Will We See Supplements like CBD in Restaurant Foods?

Photo by Angel Sinigersky on Unsplash

Will we see supplements like CBD in restaurant foods?

At first blush, this question may seem to be a little alarming.

Supplements in our restaurant takeout?

Aren’t the supplements usually in medicine cabinets and not in food?

Actually, no.

These days supplements are showing up in a lot of places.  Not just the medicine cabinets.  So, it's probably worthwhile at least to keep our eye out for the trends.

For example, you’ve probably noticed the gummy candies which are promoted to boost our immune system. Do they really do that?

It is hard to say. Some of the claims about the intended outcomes of supplements can be controversial, but even so, the market for supplements is moving in a  positive direction.

One research report suggests that the market for global dietary supplements is expected to “expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6% from 2021 to 2028.”  

Why?  The article points out that now consumers are more aware of their health and wellbeing and that this is what is driving the trend.  People want to eat well.  And they are looking for “high convenience,” to meet these healthy dietary needs. And so as long as they think the supplements will help their health, they appear to all in. (Remember, also, the nutrition-hacking trend?)

The market is responding to this health food focus.  We see supplements showing up in more of our food items. 

Items like gummies.

And soft drinks.

And in our takeout smoothies.

So, it seems reasonable to assume that someone is probably thinking about where it might make sense in restaurants too. At least one supplement has already been added to cheeseburgers as an experiment.

Which supplement? CBD.

Carl’s Junior experimented with a cheeseburger like this.

According to Harvard Health, CBD is derived directly from the hemp plant and so it is a cousin of marijuana but “‘in humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.” 

CBD appears to be growing in popularity as a supplement as it boasts several possible benefits such as a reduction in anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain (such as arthritis), and addiction. 

At the same time, it is growing in popularity, its effects continue to be tested. So far it seems to be “‘pretty safe,’”although the FDA has also cited some companies for making false claims about its benefits, too.

Will we be eating supplements in our restaurant food soon? CBD in ice cream? Wings? 

It's hard to say exactly where supplements might show up in the future.

But at least it's a trend for us to watch out for and to stay educated about.

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Shannon Mullen O’Keefe and Mark A. Irwin contributed to this article.