Women-led food and beverage companies are changing the way we think about the industry. Women are go-getters, they are focused and they are generally more empathetic than their male counterparts.

It is no surprise to see that the leading and emerging women-led businesses in this sector have a similar goal in mind promoting wellness and health.

From creating fighting disease to healthy post-workout snacks and more nutritious lunches for school children, they are shaping a healthier future for all.

Free from pain

Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, Jacquelyn Turner-Haury lived in pain for a long time. Existing medications suppressed symptoms but didn’t help in reducing them. She then discovered the importance of nutrition to improve health. Changing her diet and lifestyle helped her manage her condition better.

She used moringa-infused, nutrient-dense food to reduce the inflammation. This gave her the idea to start her company, Fera Moringa. Her products are designed to help people benefit from the richness of moringa.

Another who used real-life experiences to help change the way we eat includes Casa de Sante founder Onikepe Adegbola. A physician-scientist, Adegbola has introduced products that help relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

These use the low FODMAP diet formula that includes a mix of all-natural spices, sauces, salad dressings and salsas. People suffering from IBS can get the nutrition they need without having to hunt for the specific ingredients all day.

On the go

There is a rising consumer demand for healthy food. According to Grand View Research, there will be a 5.1 percent compound annual growth rate in the global healthy snack market through 2025.

For years, healthy snacking has been associated with boring and tasteless fares. Nicole Benard Dawes felt the same way. She founded Late July Snacks to mitigate this problem and create healthy and delicious snacks every member of the family can enjoy.

For those allergic to gluten, Daniella Hunter’s company, The Real Coconut, has excellent snacking options. Daniella began to create own recipes to find alternatives to store-bought snacks when she couldn’t find any to her liking.

She then launched her company to offer innovative gluten- and grain-free healthy eats for all. She debuted with Whole Foods, but her products are now available on Amazon as well.

Rachel Geicke and Mariana Ferreira felt that ice-cream cravings ended up with guilt and unhealthy effects at the same time. They came up with Snow Monkey, a brand that has established itself as a superfood ice treat.

It offers healthy alternatives to ice cream with seeds and fruits, but features the same deliciousness. Women’s Health called the brand one of the best dairy-free ice creams in 2016.

Daily nutrition

Courtney Boyd Myers came up with the idea of AKUA kelp jerky, which feeds the demand for kelp in the consumer market. Products like this help transform the damaging techniques of animal farming to a sustainable form of ocean farming.

Darby Jackson believed that there wasn’t a protein product that addressed the need of the post-workout regime. Along with Sonny McCracken, she founded Apres, which offers clean and convenient post-workout snacks.

9-to-5 jobs often give rise to obesity and related health issues. Rachel Drori found it hard to stick to a healthy lifestyle as a busy sales executive. She started making smoothies that offered her a right balance of nutrition on the run. She launched Daily Harvest, which offers healthier food options like pre-made smoothies, harvest bowls, superfood rich soups, chia parfaits, sundaes, overnight oats, and lattes.

We know the benefits of water for weight loss and good health. Women@Forbes contributor Kara Goldin wanted to stop drinking Diet Coke. But for her, plain water was too boring.

She began to add sliced fruits to every glass of water. This added a hint of flavor and thus her company, Hint, was launched. The brand offers 22 different flavors of flavored water with no added sweeteners and preservatives.

Women helping kids

Ex-educators Kristin Groos Richmond and Kirsten Saenz Tobey have the first-hand experience of the lack of nutrition in school lunches. They found that daily intake of such foods affected not just health but a child’s ability to learn.

They founded Revolution Foods, which serves healthy food to schools. The meals are made from high-quality natural ingredients without any artificial ingredients in them.