A FOOD REVOLUTION
By Gavin Ryan, Editor of Positive Life Magazine.
What could be more central to our lives than food? It is imbricated into the very fabric of our lives, of our culture, our religious practices, our social interactions. Food defines us as a society. We most certainly are what we eat.
There is currently a revolution taking place in the food industry. The science that has in the past been used to manufacture food with lower and lower nutrient values to cut costs and increase revenue, is now being utilised by nutrition activists who are working hard to create foods that are so packed with vitamins and minerals that better health, more vitality and longer life can scientifically be achieved through our dietary choices. The Natural Health Expo is Ireland’s only natural health exhibition. While it is geared towards retailers of health products and holistic practitioners, rather than the general public, it is certainly a positive sign that the trend towards healthier alternatives is well and truly established in Ireland.
A consumer expo will surely follow soon as businesses realise that people have a huge interest regarding healthy and ethical options for consumer products. We went last year to the inaugural event. While it featured many health products, not just food, it was the imagination, innovation and diversity of the food exhibitors that caught our attention. Companies such as Iswari, Abundance & Health, Revive Active and Naturalife were showing such rich and delicious product lines that made us realise that healthy and tasty could now become synonymous, that a healthy diet was no longer a sacrifice, but also a source of gustatory pleasure. Vegetarian and vegan options have never been so diverse and exciting.
There were a host of fascinating speakers and also a demonstration from David and Stephen Flynn of The Happy Pear, which really gave attendees a buzz about the benefits of healthy eating.
The line up this year will no doubt be even stronger. Another part of the event that captured our interest was that, while it was a trade show, so many of the exhibitors were passionate about how their businesses could make a positive impact. They really believed in the health benefits of their products and that while they wanted to make a living, it was equally important to provide nutritional support and food to the needs of consumers today.
The atmosphere of friendliness rather than the typical atmosphere of competitiveness you would expect to find at a trade show was so refreshing and lead us to believe that business and a sense of common humanity don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Another World Is Possible has long been the slogan of peace activists and campaigners. As I walked through the stands at the Natural Health Expo last year, it was tempting to think that it was just around the corner.
If you’re a retailer of health products or a holistic practitioner, we highly recommend that you make it to this year’s Natural Health Expo. Be inspired.
the Natural health expo will take place in the RDS, Dublin, october 2nd & 3rd, 2016.
naturalhealthexpo.ie
