Health by colours, essentially basing the health properties of a product on the colour of its ingredients, is a trend that first started in Asia and has now appeared sporadically in the West, mainly in beverages and soups.

A latest example of the trend can be seen in a new energy bar in the UK from Nature's Plus. Called Red Lightning Bar, it is made with over 30 red whole food concentrates and said to be power packed with amazing health-enhancing nutrition. It also contains all natural vitamins and minerals, probiotics, amino acids, enzymes and phytonutrients and boasts as much fiber as two bowls of salad.

The main 'red' ingredients are in fact well-known exotic superfoods, including pomegranate, noni, mangosteen, acai, and goji - a primary source of the bar's antioxidant properties.

With consumers increasingly looking for food that contains natural health properties and nutrients to complete their not-always balanced diets, the energy bar format is ideal for this, as it is very practical and portable, whilst full of nutrition.

Also available is Lutein Bar, available in Chocolate Berry Crunch flavour, that can be taken as a power-packed snack or even a meal replacement and contains more than 50 whole food concentrates and extracts, including fruits, vegetables, marine algae, and herbs, as well as mega-potencies of vitamin C, vitamin E, and five B-vitamins. This life-enhancing bar features neuronutrients, including lecithin and standardized ginkgo biloba.