Superfood spices and herbs
When the word superfood is mentioned, it is most often attached to a fruit, vegetable, or grain. But spices and herbs play a large role in this global market, too, with demand constantly rising.
If we separate the two, we can see that according to some analysts, the global market for spices is expected to reach $22.8 billion by 2026, up from $15.9 billion in 2018. And while herbs, more specifically, dried herbs, are a much smaller market, there is still considerable growth, with analysts predicting it will be worth $7.93 billion by 2027.
So, when it comes to being labelled as superfoods, which spices and herbs have made the cut, and how has this influenced the food and beverage industry, with particular focus on beverages?
Making spices the star of the show
There is no defined list of superfood spices, but turmeric is widely considered a superfood thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as is cinnamon. And that’s not to forget ginger, which also has antibacterial and antiviral properties. There are many more, too, that make the superfood list, including cumin, cayenne pepper, cardamom, saffron and so on.
Herbs that live up to the hype
As with spices, there is no set list of herbs that are classified as superfoods. However, worldwide, herbs such as basil, liquorice, sage, and rosemary to name but a few all appear to be associated with the label. Similar to the spices listed above, these herbs (and many more) are packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and other health benefits. And some, like rosemary, are being studied for their potential to help improve cognitive function.
The impact of superfood spices and herbs on the beverage industry
With regards to the beverage industry, we started to see the trend for spices and herbs emerge several years back, in part, spurred on by consumer demand for functional beverages – itself a result of the global pandemic and greater focus on health and wellbeing.
What consumers want
As such, beverage manufacturers are paying more focus to ingredients that are high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and immune-boosting properties, and the results are starting to show. In the last three years, 74% of all beverages marketed as shots contained spice flavours. And elsewhere, consumer demand for adaptogen beverages is being led by increased interest in a range of herbs including ashwagandha.
In part six of Superfood Trends, we close out the series with a round-up of our previous posts. Read our key takeaways on the global superfood market, and keep on top of other food and beverage industry trends – as well as our take on them – by subscribing to our bi-weekly newsletter.
- April 13, 2023