Natural product expo features latest products, health trends

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- The annual Natural Product Expo has four massive exhibit halls filled with all things natural.

Dietitian Ashley Koff and ABC7 food coach Lori Corbin navigated through loads of products, all bearing the "natural" logo.

"There is no definition for 'natural.' Natural is a marketing term. And here you see natural marketed in so many different ways," Koff said.

Wholesalers go to great lengths to attract buyers, like bring celebrities to the expo.

"It's dope. It's great. A building where a bunch of cool crazy stuff is being displayed," actor Channing Tatum said.

Tatum swears he became a fan of Runa, a guayusa tea, when working on a hurried movie project.

"I can't drink more than one cup of coffee, and we found Runa and it's the only thing that got us through," Tatum said.

Organic, gluten-free and non-GMO were in competition as the most marketed terms.

Beyond organic, it was the war between the paleo and the veggie crowd, which featured a lot of beef jerky and plenty of plant protein. One of the beef jerky brands featured at the expo was Field Trip:

"It's cutting out all the ten syllable words, there's no junk in our jerky," said Tom Donigan, a Field Trip founding partner.

The expo also offered a wide variety of plant foods and green drinks such as Tiger Nut horchata, by Organic Gemini that contains Broccoleaf. The beverage is a nice source of protein, fiber and potassium.

"We have hemp heart bites. You get a great taste and a convenient healthy snack with 10 grams of protein, 10 grams of essential fatty acids," said Mike Fata of Manitoba Harvest.

The company launched a new snack at the expo.

Several young entrepreneurs even marketed their items to natural product lovers.

Eighteen-year-old 'D' Katz created a bar with 21 grams of soy-free plant protein.

While little Alina Morse invented alkaline-based Zollypops with her dad.

"I wanted to make a healthy candy that cleans your teeth and that tasted good so I could have it all the time," she said.

Mediterra had olive & walnut energy bars, while Blue Hill yogurt sold beet, turnip and tomato yogurts.

For those with a sweet tooth, SugaVida has some nutrition. A tree nectar that comes from the Palmera tree contains bioavailable B-vitamins along with calcium, potassium and iron.

The natural industry is expected to grow two and a half times the projected growth of mainstream consumer goods. One of the reasons why the expo had more than 70,000 attendees.