Help your health with a dose of dairy
“There is a growing trend of people using dairy based supplements to enhance and maintain their health and wellbeing”, says Rachel Marshall, Global Technical Engagement Manager for Fonterra’s Sports and Active Lifestyle business unit.
Rachel says as more people begin to think about wellbeing in a holistic way, including body, mind and spirit, they are learning more about nutrition’s role in health and wellness, and how dairy can help.
“We categorise ‘Total Wellbeing’ into four areas – physical performance, healthy weight, mental wellbeing, and wellness from the inside out (including immunity, and gut/digestive health). Science is showing, and people are realising, that not only are many of these aspects related, but dairy can have a positive impact on them.”
More than 75% of US adults reported last year that they regularly consume dietary supplements.The Council of Responsible Nutrition (CRN)
“The benefit of dairy centres on leveraging the natural goodness of milk - related components, such as lactoferrin, minerals (e.g. calcium and phosphorus), proteins, milk phospholipids and probiotics, and concentrating these nutrients to support our customers in making nutrient-dense offerings to provide their consumers with functional health benefits.”
Rachel says the popularity of dairy based supplements is driven by the increased interest in natural, rather than pharmaceutical, solutions and ingredients.
61% of British consumers agree that the naturally occurring nutrients in dairy milk make it a healthier choice. Mintel – Patent insights: innovation by dairy companies
“Also, how a product tastes and looks is important. Taste is a key challenge because some health-promoting ingredients and nutrients don’t taste that good, which is why they often come as capsules or tablets.”
A healthy life is a happy life, so people are increasingly looking for dietary supplements in various forms to help them – and in many cases milk products have the answer.
54% of Americans prioritise taste over all other attributes when choosing functional foods and beverages. The Hartman Group’s Functional Food & Beverages and Supplements 2020-US market
“To be able to give people their daily nutrient boost in more enjoyable and tasty formats is in demand and this is where dairy comes into its own – for example our dairy based ingredients can be used in things like ready-to-drink and ready-to-mix protein shakes, cookies, bars, ice cream and yoghurt.”
85% of global consumers prefer to consume health-enhancing ingredients through food, 57% through drinks and only 23% by pills or tablets. The Global data 2017 Q1 Global consumer survey
Health concerns arising from COVID-19 have also affected consumer behaviours.
83% of Chinese consumers say they will pay more attention to products containing natural ingredients as a result of COVID-19. FMCG GURUS China July 2020 COVID-19 Survey
“Even before the pandemic there had been a dramatic shift in attention to mental health, with most global survey respondents selecting ‘mental well-being’ as the top criteria for being healthy, surpassing the more traditional physical aspects such as weight management and appearance.” Euromonitor’s Health and Nutrition Survey 2020
“Not surprisingly, we are also seeing a rapidly increasing interest in immunity, with people looking for ways to protect themselves. This has resulted in strong interest in many well-known immunity solutions such as vitamin C, but also probiotics, zinc, lactoferrin and vitamin D, which are all found in milk products.”
56% of French consumers expect to seek out foods that boost their immune health more frequently after COVID-19. FMCG GURUS France July 2020 COVID-19 Survey
“A healthy life is a happy life, so people are increasingly looking for dietary supplements in various forms to help them – and in many cases milk products have the answer.”