Super-Superfood Supplements

by Eric Munson | July 1, 2026

Nutrient-dense superfoods are moving from a nice-to-add product to an everyday wellness routine.

According to Alex Berrio, marketing director at NutraBio Labs (Middlesex, NJ), superfoods are nutrient-dense whole foods and botanical ingredients that deliver concentrated doses of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients that most people simply do not get enough of through everyday diet.

“They matter because the gap between what people eat and what their body actually needs is wider than most realize,” Berrio explained. “Greens, adaptogens, mushrooms and antioxidant-rich fruits are not trends. They are foundational to how the body manages inflammation, energy, immunity and long-term wellness. Getting them consistently and in meaningful amounts is what separates a supplement that makes a difference from one that just looks good on a label.”

Meg Taylor, director of science & innovation at MaryRuth’s (Los Angeles, CA) added most items with the “superfoods” moniker include botanicals, fruits, vegetables, seeds and ancient grains.

“One of the reasons superfoods have gained popularity is because of their associated health benefits, which is great because, overall, superfoods are generally nutritious. Superfoods are a great addition to a healthy diet because of their rich phytonutrient content,” Taylor said. “For example, the humble broccoli contains sulforaphane, which plays a role in healthy cellular function. Most importantly though, superfoods help open the standard American diet to eating more healthful foods.”

Superfood Trends

According to Alafair Hall, senior account director at Stanton & Company, on behalf of Laird Superfood (Boulder, CO), the superfoods category is increasingly focused on functional benefits and consumers are gravitating toward ingredients such as functional mushrooms, protein, adaptogens and fiber.

Retailer Alina Hornfeldt, co-owner of Mastel’s Health Foods in Saint Paul, MN, said superfoods are shifting from “health food extras” to becoming part of people’s everyday wellness routines. “Customers are looking for function-focused products that support energy, gut health, stress resilience, cognition and healthy aging. Functional mushrooms, adaptogens, greens blends and protein-plus-superfood combinations continue to gain traction, especially in convenient formats,” she said.

According to Berrio, the greens category has been evolving tremendously, and consumers are more educated than ever before.

“They are not just looking for a product with a long ingredient list anymore. They want ingredients that are backed by science and held to a higher standard of quality and consistency. That is exactly why we see such strong momentum around trademarked and patented ingredients in this space,” Berrio said.

He also observed strong demand around adaptogenic mushrooms, gut health support and products that bridge the gap between performance and everyday wellness.

“Consumers do not want to choose between feeling good and performing well. They want both. And taste has become a major differentiator in the category. The days of holding your nose and choking down a greens powder are over. Consumers expect a product that tastes great, and that has raised the bar for everyone in the space,” Berrio explained.

Taylor added that healthy aging seems to be one of the driving forces for the superfoods space. Consumers are looking for help with various health needs, such as mental acuity, mood and cardiovascular support.

“As for specific items, the mushroom boom is showing no signs of stopping. Botanicals with adaptogenic properties, especially teas, are still very popular. Sea moss also hasn’t slowed down. A surprising resurgence is happening with hibiscus and dates!” Taylor said.

Superfood Products

Mastel’s carries a wide range of superfoods including greens powders, cacao, maca, matcha, spirulina, chlorella, turmeric, chia, medicinal mushrooms and adaptogenic blends.

“We also recommend products based on individual needs. Some customers are looking for sustained energy, some want stress support, and others are focused on digestion or overall wellness. We try to match the superfood to the person, not just the trendiest thing online,” Hornfeldt said.

According to Ronald L. Seibold, co-founder of Kansas-based Pines International, green powders do not promote probiotic growth when made from highly processed juice powders that are stripped of valuable insoluble fibers such as cellulose. He added a lot of research on superfoods can be attributed to author and psychiatrist David Reuben, MD.

“Juice powders are no different than white bread, which is another food stripped of insoluble fiber. Low-fiber foods do not prevent the diseases of civilization. Instead, they promote the wrong kind of bacteria in the colon that Rueben showed lead to the ‘diseases of civilization.’ To be worthwhile in the diet, green powders should consist of 90 percent or more of nutrient-dense whole foods that provide ample insoluble fiber,” Seibold said.

Green superfoods are plant-based ingredients typically grasses, algae and leafy greens that are exceptionally rich in chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. NutraBio offers its new Mega Greens formula containing a Green Balance Alkalizing Blend.

“Ingredients like organic barley grass, kale, wheatgrass, spirulina and chlorella work together to support the body’s natural alkalizing processes, promote healthy digestion, and deliver the kind of micronutrient density that is nearly impossible to achieve through diet alone. What makes a greens formula truly effective is not just having these ingredients on the label but including them at doses that are meaningful,” Berrio explained.

Laird Superfood Hydrate combines coconut water, seaweed-derived minerals and real fruit ingredients to support hydration, recovery and daily wellness without the artificial additives or excess sugar found in many traditional sports drinks, according to Hall.

Spirulina Gummies from MaryRuth’s are an easy way to incorporate spirulina into the daily diet in a fun strawberry lemonade flavor.

