What You Will Learn

• The foundational health goals a registered dietitian nutritionist recommends focusing on in 2026

• Why blood sugar awareness is a key signal for gut and metabolic health

• How fiber intake, plant diversity, and food quality support the gut–brain connection

• What current research says about added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and ultra-processed foods

A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Shares Foundational Health Goals for 2026 (Part One) 

We asked our resident registered dietitian nutritionist (and founder of JUST BETTER BRANDS) what healthy goals she recommends for 2026. What she said might surprise you! 

In our two-part series kicking off the New Year, she gives us the scoop on what matters most when setting realistic health goals. 

Kristin isn’t just our founder; she is a registered dietitian nutritionist, passionate about gut and metabolic health. She told us the most important thing we can do in 2026 is make a plan to focus on gut health and blood sugar balance. 

What we’ve learned about gut health in the last few years confirms Kristin’s motto: 

Gut health is connected to every aspect of how our body functions, from digestive health and metabolic balance to brain & mental health, immune function, and cardiovascular health. The gut is at the center of it all—and it is fascinating. 

We invite you to join us in the coming weeks and months as we break down the science and bring you digestible 😉 information and practical tips you can turn into action! 

Before we get into Kristin’s foundational goals for 2026, let’s step back and remember, resolutions are just wishes without a plan! What’s in a plan? Focus. Commitment. Action. 

Take time to write down your action plan for your healthy goals for 2026. 

New Year, just better.® Health!

Back to Kristin’s foundational health goal recommendations for 2026. 

Get Familiar With Your Blood Sugar Levels 

Blood sugar matters for everyone—not just for those managing diabetes. Getting familiar with how blood sugar rises and falls throughout the day helps explain how the body responds to food, stress, sleep, and daily habits. These patterns influence energy levels, appetite cues, focus, and how the gut communicates with the rest of the body. Understanding blood sugar is a foundational step in supporting long-term health.

When blood sugar spikes quickly and crashes repeatedly, insulin has to work harder to move glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells. Over time, this constant demand can reduce how responsive cells are to insulin. This change, known as insulin resistance, often develops quietly and without obvious symptoms, which is why it can go unnoticed for years.

As insulin resistance progresses, blood sugar regulation becomes less efficient. This stage is commonly identified as prediabetes—a sign that the body is struggling to manage glucose effectively. Prediabetes doesn’t usually feel dramatic or disruptive in day-to-day life, but it signals an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes if underlying patterns remain unchanged.

Type 2 diabetes increases the likelihood of health complications that can be challenging to manage, including cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, and metabolic dysfunction. 

Paying attention to blood sugar earlier—before problems arise—supports prevention and whole-body wellness. Awareness creates an opportunity to adjust food choices and daily habits in ways that help protect our long-term health goals.

This is why blood sugar awareness sits at the top of our foundational goals for 2026. It provides valuable insight that helps guide the decisions that follow, from fiber intake and plant diversity to food quality and everyday routines. 

Aim for at least 30(+) grams of Fiber EVERY DAY! 

Getting enough fiber each day is one of the most reliable ways to support gut health, steady blood sugar patterns, and clear communication along the gut–brain axis. 

Fiber slows digestion, helping moderate spikes and crashes after meals, and feeds beneficial gut bacteria that influence everything from appetite cues to inflammation signals. Yet most adults still fall well short of the recommended daily intake. 

Setting a daily target of 30 grams of fiber creates a strong foundation for our gut and metabolic health and sets the stage for more stable energy, improved digestion, and whole-body health. 

• JBB Tip: Set a goal to eat 30 plants a week. 

One practical way to reach a daily fiber goal is by focusing on plant diversity. Aiming for 30 different plant foods each week increases the variety of fiber and polyphenol-rich foods that nourish beneficial gut bacteria. 

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, legumes, and whole grains all count, and a greater variety supports a more resilient gut microbiome, which is tied to immune function, inflammation control, and overall metabolic health. 

Feeling overwhelmed? Try the Diversity Jar trend! It’s a fun, nutritionist-approved tool to help you reach your 30-plant goal each week. Learn more here! 

• JBB Tip: Add a fiber supplement to close the fiber gap. 

Still falling short of fiber goals? Many people struggle to reach 30 grams of fiber each day. just better.® prebiotic fiber helps close that fiber gap by increasing total daily fiber intake and supporting the gut microbiome, especially on days when fiber from food alone falls short. Add it to your drinks and food to make everything instantly fiber-rich. Each tablespoon (or stick pack) adds 5 grams of soluble prebiotic fiber to your day. 

Rethink Artificial and High-Intensity Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and high-intensity sweeteners, including stevia and monk fruit, are widely used, often with the goal of reducing calories or managing blood sugar. What’s become clearer in recent years is that these ingredients interact with the body in ways that go beyond sweetness alone—particularly through the gut.

Research shows that artificial and high-intensity sweeteners negatively affect gastrointestinal function and gut signaling, including pathways involved in appetite regulation and how the body responds to sweetness. Emerging evidence also links their use to broader metabolic and cardiovascular risks, reinforcing the idea that calorie-free does not always mean healthy or consequence-free. These effects help explain why artificial and high-intensity sweeteners can interfere with normal gut–brain communication and long-term metabolic health.

This evolving science is why we encourage taking a closer look at how often sugar substitutes show up in everyday foods and drinks, as well as non-food items such as chewing gum, breath mints, cold medicine, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. As research continues to unfold, understanding how sweetness interacts with the gut and metabolism will play an important role in shaping smarter, more supportive choices moving forward.

For those interested in the research, this 2023 review summarizes current findings on gastrointestinal, metabolic, and cardiovascular effects of artificial and high-intensity sweeteners. 

Reduce or Eliminate Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods are low in fiber and high in added sugars or artificial sweeteners, a combination that disrupts the health of the gut microbiome. Without adequate fiber to nourish beneficial bacteria, gut diversity and resilience decline.

Additionally, frequent exposure to added sugars, sugar substitutes, and other artificial ingredients can increase inflammation, alter appetite signaling, and interfere with normal gut–brain communication. Over time, these patterns influence digestion, metabolic regulation, immune response, and overall gut stability.

The goal here isn’t perfection. It’s awareness. Many ultra-processed snacks are chosen for convenience, yet there are whole-food options that are just as quick to grab—fruit with nut butter, yogurt with seeds, roasted nuts, hummus with veggies, or leftovers paired with something crunchy. Small swaps like these can add more fiber and plant diversity back into the day without adding complexity.  

Kristin’s favorite example:

🚫 Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (Ultra-processed) 🙅 

✅ Swap for whole, unprocessed food: a handful of nuts and a handful of fresh berries! 👍

If this topic sparks curiosity, we break it down further in our blog post, Ultra-Processed Foods: 10 Eye-Opening Facts, where we explore what defines ultra-processed foods, why they matter for gut health, and how to spot them more easily in everyday routines. 

Don’t Miss Next Week… 

This conversation doesn’t stop here. In Part Two of our foundational health goals for 2026, we’ll continue the discussion by turning our attention to three additional foundational health goals.

As we think about the year ahead, goal-setting doesn’t have to feel restrictive or overwhelming. The most meaningful goals are the ones that challenge us thoughtfully—goals that support strength, resilience, and long-term health rather than quick fixes. That’s the lens we’ll continue using as we move into Part Two, focusing on areas that help us feel stronger in our bodies and more confident in the choices we make along the way.

Here’s to fresh starts, new perspectives, and action plans that make life just better.®!