I tried several different frozen treats at Natural Products Expo West and the one that stood out to me was ProYo frozen yogurt. ProYo has made a high-protein frozen yogurt that’s 160 calories per serving with 20 grams of protein. And it has probiotics in it. I was expecting this stuff to taste like chalk with that much protein in it, but all the flavors were really great. It comes in vanilla, banana, blueberry pomegranate and chocolate. I tried them all and loved them, but my favorite by far was the banana. ProYo also comes in a unique squeezable tube package. Founder Nathan Carey designed it for patients who are in rehab or the hospital. He got the idea for the design when he was in rehab for a shoulder injury. Pretty cool story! I plan to pack my freezer with these for some healthy post-workout snack options or when I’m craving something sweet and want to have my protein, too. —Lindsay Tredent, Fit and Awesome
Dr. Bronner’s is a company that stands for so many unbelievable things. It has a deep and true commitment to organic integrity, labeling GMO’s and Fair Trade practices. Company leaders see it as, “a means to create resources to help build a better world for everyone.” And at the end of the day, isn’t this what all companies, people and brands should stand for? —Sarah Kay Hoffman, A Gutsy Girl
Guayaki operations and business practices stand out from most other companies. While most of us know about the company’s products (it has become a mainstream brand and is an outlier at the same time), a lot still don’t know about its business model. Its mission is to steward and restore 200,000 acres of South American Atlantic Rainforest and create more than 1,000 living-wage jobs by 2020. Guayaki has been working on a sustainability model since its inception and because it’s working to give back to the land that feeds it, it stands out and gets my top pick. Guayaki has a wide array of teas, sparkling mate drinks (which are amazing), energy shots, and bagged and loose mate too. It unveiled a new product this year, a biodynamic yerba mate “grown in a self-sustaining rainforest ecosystem centered around biodiversity and everlasting soil fertility.” If you don’t know what this means, it’s probably because no one else is doing it. Guayaki does a lot to educate the consumer; be sure to educate yourself about this company’s practices. For all other product companies out there, take at least one page from Guayaki’s book: Create renewable resources and sustainable practices instead of just taking. —Brandon Waloff
This was ridiculous! It tastes just like meat! Carly, our vegetarian was so thrilled about this. Many vegetarians don’t eat meat not because they don’t like the taste but to support animal kindness. This product brings you the best of both worlds. Us girls that do eat meat will testify that it tastes like the real deal, and maybe more nutritious. —Aubrey Nielsen, Oh So Delicioso
This makeup captured my attention for its unique beauty and range of color. Zao is made with 100 percent natural ingredients, essential minerals and fatty acids, making it suitable for all types of skins. The presentation is classy and original: Bamboo, making it very sustainable and ecofriendly. Zao organic makeup is refillable, reducing costs and packaging, while also allowing free creativity and play with the wide range of colors. How cool is that? —Daily Baez, DailyCurlz
Linwoods is a new brand I was introduced to at the show that I had never heard of before. The company has a line of superfood products. One of the new products it debuted at Expo West was Flaxseed with Probiotic & Vitamin D. This superfood blend provides 100 percent RDA of vitamin D. Even for folks like myself who spend a lot of time in the sun, Vitamin D is pretty essential and I’ve never seen it mixed into a superfood like this before. Plus the flaxseed and probiotic dishes up a healthy amount of omega 3’s and fiber. I received a sample and have used it in my smoothie every day since the show. This stuff is great and the blend is unique compared with other flaxseed combos I’ve seen on the market. —Lindsay Tredent, Fit and Awesome
