Americans are finally realizing that it pays to take care of themselves, but they aren’t spending money on salads and multivitamins. Instead, mushrooms and mocktails are filling up consumer carts, and not for the reason you might think.
Top of the list: Catching those Z’s
Polls indicate that new emerging trends are breaking away from old-fashioned advice for the goal of achieving better health. The top factors Americans are focusing on are improved sleep, better brain function, healthier eating habits, more protein and less alcohol and caffeine.
According to a recent Harris Poll survey conducted on behalf of Instacart, nearly 48% of all Americans would go to great lengths for a good night’s sleep. Sound machines were added to American Instacarts at an impressive 134% increase, with sleep masks and sleep supplements following behind at 56% and 19% increases, respectively. Bloggers and social media have followed suit with sleep-inducing mocktails and homemade supplements such as tart cherry gummies to help people drift off to dreamland more easily.
With all these sleep aids, a good night’s sleep might not be a dream anymore, particularly since 33% of those chasing better sleep also reduced their caffeine intake or opted for gentler forms of caffeine consumption, such as matcha.
The shift from sleepless nights to a focus on good quality sleep through the use of sleep aids shows that sleep isn’t being pushed to the bottom of the American health list any longer. On the contrary, it now ranks as the top priority for many Americans.
Alex Caspero, Registered Dietitian at Delish Knowledge, had this to say about using natural sleep aids: “Foods that naturally contain melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate circadian rhythm, can help improve sleep. Try cherries, tart cherry juice, goji berries and nuts; pistachios and almonds are among the highest sources. These foods are also an excellent source of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.”
Don’t forget to remember the mushrooms
Americans are also focusing on better brain health. Instacart also notes that 58% of those surveyed indicated their willingness to try mushroom supplements to help with brain power. Mushrooms like Lion’s Mane are becoming more popular, with Lion’s Mane mushrooms added to carts at a whopping 589% increase over the last year. Following closely behind Lion’s Mane are pink oyster mushrooms at 391%, hedgehog mushrooms at 315%, and reishi mushrooms at a 293% increase in people purchasing these mushrooms.
Iva Ursano from On and Off Keto says: “Our family has a long history of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and as I get older, I’m doing my best to ward these off and trying to stay as healthy as I possibly can. After researching different supplements and diet plans, I found an article on Lion’s Mane and decided to try it. I work online and run two websites, so it’s crucial to have focus and clarity for my business. After taking Lion’s Mane for one month, I noticed a drastic difference in my energy levels and mental clarity. At 61 years old, I’ve never felt better physically or mentally.”
Fresh dietary trends
But supplements aren’t the only change Americans are making. Of those Americans who plan to make changes for better health, 39% intend to increase their protein intake, and 61% intend to increase their intake of fresh produce.
However, they are interested in more than just average produce. An increased interest in more exotic fruits and vegetables seems to be driving this wagon, with a 210% purchase increase of red dragonfruit, a 201% increase in the purchase of yellow passion fruit, a 158% increase in mangosteen purchases and a 50% growth in microgreen purchases.
Broccoli sprouts came in at a 32% increase, purple broccoli at 32% and purple asparagus at 18%, signaling a willingness to break away from the mundane to keep their food intake a bit more exotic and experimental. Americans are getting more creative in the kitchen and breaking away from the same old produce they buy weekly.
Last but not least, Americans are reducing their overall alcohol consumption. Sales of non-alcoholic cocktails grew by 666%, non-alcohol spirits by 123%, non-alcoholic wines by 7% and non-alcoholic beer purchases by 5%, signaling a conscious effort to indulge in less alcohol. Even liver support supplement purchases grew by 114%.
No sleeping on bad habits
Americans are waking up to the fact that daily habits matter. Whether they want to eat more fresh produce, get better sleep or reduce alcohol and caffeine, you can bet they have decided not to sleep on poor health habits and to wake up to what helps them feel better overall.
Gina Matsoukas is the writer, photographer, recipe developer and founder of Running to the Kitchen — a food site focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network magazine.