By: Jasmine Asadi
Picture this: over 3,000 companies in the natural product industry all coming together under one roof (well, 3 roofs right next to each other), debuting their new and best products and giving away fun samples. Welcome to Expo West, the largest event in this industry that comes around every March in Anaheim, California. To give you an idea of how amazing it is, I’ll just call it my own little healthy version of Disneyland! From different food companies to beauty, to cleaning, health, everyone in this industry made sure to be there.
Here’s the top 10 favorite product finds from Expo West:
1. Yes Cacao, Botanical Chocolate
(Source: www.YesCacao.com)
Yes Cacao has crafted flavorful blends of chocolate and botanical ingredients like Tulsi (a stress adaptogen), Reishi (a medicinal mushroom that strengthens the immune system), Maca (a superfood root that balances hormones and sustains energy), and Turmeric (a spice that lowers inflammation). I can never get enough of chocolate, so the fact that they’ve added in these ingredients that are great for my body is a double win in my book! Check them out online or in your local health store.
2. Jasmine’s Organics, SuperNatural Deodorant Creme
(Source: www.jasminesorganics.com)
From Emmi Buck, Essential Oxygen Director of Communications: “My top find at Expo West 2017 was an amazing new organic deodorant called SuperNatural Deodorant Creme by Jasmine Organics. It contains no toxic ingredients like standard deodorants do, and it’s crazy effective! The coconut smell brings a smile to my face, it’s super creamy and easy to apply, and a little goes a long way. Did I mention how well it works?”
3. Bonafide Provisions, Drinkable Veggies
(Source: www.BonafideProvisions.com)
With one of the best tasting organic bone broths, Bonafide Provisions debuted their newest product, Drinkable Veggies. Not only that, they also won an award for the “Best New Drink” overall at the expo. All of their products hold the awesome benefits of bone broth, including collagen protein, gut health support and amino acids. Their Drinkable Veggies are a great on-the-go snack to get in 11 grams of protein and a good amount of veggies of course!
4. Essential Oxygen, Organic Toothpaste + Tooth Polish
Expo West was the perfect opportunity for Essential Oxygen to debut the new products they have up their sleeves. Their certified organic Toothpaste and Tooth Polish was finally revealed and I can’t get enough of it! The toothpaste utilizes natural ingredients to gently clean the teeth while the tooth polish gets them to their pearly whitest. Stay tuned for the big release soon!
*From Essential Oxygen: Our Tooth Powder will be available in May 2017, and Organic Toothpaste is coming July 2017!
5. Vital Proteins, Collagen Beauty Water
(Source: www.vitalproteins.com)
Speaking of collagen, welcome this new, popular company to the party! Vital Proteins produces grass-fed, pasture-raised collagen. Collagen is the building block of our hair, skin, nails, bones, and tendons. It’s a great supplement to any diet, whether it be for the health benefits or injury prevention for athletes. Vital Proteins introduced their new line of Beauty Waters, which combines their Marine Collagen Peptides with hyaluronic acid and 2 billion CFU probiotics. This nourishing combination makes great for glowing skin and beauty, both inside and out.
6. Oregon Wild Harvest, CountToZen Biodynamic Herbal Tonic
(Source: www.oregonswildharvest.com)
Expo’s winner for Best Herbal Supplement, Oregon Wild Harvest makes some of the best herbal tonics for a multitude of needs. They also offer herbal capsules, extracts, and tonics for kids too! My favorite was their CountToZen biodynamic herbal tonic, hosting herbs like Ashwagandha, Astragalus and Holy Basil. This particular elixir aids in finding adrenal balance by helping the body adapt to stress and supplying adrenal support.
7. Lesser Evil, Oh Em Ghee Organic Popcorn
(Source: www.LesserEvil.com)
In addition to the amount of fun, healthy snacks they already have, Lesser Evil shared their newest product with the crowds: Oh Em Ghee Organic Popcorn. Ghee is the newest trend to hit the natural food industry because of it’s health benefits and dark buttery taste not to mention its nickname, “liquid gold”. This popcorn is perfect for any movie night!
8. Kite Hill, Ricotta Cheese
(Source: www.kite-hill.com)
Kite Hill boasts a wide variety of almond milk based cheeses to satisfy any ex-dairy lover’s taste buds. My favorites from them are their yogurts, cream cheese, Expo West’s award winning ricotta cheese and their ravioli. Kite Hill has saved anyone looking to adopt more of a plant-based diet with their artisanal products. Tip: try using their ricotta cheese for a dairy-free lasagna and prepare to be amazed!
9. Curoxen, First Aid Ointment
(Source: www.curoxen.com)
Brand new to the market, Curoxen brings their organic, all-natural first aid ointment with clinical evidence to back up their effectiveness. I love finding new health-related alternatives that haven’t been introduced yet so I was ecstatic when I heard about Curoxen! It’s comprised of organic oxygenated olive oil, calendula, and lavender essential oil. These ingredients all promote healing and have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. They tested it among the biggest drug store competitors and won!
10. Four Sigmatic, Mushroom Elixer Mixes
(Souce: www.foursigmatic.com)
Another trend to hit this year has been the all of the medicinal mushrooms, the “world’s most scientifically studied superfood”. Four Sigmatic has innovated these powerful, unusual superfoods in an eye-catching and helpful way. They perhaps are one of the key companies to bring awareness to these ingredients in a manner that helps educate us on the phenomenal properties of these mushrooms. Check out their website for a brief e-course on the health benefits of these products!