Move over hemp, Australia’s largest health food store Healthy Life has revealed the health and wellness trends that will sweep the nation in 2019 including the latest nut milk, new uses for probiotics and on-the-go snacks that will put protein balls to shame.

As health and wellness continues to become a focus for more Australians, more health trends are seeping into the mainstream but before they make their way to supermarket shelves, they can be found in Healthy Life.

“As Australia’s longest running health retailer, Healthy Life has been introducing Australians to the ‘next big thing’ in health and wellness since the 70s. What was considered weird and whacky at the time, such as ginseng, evening primrose oil and royal jelly, vitamins have become wellness staples after getting their start in a health food store,” Healthy Life Chief Marketing Officer Simon Cheng said.

“Current health and wellness trends include innovative new uses for probiotics, the rise of adaptogens for our increasingly stressful lives, consumable collagen for beauty from the inside out, next level healthy snacks and drinks, low tox living, and the continued dominance of veganism and ketosis, with all of these themes extending their reach more into our everyday lives. It’s an exciting time for the wellness industry and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of the latest health and wellness innovations in Australia.”

Here are Healthy Life’s top ten health and wellness trends for 2019:

  • Probiotics here, there and everywhere – With every new study, we’re learning more and more about the delicate balance between good and bad bacteria, and how we rely on the trillions of beneficial bacteria to maintain almost every aspect of our health and wellness. From supporting our digestion to boosting our immune system and balancing our moods, bacteria is central to the healthy functioning of our body’s physiological processes, which is why it’s critical to keep our microbiome in check. In the coming years, expect to see probiotics added to everything. We’re about to launch Healthy Life Sorbets, which contain probiotics, to compliment The Cultured Ice Cream’s probiotic gelato, offering dessert options that are better for your gut. Meanwhile Australia’s first probiotic cleaner recently landed on our shelves. Counter Culture’s all-purpose cleaner acts like kombucha for your kitchen, leaving behind friendly bacteria to crowd out any bad bacteria so the area stays clean long after it has been applied. We’ll also see a move towards a more tailored approach with certain strains of probiotics targeting different ailments.
  • Beauty from the inside out – collagen has long been known for its facial filling and plumping properties but it’s now being touted as the latest health supplement for skin, joint and gut health. After Healthy Life became one of the first to stock Australia’s first collagen snack bar this year – Locako’s brownie bars contain about 10 per cent collagen – consumable collagen will become more readily available with a trend towards marine collagen over beef. Expect to see collagen added to more foods as the move towards consuming collagen internally, rather than using it externally, becomes more popular. There will be collagen and bone broth shakes in store next year and Gelatin Health is using cooked collagen in its gelatin gummy packs for DIY collagen treats.
  • The dominance of veganism – 2019 may very well be the year that veganism goes from being considered a ‘trend’ to a normal part of life. Australia is the third fastest growing vegan market in the world and with so many celebrities and influencers glamorising their vegan lifestyle on social media, increased awareness around the positive effect of plant foods on gut health, the impact of animal products on the environment, as well as concerns about animal cruelty as highlighted with sheep exports this year, veganism is definitely here to stay. According to recent research, the number of food products launched in Australia carrying a vegan claim rose by 92 per cent between 2014 and 2016 and by 2020, Australia’s packaged vegan food market could be worth $215 million. In 2019, around 15 per cent of Healthy Life’s products will be vegan, with non-dairy milks and vegan proteins the most popular plant-based products. Macadamia milk is set to steal the spotlight from almond milk, and hemp is set to be the next oat milk. We’re stocking new brands such as MilkLab, which makes nut milk designed especially for coffee. Meanwhile proteins such as Rule 1 will help vegans approach their lifestyle in a healthier way. Unlike many mass produced vegan products, which are high in sodium, Rule 1 is indicative of a cleaner, healthier approach to veganism with no creamers, sugar, fat or fillers. Because there are so many vegans these days, more effort is being put into developing tastier vegan versions of popular supermarket items like cheese so there’s no compromising on quality or flavour or recipes.

