Hemp Milk and Other Foods of the Future

I'm very curious about hemp milk.

I hadn't heard of the stuff until I read about it on Epicurious.com's Daily Dish site, because it was a standout at the Natural Products Expo West held earlier this week in Los Angeles.

Seems that hemp milk -- which is made from hemp nuts -- could be poised to replace soy milk in the lattes of the future. I'm not sure it will ever replace the half-and-half that I prefer in my coffee, but I can't wait to try it.

There were several other healthy foodstuffs that got some attention. Anyone with a sweet tooth will be happy to hear about organic hard candies, which come in flavors like goji berry, ginger, pomegranate, and Key lime. They are sweetened with brown rice syrup and cane juice, and get their pretty colors from beet juice, turmeric, and annatto.

Goji berries -- touted as the latest miracle fruit -- also turn up in dark chocolate bars. The super-dark, super-fruit bars, which are already at a very antioxidant friendly 85 percent cocoa, now incorporate goji berries and acai to pack an extra health punch.

Fruit and vegetable chips also got some buzz. Apparently these are a step up from what's currently available, thanks to advanced vacuum and dehydration technologies that preserve their flavor and texture. I can't really see myself munching on a bag of strawberry chips, but "vacuum-fried" pumpkin chips sound kind of yummy.

And tapioca syrup -- billed as this year's agave syrup -- seems to be the latest way to sweeten your cookies and cakes. It's being touted as a healthier alternative to high-fructose corn syrup.

Overall, though, the variety and innovation at the show reflects our growing interest in natural products. Of course, purists (and those of us who sometimes pretend to be purists) might point out that healthy candy is an oxymoron.

As a lifelong fan of sour candies, I can't wait to get my hands on flavors like Key lime and pomegranate.