Whether you are in the healthcare or senior living segment, it is crucial to use the most effective words to describe a healthy item on a menu. Certain words can have unintentional impact, leaving menu items less appealing. America’s top restaurant databases, Datassentials, has the latest information on restaurant menu trends and fastest growing terms used to denote a better-for-you position.

Currently, the most common descriptor for a healthy menu item is “light” with nearly 60% of restaurant menus including the term across fast food, casual or fine dining restaurants. The term “vegetarian” is on 36% of restaurant menus followed by “gluten free,” “organic” and “locally grown.”

Among the fastest growing terms, “cage free” frequency on menus have grown by 200% in just the past four years. The term “sustainable” is up 186% over the same period. Other terms that have grown by more than 100% in the last four years include “gluten-free,” “anti-biotic free,” “vegan” and “dairy-free.”

Many words commonly used to describe healthy options such as “Low-carb”, “low-fat” and “cholesterol-free” mentions are down by double digits in the past four years.

It’s important to keep trending terms in mind the next time you prepare your menu so that your meals are even more appealing to your customers.