2022 US herbal supplement market report: Plantago seed has become the best-selling ingredient in mainstream channels, and turmeric has returned to the top of natural channel rankings!

Recently, the American Botanical Commission released the 2022 market report on Herbal Supplements in the United States, with SPINS and Nutritional Business Journal (NBJ) providing retail sales data for this report.

01
The first decline in sales in nearly 20 years

Herbs have always been a star category in the supplement industry, and with their numerous ingredients, uses, and potential, the herbal category appears almost invincible, as evidenced by past sales data. During the period from 2018 to 2021, the sales growth rates of herbal and plant-based medicines were higher than the overall sales growth of supplements (+9.4% vs+6.1%,+8.6% vs+5.6%,+17.3% vs+14.5%,+9.7% vs+7.5%), and in 2020, their growth rates were as high as+17.3%.
However, in 2022, this seemingly invincible category encountered a Waterloo, experiencing negative growth for the first time in nearly 20 years (-1.9%). As early as 2002 and 2003, the annual sales of herbal supplements decreased by 2.8% and 2.3% respectively, but since then, sales have steadily increased.
According to NBJ, in 2022, the total retail sales of herbal Dietary supplements in the United States will be about $12.121 billion. In 2022, consumers' spending on these products will decrease by $229 million compared with the previous year. Despite a decline in sales, 2022 marks the third consecutive year in which herbal supplements have exceeded $10 billion in annual sales.
In addition to the overall decline in the supplement industry, the decline in sales of immune health products has had a significant impact on the herbal and Herbal medicine categories, as many formulas in this category focus on immune support.
However, it is gratifying to note that according to NBJ's forecast, the sales growth rate of herbal and herbal medicines will return to normal in 2023, with an expected growth rate hovering between 3.2% and 5.9% between 2023 and 2026.

02
The celebrity component of mainstream channels

1) Best selling ingredient: Plantago seed

In 2022, Cheqianzi became the best-selling herbal supplement ingredient in mainstream retail stores in the United States. In 2022, consumers spent $269 million on supplements containing plantain, an increase of 9.8% in sales compared to the previous year.
For thousands of years, Cheqianzi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic and Persian medicine to regulate blood pressure, improve constipation, diarrhea, and skin diseases. The seeds and seed coat of Plantago asiatica contain a large amount of soluble and insoluble fibers, which are also the main plant components used in commercial products.
Plantago seed is commonly used in dietary supplements to support digestion and cardiovascular health. According to SPINS data, by 2022, 69% of mainstream retail stores selling dietary supplements containing Plantago seed claim to support cardiovascular health. In addition, among the dietary supplements in the cardiovascular health category, Plantago seed is the best-selling ingredient in 2022. Digestive health is the second common health claim among mainstream channels in 2022 for Plantago seed supplements (approximately 21%).

2) The components of significant sales growth

Among the top 40 best-selling ingredients in mainstream channels in 2022, the ingredients with sales growth exceeding 20% include spirulina+123.1%, guarana+107%, maca+64.9%, dandelion+62%, beetroot+52.4%, cinnamon+41.9%, and South African eggplant+20.1%. Sales have decreased by more than 20%, including green coffee extract -39.8%, chamomile -36.7%, cannabidiol (CBD) -29.3%, apple cider vinegar -26.4%, and ginseng -23.6%.

First place: Spirulina

Among the top 40 best-selling ingredients in mainstream channels, spirulina supplements had the highest sales growth percentage in 2022, an increase of 123.1% compared to 2021. In 2022, the total sales of spirulina supplements in mainstream channels amounted to 9.44 million US dollars, becoming the 35th best-selling supplement in mainstream channels. This is also the first time in at least 10 years that spirulina supplements have appeared on the 40 best-selling ingredient list.
The most commonly used types of spirulina supplements are Spirulina platensis and Spirulina maxima, which are rich in protein and a range of nutrients, such as vitamins (B1, B2, B12, and E), minerals (iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc), linolenic acid, phenolic compounds, biological peptides and enzymes, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, etc.
Research has found that spirulina has immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and other effects. In addition, spirulina can support cardiovascular health, improve exercise performance, and lose weight.

Second place: Guarana

In 2022, mainstream sales of green coffee extract decreased by nearly 40%, but sales of another herbal supplement containing caffeine, Guarana, saw a significant increase. In 2022, sales of Guarana supplements reached $20.8 million, an increase of 107% compared to 2021. One of the reasons for the growth may be that Guarana has more health benefits besides weight loss, such as energy support and improved exercise performance. In 2022, the mainstream sales of Guarana products for energy supplementation were approximately $10.1 million, far exceeding the sales of Guarana supplements for weight loss ($4.6 million).

03
The celebrity component of natural channels

1) Best selling ingredient: turmeric

Turmeric was the best-selling ingredient in natural channels in the United States from 2013 to 2018, but due to the surge in interest in CBD, turmeric fell to second place. In 2022, although the sales of turmeric slightly decreased compared to 2021, its ranking in natural channels returned to first place. In 2018, turmeric's sales in natural channels reached a peak of over 51 million US dollars, but from 2018 to 2022, turmeric's overall sales decreased by 30%.
Turmeric is native to the South Asian tropics and its rhizomes have been used in traditional Indian medical practices (Ayurveda and Yunani) for thousands of years. In Ayurveda, turmeric is believed to improve respiratory diseases, arthritis, congestion, etc. In traditional Chinese medicine, turmeric is considered a digestive aid and a windward agent (to alleviate gastrointestinal bloating), used to improve gastrointestinal and abdominal diseases.
Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, has functions such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective. In 2022, turmeric's sales in multiple categories have decreased, including digestive and cardiovascular health support, as well as cold and flu, but sales in the cognitive health category have increased.

2) The components of significant sales growth

First place: Beet root

Since 2020, beetroot has achieved double-digit growth in sales through natural channels. In 2021 and 2022, sales increased by 41.3% and 42.8%, respectively, making it the top component in sales growth among natural channels in 2022.
Beet root contains high levels of nitrate, which can be converted into nitric oxide (NO) in the body. In the human body, NO can regulate vascular dilation, muscle contraction, and cell energy production. Supplementing NO can support cardiovascular health, improve exercise performance, and support cognitive health. In addition, beetroot also contains betaine and antioxidant pigments, which help with anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects.
SPINS data shows that in 2022, sales of beetroot in the hair, skin, and nail categories (+20578.6%), immune health categories (+1472.3%), and cognitive health categories (+276.8%) surged.
Second place: Algae (other, excluding general categories of chlorophyll/Chlorella and Spirulina)
In 2021, algae supplements (other) entered the top 40 natural channels, and in 2022, the sales of algae (other) in natural channels increased by 25.6%, totaling 5.876 million US dollars.
Algae are a vast family that can cover over one million species. Algae include green algae, red algae, and brown algae, which are rich in carotenoids, vitamins and minerals, as well as bioactive components such as Omega-3 fatty acids. These active ingredients can lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation that causes arthritis, and lower oxidative stress in the body.
In 2022, the sales growth categories of algae supplements include cardiovascular health (+68.8%), colds and flu (+15.6%), joint health (+10.2%), and eye health (+5%).