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Nutrition Trends To Look Out For

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@tampatrib.com

Published: January 24, 2009

Our troubling economy, environmental concerns and the desire to prevent age-related ailments are behind many of the top 10 food and nutrition trends shaping supermarket shelves and restaurant menus in 2009:

1. Recession-proof eating: Comfort food, nostalgic brands and at-home cooking come back in style. Expect to see a continued focus on value, especially the concept of maximizing nutrition on a budget.

2. Stress reducers: Look for new foods and beverages to help you de-stress. Claims will likely increase as companies spike products with purported calming ingredients, including botanicals (kava and chamomile) and amino acids such as GABA, L-theanine and tryptophan.

3. Snooze foods: Nearly 30 foods and beverages were launched last year as natural sleep remedies, according to Mintel's Global New Products Database.

4. Planetary health: Look for more environment-related information on labels, including where ingredients come from and how they are packaged. Placement of the word "eco" on products doubled in the past two years, reports Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics.

5. Condition marketing: More foods and beverage ingredients will promise condition-specific benefits, predicts Chicago nutrition consultant David Feder. Specific parts of the body - from brain to bones - will be targeted, as will multiple conditions - i.e., fiber-rich foods that boast digestive-health, cholesterol-lowering and appetite-curbing benefits.

6. Pure and simple: Quality will mean fewer and familiar ingredients and foods already rich in nutrients, says Jarrett Paschel of The Hartman Group, a market research firm in Bellevue, Wash. Manufacturers will focus on labels that herald "clean" and artificial-free products.

7. Vitality boosters: It's no longer simply about caffeine (which is being added to everything from water to candy and potato chips); herbal ingredients such as ginseng and guarana, and amino acids, such as taurine and L-carnitine, are migrating from energy drinks to foods.

8. Defensive foods: The number of foods and beverages claiming to strengthen the immune system has tripled in the past year, Mintel reports, citing a growth in probiotics and products rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.

9. Allergy-friendly: The number of people who claim to suffer from food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities creates a lucrative market for new products, said California-based trend expert Elizabeth Sloan.

10. Inflammation fighters: Researchers have long linked inflammation to an array of chronic illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Now it may reach a tipping point with consumers, who can evaluate foods based on their anti-inflammatory potential at sites such as www.nutritiondata.com.

Chicago Tribune

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