natural products expo east

Don't trust everything labeled "natural." Do your homework, and patronize companies dedicated to protecting the environment and bringing you safe products.

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RODALE NEWS, BOSTON, MA—You never know what you're going to see, eat, or smell when you come to Natural Products Expo East, a mash-up of food, drink, beauty, cleaning, clothing, and supplements merchandise that will eventually show up on store shelves near you. Though the event's not open to the public, Rodale.com was allowed inside the three-day show for a sneak peek at some of the newest and most exciting products emerging in the natural- and organic-products market. Yesterday things kicked off with a visit to the home of Garden Girl Patti Moreno, which offered plenty of inspiration for anyone wanting to create a natural environment in a small space. Today we take our first look at the show's huge trade floor, and the hundreds of products fighting for attention.

THE DETAILS: The trade show—the largest of its kind on the East Coast—kicked off Thursday and will run through Saturday in Boston. Although the final numbers aren't yet available, organizers anticipate about 1,000 exhibitors and 22,000 attendees, down just slightly from last year's show. It's ranked as one of the top 200 tradeshows in the country by TradeShow Week magazine.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: New natural or organic products are popping up every day, and for someone trying to buy the healthiest products possible, it can get kind of confusing. According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. sales of organic food and beverages grew from $1 billion in 1990 to more than $23 billion in 2008. The market is exploding, and companies are trying to tap into that, even if their products aren't so green.