I was totally amazed by this beauty product because I can't imagine a better way to be beautiful on the outside than by starting from the inside. I think it is just genius to combine five best powerful superfood oils in one product. Be bright is delicious, easy to use and digest. What’s in it? Organic coconut oil, a source of medium chain triglycerides for energy, good source of lauric acid, a healthy saturated fatty acid, metabolism boost, my favorite beauty oil used for centuries. Chia seed oil, a good source of omega 3, 6 and 9, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Hello beautiful hair. Organic avocado oil, a source of monounsaturated fatty acids, natural oxidant and vitamin E. Organic hemp seed oil, a source of alpha linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid, optimal ratio of omega -6 to omega-3, natural antioxidant, vitamin E Organic black cumin seed oil, a source of linoleic acid and unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid, and thymoquinone, a powerful antioxidant and natural detoxifier. —Daily Baez, DailyCurlz
Sure, there are other dairy-full gluten-free lasagnas on the market, but they’re not from Udi’s, and they’re not as spectacular as Udi’s newest frozen entrée line. My trial was a valid reason to use some dairy enzymes and cheat on my no-cow-products-policy. The combo of spinach and kale, as well as multiple kinds of cheese make this a delicious addition to your freezer case. Udi’s also has an entire new line of frozen entrees including this one and macaroni with bacon that will hit the market soon. —Erica Dermer, Celiac and the Beast
Water … water … we are all supposed to be drinking more water. The market is bursting with flavored waters, but most of them have artificial flavors or added sugar or added vitamins, and I think subtly flavored water, is the best of all worlds. Ayala’s Herbal Waters have been a fav of mine for some time. But I really, really love my iced teas, and Ayala’s “new 4” just floated my boat. The ingredients are simple, the flavors unique—Rooibos Cinnamon Rose Petal, Nutmeg Cacao Nibs Cardemom, Chamomile Bergamot Vanilla and Peppermint Melissa Spearmint will be hitting shelves nationwide shortly. You don’t need any sweetener with these unique and uplifting flavors. —Amy Hendel, Health Gal
There’s no need for vegans and celiacs to miss out on crunchy pizza crust with creamy “cheese” and flavorful veggies now that Comensoli has launched its pizza. This Canadian company has captured traditional Italian flavors and texture without using dairy, meat or gluten. —Whitney Lauritsen, Eco-Vegan Gal
It’s just the best almond butter you’ll ever put into your mouth. Sprouted, organic, raw almonds are slow ground with stone grinders. Then, magical ingredients could only be added by the mercy of unicorns and faeries, it tastes that good. Oh, the head magical unicorn must be Jen Moore, nutritionist and creator of Jem Raw. My favorite, and I would say the crowd’s favorite, is the Cinnamon Red Maca Almond Butter. Quite unreal and heavenly. This young company from Bend, Ore., is advancing as a company and trying to get this high-end product under $10 retail. It has three other equally delicious flavors: Coconut Cardamom Almond Butter, Superberry Maqui Camu and a Hazelnut butter with Cacao, think healthier Nutella. My advice, stock this now. —Brandon Waloff
A must try for artichoke lovers, this refreshing beverage has the great ‘choke flavor with sweet notes from lemon, mint and apple. Plus it packs a nutrient-dense punch of antioxidants while reducing cholesterol, promoting radiant skin and supporting weight loss. —Whitney Lauritsen, Eco-Vegan Gal
I’ve become a big fan of noodles that fill you up with few calories. Shirataki noodles have been trending for a while, but I’m actually a bigger fan of kelp noodles. Sea Tangle has taken the low calorie (gluten-free) noodle concept to a whole new level by sourcing from the Hawaiian kona berry. KonaBerry noodles are anti-oxidant rich, filled with minerals similar to those from sea vegetables, and neutral in taste, so you can basically flavor them with a tomato sauce, or add them to a soup or salad for bulk. An entire bag has 36 calories—I dare you to “eat the whole thing.” For consumers looking to fill up without a big calorie payoff, this noodle is a great choice. —Amy Hendel, Health Gal