  • Adapting to adaptogens – ‘adaptogen’ has been the buzz word of 2018 and with the stress levels of modern society at an all-time high, this group of healing plants, which can help the human body adapt during times of stress, is needed more than ever. Now that we’ve adapted to the concept of adaptogens, especially in the form of reishi lattes and mushroom powders, it’s time to go to the next level. Healthy Life will soon stock a new product from the US – MRM (Metabolic Response Modifiers) Stress adaptogens, which combines seven healing plants including ashwaghanda, which is the next big thing in adaptogens. This magical plant, also known as Indian ginseng, can modify cortisol levels, which can help protect the body from stress. Expect to see ashwaghanda tonics, proteins, supplements and, if it goes the way of other adaptogen trends, lattes. Adaptogens will also increasingly play a role in anti-aging and beauty products as companies increasingly harness the power of these ancient ayurvedic plants.
  • Low tox living – with a typical household containing more than 60 hazardous chemicals from bisphenols to benzophenones and parabens to phthalates, the low tox movement is gaining momentum. Studies are increasingly finding that the toxic nasties hidden in many everyday products can affect our health, varying from allergic reactions to hormone imbalances and even lung disease with a disturbing 2018 study finding that regular use of chemical cleaning sprays can cause the same reduced lung function as smoking 20 cigarettes a day over the same period*. As we become increasingly aware of what is going into our bodies, more and more companies are swapping irritating chemicals for natural ingredients and creating products which are healthy and harmonious for humans as well as the planet. Eliminating as many contaminants as possible and replacing toxic products with healthier alternatives is the easiest way to help create a happier home and a healthier you. It’s going to take some getting used to but low tox items such as deodorant paste are set to be the new norm. Black Chicken has been leading the way with their toxin-free Axilla Paste and next year we’re introducing Piperwai’s natural, aluminium-free, charcoal deodorant to the Australian market. Clean beauty will also become more mainstream as women become increasingly aware of the toxins in their makeup bag.
  • Eco all the way – following the single use bag ban this year, not-so-fantastic plastic has been in the headlines, helping to raise awareness of the effect of plastic on the environment. Where it was once difficult to conceive of a world without plastic, eco-friendly companies are making it easier to live an environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyle with everyday essentials such as stainless steel straws, reusable beeswax food wraps, and BPA-free bottles, cups and containers, becoming more freely available. Queen B is helping to solve kitchen conundrums with reusable food wraps in pretty prints replacing plastic wrap, and Ever Eco’s nifty travel pack means you can BYO straw to cafes and bars.
  • Health on-the-go – in our fast-paced world, there’s an increasing demand for healthier snacks and drinks that can be consumed on the hop. Once confined to the fridge, probiotics have evolved to be shelf stable so we’ll see sachets for travel as more people realise they can’t live without their probiotics. While apple cider vinegar drinks are set to become the new kombucha, offering a quick and easy way to give gut health a boost when on the run. And making protein even easier to consume than protein balls, there will be a new suite of packaged protein goods including gummies, chips and chocolates.
  • Next level nutritious baking – move over Betty Crocker, pre-made baking mixes will no longer be the domain of refined white flour and cocoa, with everything from matcha to collagen, probiotics, hemp and whey being added to create healthier homemade snacks and treats. Healthy Life’s range of mixes is always growing and now includes Matcha Maiden’s choc mint protein slice with pea protein and matcha powder; the Teff Tribe brownie mix containing the latest ancient grain, teff; The Gluten Free Food company mixes which include lupin, flaxseed and hemp in their bread and protein packs; and Protein Bread CO, which offer plant-based protein mixes as healthier alternatives to perennial favourites such as pancakes, banana bread, cookies and pizza.
  • And the 2019 diet fad is… still keto. The noise around the ketogenic diet will amplify in 2019. This low-carb, high-fat diet that can help with everything from weight loss to lowering blood sugar and insulin levels, isn’t going away. Because so many Australians are turning to the keto diet, there is a whole new generation of keto products flowing onto the market. Brisbane company Locako has made it easier to get ketosis off on the right foot everyday with coffee creamers containing up to 22 per cent collagen (around 4g) per serve. Healthy Life has also started stocking the only organic MCT oil on the market from CocoEarth, and other new keto-friendly products include keto chocolates and Isowhey keto bars for on-the-go snacking.
  • Detox vs Diet – forget dieting, 2019 will be all about detoxing (unless you’re on the keto diet), particularly of the digital kind. Technology may have hit its peak as we’re increasingly realising the toll that devices are taking on our health. Expect digital detoxing to be huge in 2019.