NATURAL FOOD & BEAUTY TRENDS

I spent almost a full day trawling the aisles of the largest natural product show in the world – Expo West. Phew – very glad I wore sensible footwear, and only wish I’d taken my bag-carrier-on-wheels thing because you get loaded with tiny samples. At the end of the day I was stuffed full of every kind of chip, bar, yogurt and natural candy imaginable. My hands and arms were slathered with lotions and potions, and even my hair was treated dry shampoos and serums.

I’ve been reporting back from Expo West for the last 5 years, so it’s quite fascinating to see how things have changed and what are this year’s trends.

Let’s talk about food first:

Gluten-free: Gluten-free foods are on the rise. I’d go as far as to say that it’s this year’s top natural food trend. Every aisle contained at least 5 gluten-free booths. Gone are the days when gluten-free breads and baked goods tasted dry and beany. I was really impressed by the moist and delicious offerings. I tried wonderful breads from Glutino, Pretzel sticks from Marys Gone Crackers, crunchy seedy crackers, called Flackers and many more. Almost every major natural food company carried at least one gluten-free option. I loved Amy’s Gluten-free rice crust pizza and went back for more! Oh, and Amy’s Organic’s new gluten-free pound cake is to die for and will be hitting shelves soon.

Chips: Chips are always a big deal at Expo West, but this year, I saw a flood of more unusual combo’s than ever. I like to find a chip made of something other than corn – I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the crunchy Plentils, made from lentil flour. Eat Your Vegetable chips by Snikiddy are great for kids because they’re made with carrots and sweet potatoes and navy beans.

Tea: There are tons of tea companies at this Expo, and being the crazy tea nerd that I am, I was in heaven. There were some beautiful new organic green and oolong teas – way too many for me to mention individually, but the one stand-out for me was the “Be Active” teas from The Republic of Tea. They are taste incredible and are filled with blends of herbs to address different needs: Get Restored, Get Active, Get Limber – to name but a few. I also love that all their teas come in pretty tins, which makes it so much easier to stay organized in your kitchen.