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Zendulgence Hemp Gelato
Have your gelato and eat it too with this functional frozen delight made with organic hempseeds that deliver 600 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per serving. Sweetened with agave, there's no need to worry of a sugar crash after finishing an entire pint.
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Cullinary Collective Kañiwa
Will Kañiwa catch on in 2012? It certainly caught our attention this year. The gluten-free grain is smaller than quinoa, but according to the Culinary Collective, which imports Kañiwa from Peru, offers even more protein per serving. As a flour, the versatile seed makes a mean bread and can be used to thicken soups.
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Brooklyn Salsa Company
What could they know about salsa in Brooklyn? We learned apparently, plenty. Made with primarily organic ingredients from small, New York–based farms, Brooklyn Salsa Company salsa blends represent each of New York City's six boroughs. Our favorites? Queens, a medium-hot tropical salsa made with coconut milk, and The Bronx, an Indian-inspired salsa with eggplant and curry powder.
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Orgain Kids
What's one easy way for parents to sneak more fruits and vegetables into their kids' diets? Hide them in the foods they love. Orgain Healthy Kids tastes just like and has the consistency of chocolate or vanilla milk, but is made with ten different fruits, veggies and complex carbohydrates to offer 25 essential vitamins and minerals plus eight grams of protein per serving. Another bonus? It's gluten free.
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Bien Good Organic Enchilada Sauce
Mama Jess is at it again, this time with a tasty enchilada sauce that—bonus—also works wonders on pasta. It's packed with legumes (for protein conscious vegans) and sweet potatoes.
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Q Ginger
Q Ginger's sophisticated packaging underscores the beverage's decidedly grown up flavor. No Boston Cooler's here. Made with ginger, coriander, cardamom, rose oil, cayenne and orange peel, this fizzy ale delivers depth, complexity and real ginger bite.
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Brad's Raw Leafy Kale
What's not too love about these kale chips? Flavor? Check. Nutrition? Check. A killer story? Absolutely. Brad Gruno decided to go raw to help him shed some pounds. He made dehydrated kale chips to satisfy his need for a salty crunchy snack and eventually began selling them at local health food stores in Bucks County, Pa. While his business has grown, he still sources most of his ingredients locally.
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Nawgan
A beverage that truly makes you smarter? We thought it was too good to be true as well until we did research on this functional energy beverage. Scientifically backed choline (95.5 mg per can), 3 mg of lycopene and 50 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin E support cognitive function when consumed over time. Bottoms up!
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Saffron Road Lamb Saag
These frozen entrees from Saffron Road deliciously answer the need for more Halal-certified foods in the U.S. market. Available in chicken tikka masala, lamb saag, chicken biryani and lamb vindaloo, the meals are made with Certified Humane meat that's raised without antibiotics.
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KeVita
This product helped kombucha prove it’s here to stay. Kevita uses a proprietary kefir-derived culture, which the company guarantees at 20 billion during bottling. The newest flavors are made with coconut water for added electrolytes.
This year, our editors ate their way through two Natural Products Expos and two Fancy Foods shows hunting for their favorite products. Here are the best of the best: 10 hot items that stood out for innovation, quality standards and flavor.





