The world we live in is changing, but that should come as no surprise. We are a species conditioned by our experiences, and those experiences shape and create our future expectations. Before the dramatic rise of cell phones in the early 2000’s many didn’t see the benefit of being able to make phone calls from nearly anywhere. Now 20 years later, forgetting your phone at home would not only prevent you from requesting a ride service to your date, but would also stop you from viewing the menu even if you did make it to the restaurant.
What we’re left with is an absurd expectation of convenience and promptness in nearly every aspect of our lives. Although some may believe these assumptions would only be limited to areas of our life regarding technology, they would unfortunately be mistaken. The emergence of distribution giants promising 2-day shipping was only the beginning. We need our new cars delivered directly to us, and in a timely manner. We still require fast-food (obviously), but now we need someone else to pick it up and deliver it to us. Speaking of food, it also seems we no longer have the time or patience to prepare and chew our vegetables.
The dietary supplement industry, recognizing this demand by consumers, has done their best to make healthier options just as quick and convenient. For example, those unable to cook and eat a healthy lunch were provided with a meal replacement, only requiring water and a container to mix it in. However it seems now even that simple form of preparation is too time consuming, and the industry responded again by labeling their newest products as “on-the-go.”
From protein shakes to energy drinks, supplements that were “ready to drink” quickly rose to the top of sales charts and the forefront of shelves. Over time this list has continued to grow, but we’ve yet to see one category of supplement make the transition. Greens, although growing in popularity, still exist in their original powder form. Designed to help meet vegetable intake requirements, these supplements can include dried or powdered forms of spinach, kale, beets, acai berries, and even natural sources of probiotics and fiber. The broad spectrum of ingredients suggests regular usage could lead to increases in immune function, anti-inflammatory actions, better energy levels and possibly even detoxification.
It’s no surprise that supplements like this are a hit, given the current circumstances the world is facing. Now more than ever we’re experiencing a heightened focus on our own immune systems and what we can do to keep them functioning optimally. All the more reason to ask why greens have not experienced the same transformation that we’ve already witnessed with things like protein and energy supplements. The answer lies in the intended purpose of the product.
Greens were designed to be in a category of their own. They were produced to make consumers feel good physically and feel good about what they are putting in their body. It would simply be counterproductive to introduce this type of dietary supplement in the desired form because it would then require additives like preservatives in order to maintain shelf stability.
There is still hope though, for those of us that don’t want to eat our broccoli. Our innovative development in the world of packaging may open new doors to what is possible “on-the-go”. At Go Mix, we’ve patented a unique spout-pouch with the intention of introducing true nutrition without limitation. Our technology allows supplement brands to reintroduce their most popular products to the market in a single serving delivery system in powder form, in order to avoid unwanted preservatives. It won’t be long before we’re taking greens where they’ve never gone before!
It seems impossible to imagine a world 20 years from now, where forgetting your greens at home will carry the same repercussions as forgetting your phone does today. That’s the silver lining in our insanely high expectations though. Parents may not like the amount of screen time their children are getting now, but we don’t know what amazing advancement those same children will be responsible for one day. Although it seems our vast supply of tools and resources are conditioning us to be lazier and more impatient, perhaps that means we can also condition ourselves to take a greater interest in our health and the quality of what we consume.