![What's new in vegan foods at Natural Products Expo East 2016 What's new in vegan foods at Natural Products Expo East 2016](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/blta24d16697a9c2367/64ff215235c65abf04547db3/vegan_promo.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Innovative packaging and clean ingredients make this spoonable smoothie bowl a winner. The Greens & Ginger flavor delivers good fats, nutrients, fiber and protein, thanks to avocados, raw pineapple, raw mango, oranges, coconut water, organic toasted quinoa, raw spinach, raw kale, raw ginger and chia seeds.
Tart, salty and tangy artichoke adds flavor and nuance to these Thai-spiced vegan burgers. Brown rice and cashews add heft and protein.
Forager Project's new dairy-free yogurt is a blessing to vegan eaters searching for a delicious, USDA Organic option that actually tastes like traditional yogurt. Made with cashew milk and cultures, the Unsweetened Plain flavor contains just 2 grams of sugar per serving and makes a perfect base for smoothies of all ilk. Also available in Wild Blueberry, Lemon, Strawberry and Vanilla Bean flavors.
This gluten free, soy free, whey free, dairy free and organic blend is a 20-calorie smoothie-booster that contains ample fiber from chia seeds, flax seeds and gum acacia, nutrients from fruits, vegetables and antioxidants, and adaptogenic herbs, digestive enzymes and more.
Meatless meatballs have a bad reputation. But Heidi's beautiful renditions are wheat free, soy free and contain upwards of 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. For example, the Barbados flavor contains kidney beans, sweet mango, collard greens, pumpkin seeds and curry.
This consciously sourced chocolate bar contains 70 percent cacao, dried bananas, evaporated coconut water (which tastes rather salty), toasted coconut and Cyprus sea salt.
Finally, a non-dairy creamer made with ingredients you'll actually want to stir into coffee, such as coconut milk powder, dried organic coconut nectar, organic red palm oil, organic extra virgin coconut oil and Aquamin—a red marine algae-derived source of bioavailable calcium.
There were lots of jerky brands exhibiting at Expo East, but Lightlife's vegan option stood out. Tempeh is infused with bacon-y flavors, and later dried for a take-along boost of protein.
USDA Organic, Certified Gluten-Free and Non-GMO Project Verified, this vegan spread contains cane sugar, responsibly sourced palm oil, hazelnut, red palm fruit oil, refined coconut oil, vanilla flavoring and more.
Just organic young Thai coconut water and organic young Thai coconut flesh comprise this refreshing blend. While there are a lot of coconut waters on the market, it's rare to see a beverage that also contains coconut flesh—a fiber- and fat-containing food.
This 1980's-founded brand launched a delicious mushroom-based veggie burger at Expo East—and it didn't disappoint. 9 grams of protein are packed into this substitute, which is made with mushrooms, onions, whole grain gluten-free oats, organic whole grain brown rice flour, organic black rice, pea protein and more.
This 1980's-founded brand launched a delicious mushroom-based veggie burger at Expo East—and it didn't disappoint. 9 grams of protein are packed into this substitute, which is made with mushrooms, onions, whole grain gluten-free oats, organic whole grain brown rice flour, organic black rice, pea protein and more.
Consciously sourced, grass-fed meat and dairy products seemed to be everywhere at Natural Products Expo East 2016. But the special diet that kept appearing again and again was vegan. Rather than focus on the foods you can't eat—eggs, dairy, meat, seafood and often honey—these vegan products celebrate the bounty of nutrient-dense, plant-based foods. Here, beans, grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds and spices boost traditionally maligned foods like meatless meatballs with flavor, texture and protein. Another example: while conventional dairy-free creamers are rife in chemicals and artificial flavors, the folks at Laird Superfood innovated to produce an effective, shelf-stable coconut product that melds seamlessly into coffee and tea.
It's tempting to pass these products off as items that cater to a niche demographic, as surveys conducted by New Hope Network's NEXT team found that only between 6 and 8 percent of U.S. consumers identify as vegan. But as people grow increasingly interested in products that don't contain cholesterol, don't contain possible allergens like dairy and are produced humanely, the audience for vegan food and beverages has skyrocketed—even if shoppers don't call themselves vegan eaters.
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