Highlights
· When did superfood blends take off?
· What is the backstory of superfood blends?
· How did COVID-19 affect superfood blends?
· The role of podcasters in the popularity of superfood blends
In our last blog we looked at what superfoods and superfoods blends are. In this blog, we’re asking why the category has experienced such growth over the past few years.
When did superfood blends go stratospheric?
We began to see superfood blends become more mainstream in the wake of the pandemic, when health was priority number one and there were no researched or approved pharmaceutical therapies for COVID. The combination of a virus that was indiscriminate in its choice of victims and the abundance of time the general population had to stop and ruminate on the fear of catching COVID, meant improving health became a huge focus for many.
A bit of science supporting the increased interest in superfoods during COVID-19
According to data from Google Search and Google Trends, March 2020 saw consumer interest in immune-related dietary supplements increase, particularly vitamins C and D, zinc, omega-3, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Other worldwide Google Trends that emerged were queries relating to omega-3, ashwagandha, probiotics, elderberry, raspberry and acerola1, as people searched for specific dietary supplements that could help improve immune function.
What this suggests is a global societal shift towards health and wellness, including specific ingredients we see as staples in superfood blends four years on.
During the pandemic, the use of phenolic compounds, predominantly found in fruits, vegetables, leaves and cereals, also increased significantly for their use as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and potential antivirals. Some compounds studied included resveratrol, curcumin, green tea, vitamin C and luteolin (found in celery, green pepper and chamomile tea).2
A 2023 review paper summarised the growth of dietary supplements since the COVID-19 pandemic and the leading dietary supplements consumers favour, which included:3
- Fibre
- Ginger and garlic
- Ginseng
- Glutamine
- Green tea
- Melatonin
- Milk thistle
- Multivitamins (B, C, D, calcium, zinc)
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Probiotics
- Resveratrol
- Turmeric
Again, we see a lot of the staple ingredients that make up the green, red and golden superfood blends that are on the market today.
The new wave of health education podcasters promoting superfoods
Another reason behind the growing interest in superfoods might be the abundance of free health education we were given access to in the form of podcasters.
During COVID-19 we saw a new age of podcasting; not just bro scientists and social media influencers, but professors with PhDs.
There was Dr Peter Attia, the registered physician speaking about exercise for longevity, while Professor Rhonda Patrick was the go-to expert for omega/DHA supplements and saunas for cognitive and cardiovascular health.
We also saw the Huberman effect as Professor Andrew Huberman took the online world by storm giving consumers free health education. His sometimes three-hour long podcast episodes taught us how to improve all aspects of our health and well-being by teaching us how to change our behaviour.
And that’s the magic; small daily habits to help 180 your health. Foundational and back-to-basics health at its finest.
But Huberman also did something different. He affiliated himself with AG1 (Athletic Greens) and made it a powerhouse brand. Enter stage left, the green superfood blend.
AG1 by Athletic Greens
The marketing strategy is golden. According to Headwestguide.com, founder Chris Ashenden knew that he needed to target influencers with ready-made audiences to be successful because the product was too expensive to market directly to consumers. So AG1 partnered with highly respected influencers like Andrew Huberman and Tim Ferris.
This gave AG1 the ability to add taglines like “recommended by top health experts and performers” and give the brand the authority and social proof the layman consumer needs to click buy.
The rest is history, with AG1 valued at $1.2 billion in 2023.
The backstory of superfoods in a nutshell
So, what do we see here?
A global pandemic made boosting immunity and improving health and wellness a priority. Couple this with global lockdowns and no pharmaceutical treatment options or vaccinations to manage the virus. Then add time in abundance and a slew of free virtual education on improving health through behaviour changes and dietary supplementation.
The result? The perfect starting block for superfood blends to become a new supplement category.
But if superfood blends are predominantly micronutrients we can get from foods, why have the powder blends gone stratospheric?
Maybe the answer lies in consumer behaviour. It’s time-consuming and costly to try to eat all of the superfoods required to create a balanced diet that promotes optimal health and wellness. But adding a scoop of ready-to-mix powder solves these problems. No huge bills for individual supplements and no need to try and get the quantity and variety of superfood micronutrients from different food sources.
As a bonus, superfood blends don’t ask very much of consumers in terms of behaviour change. Add one dose to your morning water or smoothie, and your foundational health needs are supposedly fulfilled.
Summary
In essence, superfoods blends:
1. Bridge the gap between nutraceuticals and real food with a clean label
2. Bridge the gap between health education and self-care through nutrition
3. Align naturalness with clean supplements
4. Are an easy way to be healthier without having to drastically alter behaviour
References
1. Hamulka J, Jeruszka-Bielak M, Górnicka M, Drywień ME, Zielinska-Pukos MA. Dietary supplements during covid-19 outbreak. Results of google trends analysis supported by plifecovid-19 online studies. Nutrients [Internet]. 2020 Dec 27 [cited 2024 Jun 13];13(1):54. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7823317/
2. Augusti PR, Conterato GMM, Denardin CC, Prazeres ID, Serra AT, Bronze MR, et al. Bioactivity, bioavailability, and gut microbiota transformations of dietary phenolic compounds: implications for COVID-19. J Nutr Biochem [Internet]. 2021 Nov [cited 2024 Jun 13];97:108787. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8169570/
3. Djaoudene O, Romano A, Bradai YD, Zebiri F, Ouchene A, Yousfi Y, et al. A global overview of dietary supplements: regulation, market trends, usage during the covid-19 pandemic, and health effects. Nutrients [Internet]. 2023 Jul 26 [cited 2024 Jun 13];15(15):3320. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10421343/
