Each year, Natural Grocers' Nutrition Education team collaborates with our purchasing and analytics teams to investigate rising and shifting trends in the world of natural health, wellness, and sustainability. These are our predictions for 2026.

Merry, happy, lovely holidays, everyone!

Thank you for joining us on this festive adventure we call Holly Deals! We hope you’ve had as much fun in these pages as the good4u^SM gang had crafting them. Now, a holiday wish from our family to yours!

The holidays are upon us, which means lots of overindulging—in heavy foods, sugary foods, and alcohol. So, as the year turns, people start thinking about a big detox or “cleanse” to try and undo the last few months of excess. A lot of us only think about detoxing in the new year, in the spring (“spring cleanse”), after an overindulgent weekend or vacation, or simply to lose weight.

Aging is a fact of life. Aging with cognitive decline doesn’t have to be. It’s true that genetics can play a role in cognitive decline, memory loss, and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease,¹ but what’s becoming increasingly clear is the role that nutrition—particularly the balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids we consume—plays in how well, or unwell, our brains age.

Calling all bread bakers! All cake and cookie makers! Tis the season for baking and indulging with loved ones, which calls for a few choice ingredients to make it even more scrumptious. And if there was just one basic ingredient to bring the magic to life, it would be organic flour.

You care about your footprint on the planet. You buy sustainably produced food, recycle, conserve energy at home, and keep your showers short. But how long has it been since you’ve asked ChatGPT a question? Because with billions of daily interactions, AI is racking up an enormous environmental footprint.¹

Milk Thistle Extract Shows Promise for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune conditions, affecting joint function and mobility. Conventional treatment typically involves anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs, which can be costly and come with unwanted side effects.

A Thanksgiving Toast

Happy November everyone! It’s the season when all roads lead to the most serious meal of the year, and we think it deserves a toast.

Milk thistle is an herb with history. For more than 2,000 years, humans have turned to milk thistle (Silybum marianum) for its healing effects, with its first use dating back to ancient Greece, where it was reportedly used as a liver tonic and as a treatment for snake bites and mushroom poisoning.

The human brain is a biological wonder. It’s what makes us distinctly human and allows us to, well, do every single thing that we do. But as much of a marvel as our brains are, sometimes they need a boost. Enter nootropics (noh-uh-trop-icks), substances that support healthy brain function. Do you enjoy a daily cup of coffee, or green or black tea?

When genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were first introduced in the mid-90s, they were marketed with a host of promises, from helping farmers deal with weeds and pests, to solving world hunger. Yet in the past 30 years, GMOs have raised more questions and concerns than solutions.