As the process for 2020 kicked off earlier this month, discussion has focused on how the dietary guidelines can target those chronic diseases earlier than ever before. For the first time, the 2020 dietary guidelines may provide specific recommendations for pregnant women, infants and young children.

Wow. This CBD thing is happening much faster than anyone anticipated. 

Last week Walgreens announced that it will be selling CBD products in 1,500 stores in select states across the country. 

Consumers are increasingly curious about CBD, which promises to help with everything from anxiety to pain. But how will consumers know which product to buy? Or which formulation to use for which need state? Or which brand? 

The trend in food continues to be toward healthy foods that help consumers meet their lifestyle goals, whether that's to lose weight, ward off chronic disease, or simply ensure they are eating a well-balanced, high-nutrient diet that can effectively fuel their busy days. Unfortunately, after years of growth and expansion all across the health & wellness category, we are still not all on the same page when it comes to the definition of healthy.

We've spent 20 years working with healthy food brands and health professionals, so the idea of food as medicine is an ingrained belief in our world. Yet, over those two decades, we've watched specific food fads capture the imagination of the media and the health-conscious consumer instead—non-fat, gluten free, no carb, paleo, and so on. The promise of the silver bullet—the one concept that will help us lose weight, stay healthy, and live a long life—has distracted us from the subtler, more meaningful truth.

Probiotics are everywhere these days. In supplements, cereals, yogurt—even snack foods like chips. While consumers are gradually becoming more aware of probiotics and the impact they can have on their microbiome, the risk exists for probiotics to become yet another passing fad in the health and wellness category.