Nutty innovations: The trendy snacks that blend personal and planetary health
Driven by the consumer’s desire for better health, the global nuts market has been experiencing steady growth. Nuts are a significant agricultural commodity, with countries like the US (California almonds), Spain (almonds and walnuts) and Vietnam (cashews) being top producers.
Almond production, in particular, is booming, with the 2024 harvest in California poised to be one of the largest on record. The USDA forecasts around 2.8 billion pounds of almonds will be harvested (a 13% year-over-year increase), with the average yield projected at 2,030 pounds per acre, slightly below the 10-year average but still impressive as the third-largest crop ever produced in the state.
Shifting consumer preferences have propelled producers to innovate with hybrid snacks that combine nuts and seeds with other health-focused ingredients like superfoods and probiotics. According to Mintel, this aligns with a broader movement towards functional snacks that support specific needs like boosting energy, improving mood or aiding digestion. Nuts are also inherently rich in healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, making them an essential component of the diet, helping to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and managing weight.
The global impact of nuts
Perhaps most importantly, nuts also tick the box for products that are planetary responsible. In fact, a new study – published in Nature Climate Change – found planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions associated with the global food industry could fall by 17% if people swivelled more towards a plant-based lifestyle.
“We should look to reduce over-consumption of emission-intensive products in affluent countries, such as beef in Australia and the US especially for wealthy consumer groups who are overconsuming, which would help to achieve significant health and climate benefits,” said Dr Yuli Shan, associate professor in Sustainable Transitions at the University of Birmingham.
The researchers believe that the currently overconsuming 56.9% of the global population would save 32.4% of dietary emissions by adopting the diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission.
Nuts play a crucial role in the Planetary Health Diet, which was developed by a group of 37 experts from 16 countries to address the growing concerns about global food systems and their impact. It suggest consuming around 50g of nuts per day (equivalent to a handful), which is made easier by the raft of snacks available on shelf today.
Here are some of our favorites:
Brazil nuts
Truly Nuts is rolling out it ‘world-first’ flavored Brazil nut snacks and other nut snacks in WHSmith travel stores. The range includes smoked mixed nuts, milk chocolate Brazil nuts, salted almonds and chili mixed nuts.
According to Singapore-based White Lion Foods Company, Truly Nuts is the first to successfully infuse Brazil nuts and has established a cutting-edge facility implementing a sustainable Brazil nut harvesting process deep within the Amazon rainforest, powered exclusively by nut shells.
“In today's world, where choosing a snack can also mean contributing to the restoration of the Amazon, having that choice is incredibly important,” said cofounder and CEO Gareth Lloyd.
Truly Nuts are available exclusively in 146 WHSmith travel outlets in the UK for an RRP of £3.99 per 120g pack, with a promotional offer of two packs for £6 to offer added value to health-conscious travellers. The range is also available online and on Amazon in 30g and 120g bags.
Macadamia nuts
Aloha’s newest special edition bar features Hawaii-grown macadamia nuts from the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company, which dries the nuts by converting the energy of clean-burning macadamia nut shells into steam, generating nearly all its electricity via solar, hydro and biomass energy.
Other notable ingredients in the Pa’akai Bar include Aloha’s proprietary plant-based protein blend, 100% USDA organic dark chocolate and Ponova oil, a regenerative oil that is made by expeller pressing and lightly refining the beans of pongamia trees, a climate-resilient, super-tree that revitalizes the land and communities where it's grown.
The bar is a part of Aloha’s initiative to support and bring awareness to small farms rooted in sustainability while giving 10% percent from every Pa’akai Bar sold to Kupu, a nonprofit empowering Hawaii’s youth through service, education and workforce development in the natural resources, climate change mitigation, agriculture and other sustainable sectors.
“As a small, employee-owned company, we're dedicated to making a difference by balancing our own scaling growth with equal parts of impact,” said CEO Brad Charron.
“The Pa’akai Bar exemplifies our commitment to using our business as a force for good, alongside other sustainability-minded brands, farmers, and organizations. Together, we’re striving to support communities and the planet."
Aloha’s products can be found in US grocery stores like Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Wegmans, HEB and Kroger, among others, as well as online, on Amazon and Thrive Market.
Almonds, peanuts and cashews
Famous for its Gordal olives (which enjoy cult status among chefs and foodies worldwide), Brindisa Spanish Foods has launched a range of nut snacks inspired by the snacks synonymous with bars across Spain.
The range includes:
Salted Marcona Almonds (RRP: £7.95), known as the queen of almonds are creamy in texture with a rich buttery taste and a distinctive sweet nutty flavor.
Salted Catalan Almonds (RRP: £6.95), fried for a good crunch.
Smoked Catalan Almonds (RRP: £6.95), mellow, nutty with good crunch and a cloak of smoke.
Cocktail Snack Mix (RRP: £3.00) of fried almonds, cashews, peanuts, maize kernels and toasted hazelnuts.
Available instore and online. Brindisa also has a shop and chorizo stall in London’s Borough Market, a cheese and charcuterie shop in Balham’s Hildreth Street, Cheese Caves at its Balham warehouse and seven restaurants in London.
Study:
Reducing climate change impacts from the global food system through diet shifts
Authors: Yanxian Li, Pan He, Yuli Shan, Yu Li, et al
Nat. Clim. Chang. (2024)
