More than 350 food manufacturers showcased their newest products in Grocery Showcase West held week. I went on a hunt to look for new health foods, and was not disappointed. Here are the top trends I found that are worth noting.

Top Food Trends in Your Grocery Store

Cow’s Milk Alternatives

There are soy, rice, and almond milks, and now there is also trendy hemp. Hemp seeds are rich sources of omega essential oils. And hemp milk is generally lactose-free, soy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free, so it may be appropriate for individuals with multiple allergies. However, , unlike soy milk, hemp milk is NOT a good source of calcium, so you may need to resort to other calcium-rich foods or supplements for your daily calcium requirement.

Back-to-Basics Juice

For those tired of buying pricey juices made with exotic fruits, there is good news. The makers of Simply Orange are introducing Simply Apple – a pure, unfiltered apple juice. “Cloudy” apple juice contains more apple solids than the clear kind. The extra apple solids mean that cloudy juice has up to four times more polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds, than clear juice. And in a study reported in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in January 2007, cloudy juice was shown to be a more effective “scavenger” of harmful free radicals than its clear-juice cousin.

Colorful Soup

The days of white cream-based or tomato-based soup are over! Packaged soup products now come in a variety of colors – squash-based orange, corn-based yellow, pea-based green, and more. This is good news for those who would like a warm bowl of soup made with natural ingredients but have no time to cook. Most of these soups, however, are still high in sodium.

Gluten-Free

With increased awareness of Celiac disease and other implications for a gluten-free diet, brands are eager to introduce gluten-free products. It’s not shocking to find gluten-free versions of cookies, crackers, and bakery items. But it’s shocking that some are manufactured in a wheat facility – where they also make wheat products! These gluten-free products carry a small-font warning at the back of the package about cross-contamination, so buyers beware.

Gloria Tsang, RD

Alumni: University of British Columbia – Gloria Tsang is the author of 6 books and the founder of HealthCastle.com, the largest online nutrition network run by registered dietitians. Her work has appeared in major national publications, and she is a regularly featured nutrition expert for media outlets across the country. The Huffington Post named her one of its Top 20 Nutrition Experts on Twitter. Gloria’s articles have appeared on various media such as Reuters, NBC & ABC affiliates, The Chicago Sun-Times, Reader’s Digest Canada, iVillage and USA Today.