Baobab SuperFood of the Future A recent report by the UK-based Natural Resources Institute estimated that the trade in baobab fruit could be worth up to $1bn (£500m) a year for African producers, employing more than 2.5 million households across the continent.
Demographically, the Western population is growing older, as the population ages, 80% of older people in Western countries will develop at least one chronic metabolic disease. With nearly one in five people now over 65, a proportion set to rise to one in four by 2050, functional foods and nutraceuticals to boost quality of life and help prevent age-related disease are set to boom. Wild Harvest Pharma research indicates that successful products will be those that can boost the immune system over time, as well as offer quicker fixes.
Future growth in the functional food and drinks market will focus on natural and whole food, and scientific research into the influence of nutrients and specific ingredients on conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, CVD and Alzheimer’s disease, and there is massive potential for functional foods within the global market to 2012. In recent years, the interest in probiotic, prebiotic and symbiotic functional foods has grown enormously.
Probiotic products are living microbial food supplements, which beneficially affect the host animal by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of beneficial micro flora improving its intestinal microbial balance. The soluble fibers of baobab are Symbiotic which combine the prebiotic and probiotic aspects in a single product.
Digestive health is a concern for many people, particularly senior consumers who often find that their taste preferences change and the appetite can decrease. Probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics are powerful immunity boosters, which can help senior consumers to fend off common viruses and generally increase wellbeing.
Senior consumers are becoming aware of the need to improve overall immunity levels in order to boost general health and to help prevent illness.