I’m yoga obsessed, but not about to drop a ton of money on stretchy clothes that I only wear for 90 minutes (and which may or may not be transparent, but that’s another story). With that said, my worn-out men’s beaters are getting pretty threadbare. Enter PACT’s new shelf tank, available for a cool $14.99. Like everything from this truly awesome company, which is reinventing clothing essentials from the ground up—no, really, they started with socks (seen here)—the tank is USDA certified organic cotton with a wee bit of elastane for stretch. It’s ethically made and always fair trade, but the best part is that it’s true to size, meaning they separately sized a six or 10, etc. rather than sizing up from skinny little fit model and ending up with clothes that don’t fit the rest of us. These tanks are perfect for yoga—and life. —Rachel Sarnoff, Mommy Greenest
A new generation of protein bar has hit the market. KIND’s new line of Strong & KIND bars has broken the mold of traditional chocolate and honeyed bars, not just dipping a toe into savory waters but diving in head-first with flavors such as Honey Smoked BBQ and Roasted Jalapeno. Using whey-free pea protein, each whole almond bar offers 10 grams of protein, nine essential amino acids and potassium. Each bar is also gluten free, vegan, non-GMO, and is low sugar and low sodium. The company partnered with Kevin Durant (of Oklahoma City Thunder NBA fame) for its Strong & KIND anti-bullying campaign—something we can all support. —Jules Shepard, Jules Gluten Free
Bananas are my favorite fruit, so it should come as no surprise that these unprocessed banana bites were a fave. With just two ingredients, (banana, banana powder) the Barnana Organic Original Chewy Banana Bites have officially stolen my heart for a new way to snack on bananas. On long runs, most runners do Gu’s and gels. Not me, and now I have found my own perfect “energy nibble” for mile 11! —Sarah Kay Hoffman, A Gutsy Girl
In the beauty world, old news are so-called “big three free” polishes, which eliminated dibutyl phthalate (banned in Europe because of links to birth defects), toluene and formaldehyde. Then a few brands phased out formaldehyde resin, thus becoming “big four free.” Now Pacifica enters the game with a gorgeous new range of polishes that are formulated without xylene, parabens and camphor, as well. They’ve got a glossy all-in-one base and top coat that works wonders, as well as a mattifying top coat for those of us on trend. And, like everything Pacifica, the product is never animal tested and always cruelty free. Color me obsessed. —Rachel Sarnoff, Mommy Greenest
For a recently-turned-dairy-free girl, I’m really sick of almond and coconut ice cream. It just tastes fake and has SO many ingredients that are so unnecessary—even from “natural” brands in the marketplace. I miss frozen yogurt SO much and it’s just not worth the stomachache to get what I really crave. So when I saw that Mr. Dewie’s was launching a cashew frozen dessert, I was very interested and started salivating days before Natural Products Expo West. The minimal ingredients and flavors are amazing—and that pint of coffee flavor I tried would be gone in one sitting for sure. I want to marry this dessert. It also doesn’t hurt that the owners/founders of Mr. Dewie’s are two amazing brothers with a mission. These guys need to make it big time, because 1) I believe in them and 2) I need this on a freezer case near me immediately. Positive thoughts that this gets distribution everywhere ASAP! —Erica Dermer, Celiac and the Beast
Cliché, but dang the Dang Foods toasted coconut chips, caramel sea salt were amazing! I eat coconut daily: coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flour, unsweetened coconut, coconut butter and now, coconut chips. From a coconut-product standpoint my favorite thing about these was the “crunch-snack” element. I love that I could easily pack these up in a BlueAvocado bag (another one of my favorite Expo product finds) and carry them along with me for a quick and awesome snack. I will likely develop recipes with these, and have them along with me at all times. —Sarah Kay Hoffman, A Gutsy Girl
This is a personal pick for me because I respect new beverage companies on the HPP trail, not just to ensure shelf life but because it’s a safer and more effective way for consumers to get a fresher integral product in the always expanding marketplace. Created by nutritionist Jill Latham, Vibrant Earth does something that I thought stood out from the other new juice companies: it included flax oil in each juice blend. It’s a smart and innovative move in my opinion. And they taste good. The company does cleanses, too. Far and away my favorite, Sweet and Spice uses carrots, ginger, strawberry, apple and flax oil. And, yes, they are organic. —Brandon Waloff
