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Our editors scoured the aisles at last month’s Natural Products Expo East to pinpoint the latest emerging and expanding trends in the natural and organic industry. Here are a few categories that caught their eye.

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Food made with hemp is not a new concept. Eight thousand years ago, the Chinese were eating hemp seed and Asians and Europeans are still eating hemp in the present day. Until recently, the biggest challenge consuming the marketing of hemp foods in America has been debunking the many myths that surround them. But at the expo, it was hemp’s day to shine. So while you can’t get high from eating hemp foods, you can reap nutritional benefits from the diverse hemp food products and recipes we discovered. Manufacturers are incorporating hemp into everything from hemp nut butters to hemp bars to hemp salsas.

A favorable 2004 court decision ended a two-year legal struggle by ruling that hemp foods are legal because they do not contain THC, the drug found in marijuana, a distant cousin to hemp. Hemp is gaining more and more recognition from nutritional experts due its high concentration of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), as well as complete protein and fiber. No other plant source, not even the soybean, compares to hemp in its range and balance of nutritional benefits. Hemp’s emerald green oil and sesame-like seeds have a nutty flavor profile and can be used for cooking and baking, as well as a nutritional addition to pasta, veggies, sauces, dips, and smoothies.

Ruth’s Hemp Foods showed off their extensive line of hemp products. Among them are Ruth’s HempPower Bars, Roasted Hemp Salsa, and Hemp Tortilla Chips; vegetarian Garden Vegetable and Smoky Mushroom Omega Burgers; Hemp Protein Powder; and Balsamic Hemp and Honey Mustard Salad Dressings. More hemp goodies came from Manitoba Harvest’s line of specialty hemp foods and oils: Hemp Seed Nut Butter, Hemp Seed Nut (shelled hemp seed), and freshly cold-pressed Hemp Seed Oil. Living Harvest debuted three new flavored hemp protein blends, including Chocolate Chili, Vanilla Spice, and Mixed Berry blends, while the assorted hemp nut/almond/fruit bars from Gertrude & Bronner’s Magic Alpsnack rounded out the tasty standouts.

While the future of hemp foods looks bright, another trend gaining ground was the Yerba Maté craze. Touted as a healthy coffee alternative, the traditional South American staple boosts both energy and metabolism. Although its caffeine content is similar to coffee, maté produces alertness rather than the jittery feeling often associated with coffee. Standouts at the show included the new range of organic Maté Latte Concentrates from Pixie Maté and the new iced Organic Energy Drinks from Guayakí Yerba Mate. Another beverage trend we discovered was Acaí Juice (pronounced ah-sci-ee) made from Acaí berries from the Amazon. This potent fruit is known to pack more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates and was seen in Bossa Nova’s Mango, Original, and Passionfruit Acaí Juices, and also in Zola Acaí’s Brazilian Berry Power Juice.