Study: Consumers want to try more “medicinal” foods, like elderberry, CBD
Among the emerging superfoods consumers expressed the most interest in trying are elderberry, CBD and Mānuka honey.
Today’s consumers are becoming increasingly aware of how their food and beverage choices can help them manage, and in some cases, reverse certain medical conditions, according to health and wellness research by The NPD Group, Chicago. In fact, about a quarter of U.S. adults are trying to manage a health or medical condition by making healthy food and beverage choices, according to the study, “Health Aspirations & Behavioral Tracking Service.”
Younger adults, ages 18-24, are particularly interested in using foods to improve their health. Last year, young adults chose foods and beverages with healthy profiles for 19% of their meals and in-between snacks. Meanwhile, 9% of adults say a top nutrition goal is protecting brain health, and when asked about foods that promote brain health, young adults were 45% more likely to express an interest in these products compared to 35-44-year-olds.