I have loved Big Tree Farms for a while now, and have always used its Coconut Sugar. The Coconut Palm Nectar is a top find because it is, “100% pure coconut flower blossom nectar, which means it’s low glycemic and high nutrient.” The company never mixes with cane sugar, and it adheres to top-quality standards. The nectar will be perfect for baking, drizzled over fruit and even as the perfect dash of sweet to my coffee. {Bonus: I could easily mesh these with the A Loving Spoon Honey Vanilla Bourbon Peanut Butter.} —Sarah Kay Hoffman, A Gutsy Girl
Hail Merry has won several awards as one of the best prepackaged paleo treats. And rightfully so. The snacks are delicious. I’ve been a huge fan of the Caramel Sea Salt Macaroons; and Hail Merry debuted its newest flavor-Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough- at Expo West. They are made with simple ingredients such as coconut, maple syrup, dark cocoa, almond flour and coconut oil. I had to control myself from eating the whole bag. Delicious! —Lindsay Tredent, Fit and Awesome
I can’t think of a better beauty product than Blue Avocado reusable bags. Nothing screams beauty more than a thoughtful woman that helps preserve Earth’s natural resources for future generations. Blue Avocado is a delicate and beautifully made creative solution for a greener, simpler life. Blue Avocado knows that a little bit can go a long way, and promotes using recycled materials when possible to create products that help consumers reduce their waste. There is a blue avocado reusable bag for almost any beauty and family needs, from perfect size snack bags to makeup bags, totes, travel cosmetic bags, lunch bags and more, you name it and Blue Avocado has a solution for you. —Daily Baez, DailyCurlz
So Delicious blew the doors off Expo West this year with the release of several exciting new products—Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Soy Milk and Coconut Milk Frozen Desserts, Coconut Milk Mini Dessert Bars, Unsweetened Yogurts, Cashew Milks and this little gem, Coconut Milk Iced Coffee. Cleverly named “Cococcino,” this product will hit the shelves late this month in Latte and Mocha convenient coffee-to-go flavors. They are USDA certified organic, made with fair trade coffee, contain no artificial sweeteners or carrageenan and, like all of their products, are Non-GMO Project Verified, plant based and certified vegan. Oh, and they are truly so delicious. I ran back to So Delicious’ food truck on my way to catch my plane on Sunday to grab one more for the road! I don’t know how I’ll ever wait until the end of March to get my hands on more. —Jules Shepard, Jules Gluten Free
We ran across this rad water bottle from Bobble that contains a filtration system! It can filter up to 300 refills before needing to be changed. Not only that but it is lightweight and sturdy. Big points from us when we are carrying around heavy diaper bags, refilling water bottles at the park fountains and kids are launching the bottles from strollers. They also produce a beautiful pitcher for the dining table that includes a filtration system as well, but it hasn’t hit the market yet. Something to be excited about. —Aubrey Nielsen, Oh So Delicioso
With eye-catching packaging harkening back to Japanese folklore, these finely ground Japanese tea powder packets turn an ordinary glass of hot or cold water into an antioxidant-rich (137 times the antioxidants of non-Matcha green tea), pleasantly piquant beverage. Matcha has been enjoyed for centuries in Japan as a coveted drink made from the whole green tea leaf, harvested by hand and aged to deepen its flavor. Matcha has been dubbed a “natural energy drink,” providing sustained energy from its slow release of natural caffeine; Jade Monk kicks it up a notch by adding spices, stevia extract and unique flavor combinations such as Cranberry Blood Orange and Palau Peach to make a unique and exciting portable tea option. —Jules Shepard, Jules Gluten Free
