning enjoyment, but they are redefining it.”
Andy Wardlaw, chief ideas officer at MMR Research
Fruit and vegetables are desired for similar reasons, as are oatmeal and porridge.
Interestingly, many GLP-1 users are replacing breakfast with coffee and other hot drinks.
“The key point is that pleasure increasingly has to work alongside digestive comfort, predictability and control,” says Wardlaw. “In other words, people are not abandoning enjoyment, but I would suggest that they are redefining it.”
Conversely, people using GLP-1s are not interested in diet or low-fat products. For those eating less, Wardlaw explains, “you need to make sure that you have that nourishment“.
What foods are most popular in GLP-1 users?
GLP-1 users do not usually start enjoying entirely new foods when on the drugs, says Wardlaw. Instead, they gravitate towards foods that fit into their diet; foods that are lighter, more “nutritionally purposeful”, and easier to digest.
Nevertheless, some categories are doing particularly well among GLP-1 consumers.
For example, according to Lindt, US premium chocolate sales went up by 17% with GLP-1 users in 2025, compared to only 6.5% in non-GLP-1 households.
In MMR’s own data, users reported drinking more zero-calorie flavoured drinks and herbal teas like lemon and ginger and peppermint.
Consumers also value foods that can combine nutrient density, particularly for protein and fibre, with strong sensory appeal, says Cargill’s de Clercq.
“As eating occasions become smaller and more intentional, products that deliver meaningful nutrition in convenient and enjoyable formats may become more attractive to these consumers.”
Overall, GLP-1 users are gravitating towards lighter foods that don’t have rich or overwhelming tastes. While they are prioritising nutrient content, especially protein and fibre, this does not mean that they are indifferent to taste.