“Spirulina is a blue-green cyanobacterium (not an alga) that has been popular in the superfood space for many years now, valued for its impressive nutrient density and antioxidant properties. However, it doesn’t taste very good when taken by itself—it’s briny with a pond scum-like flavor,” Taylor explained.

Formulating and Manufacturing

According to Hall, Laird focuses heavily on sustainability and rigorous purity testing.

“We focus on responsibly sourcing high-quality, plant-based ingredients from around the world, with an emphasis on U.S. and local suppliers. Each product is made with simple, plant-powered ingredients like functional mushrooms, adaptogens and minerals. Artificial ingredients, seed oils, and ‘natural flavors’ are strictly avoided,” Hall explained.

Taylor said there are many variables to consider. MaryRuth’s has various delivery formats, so the company must think through just about everything, such as active ingredient characteristics (liquid stable, solubility, taste, etc.), end consumer (kids, men, women, toddlers, etc.), efficacious dosage (grams vs. milligrams) and cost.

“For items formulated with superfoods, it’s a balance of making a product that people want to take but that also preserves the fragile components in the superfood ingredient,” she said. Although Pines makes use of single-ingredient products and encourages customers to make their own whole food blends—especially superfood smoothies—it also offers green blends that consist entirely of nutrient-dense whole foods.

“Sadly, too many other superfood blends by other companies are overpriced, low in nutrition, and a very poor value for consumers. The main reason these kinds of companies produce blends is to add more low-cost, low-nutritional ingredients that cost less than nutrient-dense superfoods containing prebiotic insoluble fiber,” Seibold explained. “By adding low-cost ‘filler ingredients,’ companies can produce products that cost a fraction of what single-ingredient superfoods cost. Such blends can be produced and packaged in inexpensive plastic tubs or paper bags at a fraction of the cost of a single-ingredient green superfood from Pines. These low-cost blends in cheap packaging can provide a store with a profit margin at least double the cost, and with ‘specials,’ the profits can be as much as three times the cost.”

Seibold added consumers also need to consider serving size. “When a blend in a plastic tub or paper bags weighs the same as a nitrogen-packed, oxygen-free glass bottle of one of Pines’ single-ingredient cereal grass products but provides only a fraction of the number of servings, consumers who understand basic mathematics can see the deception,” Seibold explained. “If packaged in plastic, juice powders and other highly processed, low-fiber, non-whole-food ingredients can cause damage to the brain and organs from microplastics. That damage is in addition to the digestive tract damage caused by not eating enough whole foods.”

NutraBio focuses on what the research supports, identifies the best available forms of each ingredient and makes sure every ingredient earns its place in the formula, Berrio noted. The company seeks out the best trademarked and patented ingredients because they are held to a higher standard of quality, consistency and research backing.

Ingredients such as BettaBerries, AcaiVaida, MaquiForza, CherryPURE and JabuVital were chosen because they “represent the best available option in their respective categories,” not because they were the easiest or most cost effective.

“Beyond the formula itself, we think about the full consumer experience. Does it taste good enough that someone will take it every day? Does it mix well? Does it fit into a real lifestyle? A product can have the best ingredients in the world but if nobody enjoys taking it, it is not doing its job,” Berrio said.

For Retailers

Education is crucial for retailers—the more a retailer’s staff understands what makes a product different and why it works, the more confident they are in recommending it to customers, according to Berrio.

“We invest heavily in product education, training materials, and content that makes it easy for retail partners to tell our story. Beyond that, having strong digital assets, compelling in-store merchandising, and a brand that consumers already trust before they walk through the door makes a significant difference,” Berrio explained. “NutraBio’s reputation for transparency and quality does a lot of the selling on its own. When a customer sees a fully disclosed label with trademarked ingredients and recognizes the NutraBio name, that trust is already built. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for retailers to connect that trust to the right product at the right moment.”

“It is also important to invest in promotional support during key retail moments, share performance and consumer insights with retail partners, and ensure strong inventory planning and supply chain reliability. Ongoing category education around functional ingredients like superfoods, adaptogens and hydration support also helps retailers position and sell through the assortment more effectively,” Hall added.

Seibold said manufacturers need to recognize the importance of nutrient-dense whole foods, store personnel need to educate customers to compare the cost per serving rather than total weight, and consumers need to recognize probiotic supplements have no value if the diet is not rich in insoluble fiber.

“Likewise, manufacturers adding probiotics to low-fiber blends accomplish nothing unless the consumer’s diet is rich in foods that still contain insoluble fiber, which is essential for probiotic survival and a healthy colon,” Seibold said.

According to Hornfeldt, customers want products that feel simple and easy to incorporate into daily life. They care about convenience and ingredient quality. She is seeing a lot of interest in multifunctional products, things that support multiple goals at once and customs asking more questions about sourcing, purity and research.

“Education has always been a huge part of what we do. A lot of it happens through one-on-one conversations on the sales floor where we can ask questions and understand what someone is trying to accomplish. We also use our newsletters, social media and staff education to help break down complicated topics into practical, everyday guidance people can use,” Hornfeldt explained.VR