The days of Millennial Unicorn Lattes may be losing steam against the next food trend - a love for turning food...green. Sashayed in by the Zeta Gen’s passion for the color of money and luck, the color green has been named this generations color of choice. Across fashion, the color has made bold appearances on the runway, on celebrities, as accent colors and full-blown monotone, green is here to stay and the food industry is following. Natural tints are a major trend in food but don't look for the plastic droppers you remember from decorating during the holidays.
Natural food coloring made from blue and green spirulina not only produces vivid color but is also highly nutritious - as only Gen Z would have it. The popularity of food coloring, especially the color green made from spirulina has grown so much, it's caused substantial growth in the market and is predicted to keep expanding.
In July 2021, FoodInstitute.com reported:
"According to the report of global market intelligence consulting firm Future Market Insights, sales of natural food colors will pass the mark of $14 billion (USD) by 2028."
In line with the next generations concern for a healthy lifestyle and planet, natural food coloring made from spirulina is fast becoming a popular choice for coloring food green and blue. For it’s staggering nutritional content and for the saturated green color it lends, spirulina is being added in everything from smoothies, to eggs, to crackers, to pie, creating a dramatic aesthetic result and delivering a dizzying list of health benefits at the same time.
An ancient superfood and a natural food coloring.
A type of blue-green algae that provides vitamin B6, Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E among others spirulina often comes in a powder form and can be mixed in with other foods. Spirulina was an important food source for the Aztecs and Mesoamericans up until the 16th century, long before it landed in the Western world in the 1940’s. Now making its way into the 2021, spirulina production has tripled as new companies looking to ride the trend, have sprouted up everywhere advertising the ingredients' vivid color and nutritional value.
Celebrate harvest holidays with spirulina.
During the harvest holidays and for the month of November when we celebrate Indigenous People Days, is a great time to learn more about the culinary history of spirulina and the role it has and had in Aztec, Mesoamerican and other indigenous cultures, and try some this nutritious and now trending ingredient.
