The best of this year’s Natural Products Expo West

Is there a detox program to combat food sampling overload?

After this year’s Natural Products Expo West, there should be. Three days of uncontrollable snacking on tasty, healthy and eco-conscious products can send even the healthiest bitch into healthy food coma.

Within the aisles and aisles of offerings in the Expo Food Hall, some snacks stood out from the pack. Here are the top trends you're likely to see more of this year:

Organic Himalayan Sea buckthorn.  This hot new “superfruit” grows on a thorny vine on the Tibetan Plateau. Sea buckthorn is supercharged with antioxidants, as well as high levels of healthy unsaturated fats including the rare Omega 7. Benefits of Sea buckthorn include enhanced immunity, as well as improved skin, digestive, cardio and endocrine health. SeabuckWonders, a producer of Sea buckthorn seed oil and berry oil, is the only USDA certified organic Sea buckthorn brand. You can find these products in your local health food store or online.

Dragon’s Blood (or “Sangre de Drago”).  Though it sounds like something Harry Potter would use in his fight against Lord Voldemort, Dragon’s blood is actually the bright red plant sap from the South American Croton lechleri tree. This phytochemical rich resin has been used for thousands of years for gastrointestinal disorders—ulcers and diarrhea—as well as healing wounds. Herb Pharm’s Dragon Blood is sustainably harvested and contains only 100 percent plant sap.

Probiotic Gum and Lozenges.  Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that help promote gut and immune health. Recent studies have also shown that probiotics can prevent harmful bacteria from sticking to teeth, where it converts sugar into lactic acid that eats away at tooth enamel. In order to prevent decay and an anxiety-producing visit to the dentist, check out Whole Foods next month for the new “chewable” probiotic gum and lozenges by Jarrow Formulas .

Healthy Convenience Foods.  Forget toting around Costco-sized packages of healthy food. Women looking for nourishing post-prana snacks now have many single-serve options to choose from, from rice protein powder to brownie mix. For those who prefer a balanced meal that comes in a handy dandy box that does not need refrigeration, try Gopicnic’s Hummus + Crackers . This all-natural, gluten-free snack contains 24g protein and 12g fiber.

Beverages with Benefits.  No one was going thirsty at this year’s Expo. You couldn’t walk two feet without bumping into a booth promoting a sport or wellness drink containing one or more of every conceivable ingredient, including cocoa, coconut, aloe, caffeine, garden herbs, botanicals, fermented vegetables, vitality shots, electrolytes, enzymes and antioxidants. What ever happened to good old H2O?

Products with a Cause.  It’s not enough anymore that a product is free of chemicals, preservatives and toxins. To stand out from the crowd, companies now need to be associated with a cause such as saving the rainforest, protecting an endangered species, or providing fair trade jobs. For example, Ethical Bean Coffee roasts only fair trade certified organic coffee, and just announced it will be donating $30,000 to help Guatemalan children. To bring their causes to life, Ethical Bean has an iPhone App that allows consumers to follow the story of their coffee from crop to cup—a way to feel good (or less bad) about your caffeine habit.

“Structure Function Labels."  To help you decide whether to take the little blue pill or the red pill, labels on many supplement bottles now provide ample hints that even the most clueless can figure out. With names such as Daily Tolerance Enzymes, A Good Night’s Rest and Cilantro Metal Detox, there’s no room for confusion. Visit Sourcenaturals.com  for more.

Emerging from the endless array of the good, the bad, and the bizarre at the Natural Products Expo West, the trend that stood out overall was “how to feel better,” whether through food, supplements, anti-aging creams or Coconut Bliss’s New Chocolate Brownie Flavor. Yuuuuuuuuuum.

Any new natural food trends you're hearing more about? Let us know in the comments below, and we may include them in an upcoming story.


Susan Emmer, FOOD Feature Editor
Susan is a certified whole health educator and coach treading on both wellness and green terrain. Earning an environmental studies degree before green was the new black, Susan is the co-owner of the boutique sustainability marketing and PR firm, Farmacy Agency. Follow her on Twitter at @wellnewsnetwork .