Since the onset on the Covid-19 pandemic Nutraceuticals have been flying off shelves faster than flatscreen TV’s during a Black-Friday-Blowout-Sale. The nutraceutical industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today and to many this does not come as a surprise. Some of you are probably still saying to yourself, “Nutra-what?” Nutraceuticals are any product that are derived from food which have medical or health benefits beyond their basic nutritional value. Some well-known examples of nutraceuticals are:
Let’s face it, the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to take a realistic look at our health and what improvements could be made without rushing to a doctor. In the beginning of the pandemic there was a huge increase in demand for immune boosters, with the consumer’s false hope that this could be a line of defense against the deadly Covid-19 virus.
Taking immune boosters, which is generally a healthy practice, could not provide protection against the Covid-19 virus, yet there was a valuable takeaway from this social movement. The silver lining was that consumers discovered a new-found interest in nutraceuticals leaving a lasting impression on the way they thought about their healthcare. It placed the consumer in the driver’s seat by allowing them to take a proactive stance to improve their health through readily-available, OTC nutraceuticals.
With the rising cost of healthcare as well as the rise in the number of cases of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, consumers are looking to healthy alternatives to conventional pharmaceuticals. Now more than ever is a great time to embrace the nutraceutical trends that are emerging for this upcoming year.
Hot Trends In Nutraceuticals
One major trend that has emerged is looking at healthcare in a holistic manner and approaching the benefits of nutraceuticals with longevity in mind. As the population ages and has taken a more introspective look at their own health liabilities, this trend has grown in popularity. This healthcare megatrend is looking at preventing more lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease through the benefit of nutraceuticals.
Another trend which has picked up speed, especially among the Millennial generation (who now comprise the largest living generation), are plant-based nutraceuticals. Plant-based products, which are a healthier choice to their animal-based counterparts, are trending in protein powders and shakes as well as plant-based extracts. The growing concern for the environment and finding more compassion toward animals, is creating a larger push for plant-based nutraceuticals.
Hot Ingredients in Nutraceuticals
Certain ingredients have become very hot within the industry, with social media playing a large role in advancing their popularity. Also celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham and Cate Blanchett have shown a growing interest in the nutraceutical industry. Through their fame as well as their influence on their social media followers, they have the ability to support trends in the nutraceutical industry.
Chlorophyll is taking the number one spot for the new ingredients in wellness trends this year. Those of you who can recall high school biology class, Chlorophyll is the pigment which gives plants their green color. The viral surge on Tic-Tok was agog about this immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, energy-raising and skin-clearing nutraceutical with over 360 thousand online weekly searches. Though Chlorophyll is not an entirely new trend (remember the wheat grass trend? All about chlorophyll) this nutraceutical has undeniable benefits whether you are simply eating leafy greens or adding drops of chlorophyll into your water.
Another hot ingredient that is forecasted to blossom even further in 2022 in the nutraceutical industry is collagen. Tracking as the second-highest selling ingredient in 2021, collagen had a 61% growth in sales, making a massive leap from $76 million to $122 million in the year ending October 31, 2021. With multiple delivery systems ranging from injectables at a cosmetic dermatologist to powders and tablets that claim to improve the health and look of your hair, skin and nails, collagen peptides have been recognized as one of the hottest ingredients of modern times.
Another growing trend in nutraceutical ingredients are probiotics, and the even more popular, postbiotics. These microbiome-boosting ingredients are being used increasingly as different health beverages have added them as ingredients and consumers have discovered the importance of gut-health.
There are prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics which some can find a little confusing to keep these similar sounding bacteria properly defined. Prebiotics are “good” bacteria which help maintain gut health are also the food for probiotics. Postbiotics are the beneficial waste left behind by probiotics such as vitamins B, K and amino acids. Probiotics are microorganisms that are infinitesimally small and are found in the billions within your body. Probiotics will remain popular, like the previous year, with the addition of postbiotics which will be the trending ingredient in the nutraceutical industry.
With so many trends and hot ingredients to look out for, one cannot possibly manage to jump on all of the popular bandwagon’s within the nutraceutical industry. If you are able to self-reflect and honestly appraise your body to discover where some weak points may lie, then you can pin-point which nutraceuticals are right for your unique body composition. Trends can be beneficial and enlightening but also remembering to do what is right for your own body and circumstance is a trend that will never go out of style.
Interested in these trending ingredients?
