Emerging Trends in Health & Wellness
I'm writing from Natural Products Expo West and share some key takeaways from the trade show.
Greetings from Anaheim, CA! This is my first time attending the Natural Products Expo West tradeshow. This is unlike any convention I’ve attended before, with around 65,000 people attending! The exhibit halls are packed with booths showcasing everything from new consumer packaged goods (CPGs) in the beverage, vegan meat, supplement, cosmetic, and nutraceutical space. I’ve sampled vitamins gummies and liquid shots, herbal gummies and capsules, plant protein based “meats”, gluten-free breads and cookies, skin creams, health beverages, functional gummies, chap sticks and more. Products featuring magnesium, collagen, hydration mixtures, or ashwagandha were especially popular. In addition to exploring the products on display, I’ve also been attending keynotes and workshops to learn more about the business of natural products. Here are some key things I’ve learned.
The Business of Natural Products
There is a reason that the convention is packed wall to wall with brands in the natural products consumer packaged goods (CPG) market: money, lots of it! According to a presentation featuring data by Informa Markets, the industry has more than tripled in size since 2007, “growing from $97B to over $325B in 2024, with volume growth every year.”
Changes are happening both in retail and online shopping. Gen Z is an emerging player in the field, fueling new more internet purchasing and household penetration for natural products.
Natural products are leading growth (exceeding that of specialty and wellness products, as well as conventional products) not only in regional and independent grocers, but also among conventional multioutlet and convenience channels. Terms like “Natural” and “Organic” are attracting customers at record numbers.
Dietary supplements continue to experience significant growth across various sectors. In 2024, industry sales for supplements alone reached $69 billion USD. I was intrigued to see many brands now offering nutritional support specifically for individuals using GLP-1 agonists (such as Ozempic or Wegovy). Rather than serving as a direct meal replacement, these products aim to enhance the uptake of essential vitamins and minerals while on the medication.
Some of the top health concerns among current consumers include mood support, hydration, cardiovascular health, eye health, cognitive health, immune health, pre- and postnatal care, pain relief, and inflammation. These priorities were clearly reflected in the products showcased by many brands at the trade show.
I have plenty to say about supplements—especially regarding ingredient quality control, formulation, and the regulatory limitations that can affect consumers—but I’ll save that topic for a future post. For now, I’d like to focus on the new and emerging foods entering the health food market.
Health food or junk food? (Un)healthy junk food?
In addition to supplements, natural foods were a major highlight of the show. I was amazed by how much the flavor and texture of vegan “meats” have evolved since the days of the pasty veggie burger. I sampled plant proteins that had been transformed into a chewy, steak-like product, complete with the fibrous appearance and mouthfeel of real beef. A great deal of chemistry and engineering clearly went into creating these products.
This leads me to a key takeaway. Among the many packaged goods on display—ranging from all-natural chips to flavored seaweed, fruit-filled power beverages, and more—I was struck by how highly engineered and potentially unhealthy many of them truly were. I’m a diligent label reader when it comes to foods and medicines, and those labels often revealed very high levels of salt and sugar. While I understand certain additives are used to enhance flavor, some products contained exceptionally large amounts.
For example, I tried a citrus juice energy beverage (made with real orange pulp and powered by green tea caffeine). It tasted delicious; I practically inhaled it!! But when I turned the bottle around, I was shocked to see it contained 48 grams of sugar! For context, a can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams. I think this example perfectly illustrates the dilemma. As consumers, when we look for healthy, all-natural, organic foods, we expect them to be exactly that. They’re advertised as better-for-you, functional foods, and so on. But how much of that is true, and how much is just marketing? Are these products genuinely healthy, or are they junk food—or perhaps somewhere in between?
The Takeaway
My point is that, just like any other packaged good on store shelves or online, we need to examine these “healthy” products with a critical eye and take a moment to read the labels. Foods advertised as “good for you” can sometimes be ultraprocessed items dressed up with greenwashing tactics that make them seem more beneficial than they really are. On the other hand, I did see and taste many delicious, foods and beverages that weren’t overloaded with unhealthy ingredients. So, there are some great options out there, just proceed with caution and keep in mind that if you really want to boost your health, just prepare some fresh fruits, veggies, pulses, or grains. A whole food (not a packaged food) diet can do wonders!
Yours in health, Dr. Quave
Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a Guggenheim Fellow, CNN Champion for Change, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, recipient of The National Academies Award for Excellence in Science Communication, and award-winning author of The Plant Hunter. Her day job is as professor and herbarium director at Emory University School of Medicine, where she leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription to Nature’s Pharmacy or donation to her lab research.
The Plant Hunter is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and e-book formats!
Excellent. Please emphasize repeatedly that these terms as well as the products aren't regulated and now might never be. I don't take anything that hasn't been reviewed by ConsumerLab.com!
Excellent insight as usual. Thanks.
Chad Price, MD