The Latest in Health & Wellness Trends

Consumers continue to seek out products across categories that provide or appear to provide some health or overall wellness benefit. While health and wellness will always be in, what consumers are looking for in better-for-you foods and beverages is constantly evolving. From professional athletes to busy moms on the go, right now, consumers of all kinds are seeking many of the same benefits, with most of their focus on immunity support, cardiovascular wellness, and performance. Keep reading for our experts’ takes on key trends in health and wellness – and how your brand can innovate to appeal to health-conscious consumers.

Specialized Nutrition

As the world continues to find its new normal, consumers have been turning to specialized nutrition to improve their gut health and increase immune support. Gut health has become increasingly personalized as consumers gain access to at-home food sensitivity testing that puts nutrition back into their hands. Over the past few years there has been a spike in an array of immunity and digestive claims beyond the well- established maternal and infant nutritional claims that serve specific medical purposes. Newer areas of growth for immunity and digestive support include both performance and weight management, and this indicates a broader consumer interest in these claims. In addition to what products can do for consumers, there has been a substantial increase in the desire to have natural ingredients in these products. One example of these natural ingredients is the rapidly growing use of botanical and herbal ingredients in multiple specialized nutrition categories.

Sports Nutrition

With consumers increasingly engaging in healthier lifestyles, it should be no surprise that sports and performance nutrition are top of mind. As vegan and flexitarian diets have grown in popularity, we have observed plant proteins entering the sports nutrition market. Growing plant-based protein launches in sports nutrition include rice and pea proteins, though soybean and whey are still common as well. Consumers want these proteins or protein blends for benefits such as muscle repair and speed.

Cardiovascular Health

Many consumers have heart health on their radar and are taking a closer look at how the foods they consume may impact their cardiovascular health. While there are few explicit hearth health claims on food and beverage products, there are many claims that are linked to heart health such as saturated fat and salt. Consumers are becoming more label-savvy, educating themselves and taking careful examinations of ingredient labels and health claims before purchasing products, making low fat and low sodium options all the more appealing.

There are also a handful of trending diets that align with heart health including plant-based diets, which have been presenting major opportunities for brands in the food and beverage space. Heart healthy ingredients like various botanicals and herbs that consumers currently consume are viewed positively by more than half of the US population. Looking beyond botanicals, consumers link heart health to plant-based ingredients and foods. Innovating with trending and up-and-coming plant-based ingredients will be key for reaching these consumers – and competing in an already crowded market.

Struggling with navigating health and wellness claims? We’ve got experts for that! Contact us today to start innovating.