First, they note, people tend to consume hot drinks from habit, leading to no real change in staple categories like hot coffee and black tea.

But there is a growing trend of individuals enjoying hot coffee specialties and hot teas weekly. For example, FMCG Gurus’ consumer insights found that 32% of global consumers drink hot specialty coffees weekly, and that 30% of global consumers drink hot black tea weekly. They write that “This shift can be attributed to consumers seeking affordable indulgence as escapism during uncertain times. This is also accompanied by visiting food service outlets more often compared to the pandemic period.”

Green tea is gaining popularity, reflecting the increasing relevance of “better for you” products.

One factor currently affecting global consumption is the economy and availability of disposable income, the increasing price inflation is putting a damper on indulgences. Consumers are limiting their expenditures on non-essential products but consider their health and well-being as an area where they are not willing to compromise if they don’t’ have to. In tandem, consumers are looking at indulgences as a way of escapism. This mindset – health and curated escapism is impacting hot coffee and hot chocolate specialties.

“As a result, brands should emphasize affordable indulgence and promote hot drinks as a means of escapism and self-care,” FMCG Gurus advised. 

Authenticity is becoming increasingly important as consumers are reserving trust and feel limited in energy trying to sort through layers of hype and obfuscation. This relates to infusing hot beverages with botanical nutraceuticals as these ingredients hold sway over health-conscious consumers: the report finds that 42% of global consumers say that herbal ingredients are motivating factors to increase consumption of hot beverages. This influence, they write, consumers associate botanicals with environmental responsibility, and also their prioritizing of wellness attributes as part of what they eat and drink.

A shared concern for which global consumers seek botanical help is battling insomnia and poor sleep. FMCG Gurus’ market research indicates that 63% of consumers who are likely to purchase beverages with botanicals/botanical flavors believe they help to improve sleep health.

“The association with supporting physical and emotional well-being will resonate with consumers and shape their perceptions of value,” they write. “This is important during a time when they strive to maintain fitness levels for as long as possible. This is especially pertinent as consumers express concerns about the impact of elevated stress and anxiety on their mood, sleep patterns, and long-term health.”

For information how to order this report, click here. For information on formulating functional hot beverages with nutraceutical and herbal ingredients, contact us.

TWEET:  All across the globe, people love their hot beverages. And according to new research from FMCG Gurus, there are trends shaping this market. Among those trends is the desire for botanical infusion for health attributes. #cactusbotanics, #functionalteas, #coffee

Researchers Muse About the Link Between Sleep and Osteoporosis

We all know how important obtaining a decent night’s sleep is on a regular basis. Lack of sleep has been linked to a host of health issues and impairments.

Now, researchers are exploring the possible link between poor sleep and the risk of osteoporosis development.

In people's early- to mid-20s, they reach peak bone mineral density, which is higher for men than it is for women. This peak is one of the main determinants of fracture risk later in life. After reaching this peak, a person's bone density remains roughly stable for a couple of decades. Then, when women enter the menopausal transition, they experience accelerated bone loss. Men also experience bone density decline as they age. Sleep patterns also evolve over time.

As part of the University of Colorado Department of Medicine's annual Research Day, held on April 23, faculty member Christine Swanson, MD, MCR, described her National Institutes of Health-funded clinical research on whether adequate sleep can help prevent osteoporosis.

"Osteoporosis can occur for many reasons such as hormonal changes, aging, and lifestyle factors," said Swanson, an associate professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes. "But some patients I see don't have an explanation for their osteoporosis. Therefore, it's important to look for novel risk factors and consider what else changes across the lifespan like bone does -- sleep is one of those.”

To further understand this relationship, Swanson and colleagues researched how markers of bone turnover responded to cumulative sleep restriction and circadian disruption.

For this study, participants lived in a completely controlled inpatient environment. The participants did not know what time it was, and they were put on a 28-hour schedule instead of a 24-hour day.

"This circadian disruption is designed to simulate the stresses endured during rotating night shift work and is roughly equivalent to flying four time zones west every day for three weeks," she said. "The protocol also caused participants to get less sleep."

The research team measured bone turnover markers at the beginning and end of this intervention and found significant detrimental changes in bone turnover in both men and women in response to the sleep and circadian disruption. The detrimental changes included declines in markers of bone formation that were significantly greater in younger individuals in both sexes compared to the older individuals.

In addition, young women showed significant increases in the bone resorption marker.

If a person is forming less bone while still resorbing the same amount -- or even more -- then, over time, that could lead to bone loss, osteoporosis, and increased fracture risk, Swanson said. "And sex and age may play an important role, with younger women potentially being the most susceptible to the detrimental impact of poor sleep on bone health," she said.

TWEET:  We know that impaired sleep wreaks havoc on well-being and can put is at greater risk of ill health down the line. New research posits that persistent lack of sleep quality can lead to the development of osteoporosis. #cactusbotanics, #naturalsleep, #osteoporosisprevention, #healthysleep