Let’s face it, I’m far too lazy (like many of your customers) to make cauliflower pizza crust for the insane amount of times I eat gluten-free pizza in one week. I was excited to see Absolutely Gluten-Free’s newest frozen entry into the pizza marketplace—a vegetable pizza crust. At first I was excited, but I couldn’t really nom as much as I wanted to, as it was coated with mozzarella. However, Absolutely Gluten Free also released a nondairy mozzarella “style” topping selection as well! These babies are brand-spankin’ new, even the COO didn’t get to try it before I had one of the first samples! Each pizza is only 45 calories—although I could eat about 10 in one sitting. Three pizzas come in one box. —Erica Dermer, Celiac and the Beast
I love “a crunch.” As a nutritionist and health coach, I know that consumers need to feel their food. And though I’m the first to recommend fruits and vegetables as my version of fast food, as in quick grab, sometimes clients want the next generation of fruits and vegetables. That’s why I’m in love with Peeled Snacks Original Apple Clusters, Berry Apple Clusters and Cinnamon Apple Clusters. These puffed dried “apples that crunch,” are made from organic apples and apple juice concentrate, with a touch of organic cinnamon or organic flavor, and 60 calories per serving. No added sugar is a big attraction … plus the satisfying crunch. Frankly, I can see moms fighting their kids for these delish snacks ... hopefully sharing them! —Amy Hendel, Health Gal
Brand-new USDA certified organic, non-GMO burritos from Luvo might just replace my soccer-playing son’s daily bean-and-cheese “snack.” I’m obsessed with this company’s distinctly unusual palettes that fuse flavors from signature dishes around the world. In the burrito department, think apple coconut curry or Cajun style brown rice—these wraps totally reinvent tradition. But for the traditionalist—read: my son—they have classic bean-and-cheese, too. Yum! —Rachel Sarnoff, Mommy Greenest
Vega’s new Maca Chocolate bars are heavenly superfood bliss. Each bar of Vega Maca Chocolate combines 4,000 mg of premium organic gelatinized maca—renowned for its ability to balance, invigorate and energize—with 70 percent cocoa dark chocolate. According to Vega, ancient, native Peruvians used maca for thousands of years as both a food and a tonic. They believed it increased energy and stamina, improved fertility and enhanced libido. *Smiles uncomfortably* —Annabel Adams, Feed Me I’m Cranky
Pure’s new Peanut Butter Chocolate bar in its Ancient Grains lineup has found its place in my small but coveted list of top snack bars. The bar includes Pure’s exclusive ancient grains blend of quinoa, amaranth, flax seeds and hemp, and is certified organic, gluten free, non-GMO verified, whole grain, vegan and kosher. The Ancient Grains bar contains complete vegan protein, provides fiber and antioxidants, has 8 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein per bar, and is low in sodium. It’s also delicious. My picky boyfriend (now fiancé) said he loved it. So did my mom. They are the two people I aim to please most in this life, so thanks, Pure bar! —Annabel Adams, Feed Me I’m Cranky
Pure’s new Peanut Butter Chocolate bar in its Ancient Grains lineup has found its place in my small but coveted list of top snack bars. The bar includes Pure’s exclusive ancient grains blend of quinoa, amaranth, flax seeds and hemp, and is certified organic, gluten free, non-GMO verified, whole grain, vegan and kosher. The Ancient Grains bar contains complete vegan protein, provides fiber and antioxidants, has 8 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein per bar, and is low in sodium. It’s also delicious. My picky boyfriend (now fiancé) said he loved it. So did my mom. They are the two people I aim to please most in this life, so thanks, Pure bar! —Annabel Adams, Feed Me I’m Cranky
With thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of new product launches, we called in a team of bloggers to help us cover this year's largest Natural Products Expo West yet. The natural foods trend spotters we tapped cover a variety of dietary and natural products interests, from vegan to paleo, from nutritionist to clean beauty booster, from industry insider to more-than-casual observer. After a weekend of tasting, talking shop and toting home dozens of samples, the We.Blog team came up with these product favorites.
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