Nutrient density is a concept that is rapidly gaining importance in the health and wellness market, helping to drive innovation in the food and beverage segment. It represents the relationship between weight, number of calories and concentration of nutrients in a product.

In addition to the already known benefits of a healthier diet, such as weight reduction and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, the movement is gaining extra strength as new research emerges related to intestinal health, highlighting the connection between the digestive system and the brain, and the benefits of individualized diets, tailored to each person.

It's easier to understand the concept with an example. In 100g of sweet potato there are basically the same amount of calories as in 100g of white bread (around 90 kcal). However, from a nutritional point of view, the difference between the products is great.

While sweet potatoes provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, white bread has fewer nutrients and can cause glucose spikes due to its high glycemic index - similar logic applies to comparisons between various other foods, such as avocado and processed snacks, almonds and milk chocolate.

It's a reckoning that consumers are increasingly willing to make. And as awareness grows, so does government scrutiny of companies and the demand for more nutrient-dense products, especially in segments such as teas, juices and plant proteins, as shown by a study by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) shows.

The concern is visible in supermarket retailers and restaurants specializing in healthy food. You only have to look at how often you see consumers reading the nutritional tables of products while shopping. Or how customers ask to visit the kitchen to find out more about the ingredients used when they go out to eat.

Curiosity about the products used has become commonplace in the restaurants of the Néctar chain, Frutaria São Paulo and Empório Frutaria, of which Moriah is a partner. None of them use ultra-processed vegetable oils. Only olive oil.

At the state level in Brazil, this concern for quality and public health is behind the National Health Surveillance Agency's (Anvisa) new rules for food labeling, which came into force just over two years ago. As a result, foods high in sodium, saturated fat and sugar now carry a warning label with a magnifying glass.

The market, here and around the world, has responded by launching functional foods and drinks with verified nutritional density and higher levels of antioxidants, polyphenols and essential minerals, as the GWI survey points out.

It also began to present its production chain more transparently and to demonstrate its commitment to regenerative organic farming practices, which have a direct impact on the nutritional density of raw materials and the environment.

American company Stonyfield, for example, known for its organic Greek yogurt with a high protein content (16g per serving), displays the Non-GMO Project seal on its products, which indicates that it does not use genetically modified ingredients. The milk used in production is whole, from pasture-raised cows.

RXBAR, which today belongs to Insurgent Brands LLC, a subsidiary of Kellanova, quickly gained visibility with protein bars made only with natural ingredients, such as egg whites, nuts and dates, and by highlighting the composition on the packaging. Founded in 2013 by two friends who sold the products directly to crossfit gyms, it passed into the hands of Kellogg's in 2016 for US$600 million.

Huel, of English origin, has become a company with annual revenues of 214 million pounds a year, selling the concept of complete and convenient nutrition. Each of its instant products, made from vegetables such as oats, peas, rice, linseed, coconut and sunflower, contains all the vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber and phytonutrients essential for anyone, in a balanced way.

These are examples that reflect a greater dynamism in the market, which is increasingly waking up to health and wellness trends, both here and abroad. Currently, concern about nutritional density is a key differentiating factor. But in a few years, it should become commonplace. The time to invest to get ahead is now.

* Fabiano Zettel is the founder of Moriah Asset, the first investment vehicle in Brazil to focus exclusively on health and wellness companies.‍

** Originally published on the IstoÉ website.