Colombian-born reggaeton artist J. Balvin has always been candid about his mental health struggles, so he decided to create the bilingual mental health app Oye. With the help of co-founders Mario Chamorro and Patrick Dowd, Balvin wanted an app that brought healing and transformed the way mental health is discussed within the Latinx community. Oye, which translates to “listen” in Spanish, offers emotional check-ins, personal goal-setting, mindful notifications, creative wellness videos and more.
Besides being a bilingual mental health app, Oye aspires to connect users to their full potential through creative wellness. Therefore, it prioritizes mind-body practices to turn emotions into creative actions. Latin-American psychologist Carlos López and Mexican wellness leader and mind-body connection expert Mari Sierra are co-chairs of the app’s wellness council.
Oye can be downloaded on the Apple app store or Google Play in both Spanish and English. There are free trial periods included for new users. Subscriptions start at $4.99/month and up.
If you’ve walked the snack aisles of Whole Foods, Target or other big chain supermarkets, chances are you’ve seen Siete Foods. Siete Foods was created by Mexican-American Veronica Garza, who is also the co-founder and president of the brand.
Garza’s story begins with an auto-immune condition she was diagnosed with when she was a teenager. Her seven family members (Siete is “seven” in Spanish) supported her and even adopted healthy lifestyles of their own. During this time, she modified Mexican dishes to fit a low-inflammation elimination diet but didn’t want to sacrifice flavor. As a result, she came up with a grain-free tortilla that was grandma-approved and this led to the creation of other products inspired by Garza’s Mexican-American heritage.
Siete Foods has everything from almond flour tortillas, grain-free tortilla chips, grain-free taco shells, seasonings, sauces, canned beans and even grain-free cookies (you have to try the Mexican Wedding flavor). Prices vary per product, but you’re guaranteed to receive an item full of flavor that will have you coming back for more.
There are plenty of protein powders on the market, but not many that can call themselves Latin-owned. Mikuna is a plant-based protein powder created by Ecuadorian farmer and former professional athlete Ricky Echanique. While he was living in California, he started developing digestive issues and decided to turn to his roots to help improve his symptoms. In Ecuador, he came across chocho, an ancient Andean legume that has been grown and used by indigenous farmers for thousands of years. It only grows in the Andean mountains and is typically used as a “cover crop” or a crop grown to cover soil and keep it healthy and balanced. In this case, chocho is considered an Andean “super protein” that is full of fiber, minerals, protein, calcium and iron.
Chocho is also lectin-free, which means it’s easy to digest, especially if you have a lectin sensitivity. Lectin is the protein that binds to carbohydrates and can cause digestive issues like gas, diarrhea and nausea in some individuals and interfere with mineral absorption. Mikuna protein powder consists of 20 grams of protein, is vegan, paleo and keto-friendly and has a low-glycemic index with some of the flavors only using monk fruit as sweetener.
You can purchase a 1.8-pound bag for $60 and it comes in several flavors: Cacao Chocho protein powder, Pure Chocho protein powder, Vanilla Chocho and the latest flavor is Cinnamon Horchata.
You can’t cook a savory meal without seasonings or spices. Loisa, a brand known for its organic seasoning blends, spices and cooking sauces brings all the Latin flavors to your meals. It was created by Kenny Luna, who is Dominican and Peruvian-American, and Scott Hattis, who doesn’t have Latin roots but was inspired by his wife’s Dominican heritage. Yadira Garcia, a Dominican-American community chef, food activist and educator, is also the owner of the brand. Together, they teamed up to create a healthier sazón (seasoning), adobo and sofrito free of artificial ingredients.
I’ve used Loisa seasonings in my own cooking and have enjoyed how they can be used for all kinds of meat, vegetables and rice. Besides bringing an abundance of flavors to your meals, Loisa also likes to give back to the community and, each month, donates 2% of its sales to an organization fighting food insecurities.
“While Loisa is inspired by family, culture and community, we created a brand that is rooted in inclusivity and accessibility for all,” chef Garcia tells CNET. She adds that Loisa’s ability to elevate many dishes is in itself a universal love language. If you’re looking to try the various seasonings and products Loisa has to offer, you can purchase them online, at select supermarkets, Sprouts Farmers Market and most recently, Whole Foods. You can also use the store locator to find a shop that sells them in your area.
Additionally, the Loisa website sells its own merchandise, kitchenware, gift sets and more.
Brazi Bites was created by Junea Rocha and her husband Cameron MacMullin. Rocha is Brazilian and when she moved to the United States missed a traditional Brazilian specialty known as pão de queijo, a small bun-like cheese bread. She decided to create a version of the Brazilian cheese bread using her mother’s recipe. After lots of trial and error, she came up with a gluten-free version of the popular cheese bread and even appeared on Shark Tank with her husband, promoting their brand.
Brazi Bites sells Brazilian-inspired cheese bread along with other gluten-free items like empanadas, waffles and pizza snacks frozen for your convenience. Brazi Bites can be ordered online or found in your grocery store’s frozen food aisle.
Hedley and Bennett was created by Ellen Marie Bennett, an American cook with Mexican roots on her mother’s side. After living in Mexico when she was 18 and attending culinary school, Bennett started working in kitchens in Los Angeles. During this time, she noticed the poor quality of the aprons she and the staff were using and decided to come up with an apron that could handle the intensity of working in a kitchen. She designed a professional-grade apron and other kitchen gear that chefs and home cooks alike could use.
Not only are Hedley and Bennett aprons heavy duty, but they also come in a variety of colors and styles — including for children. Some unique collaboration aprons on the website include Sesame Street, Peanuts, NFL and Disney collections, to name a few.
Other products you’ll find on the Hedley and Bennett website include linens like kitchen towels, pot holders and oven mitts. There’s even a section for chef gear (if you work in a professional kitchen) and knives.
CookUnity was co-founded by Argentinian-born Mateo Marietti after he noticed what was missing in the meal delivery market were ready-made meals that were made from high-quality, farm-to-table ingredients. Marietti tells Forbes that he knew people desired to know more about where their food is coming from and who is preparing it. CookUnity does just that by connecting them to top chefs (celebrity chefs included) who handcraft their meals and customize them to the customer’s dietary needs.
In order to sign up for CookUnity, download the app on your smartphone. To set up your meal delivery, you have to choose a meal plan that gives you the option to pick from a menu of four to 16 meals a week. If you have dietary restrictions or preferences, you can also include that when you set up your profile. The small-batch meals come in sustainable and reusable packaging.
Prices will vary per area and how many meals you order. To give you an example, I input my information and for my first order of eight meals a week (which is the most popular pick), it comes out to $5.85 per meal for a total of $46.76 for the first week with a 50% off promo code. After that, it’s 10% off each order, which brings it up to $84.17 a week. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with meal prepping at home and want healthier options, CookUnity can be a great option.
Babba Rivera is the creator of Ceremonia, a clean hair care line that uses natural ingredients from Latin America. The brand aims to promote hair rituals as a form of self-care while celebrating the richness of Latinx culture. Rivera was born in Chile but raised most of her life in Sweden, where she found herself underrepresented as the lone Latina — especially in the beauty space. After moving to the United States and joining the tech industry, Rivera reconnected with her Latinx heritage and sought to create a product that targeted this underserved demographic.
Rivera told Latina that after seeing how the Latinx community spends 46% more on hair care than any other demographic but remains underrepresented, she knew something had to change. As a result, Ceremonia was born. The Ceremonia hair care line has bestsellers like Aceite de Moska (a scalp oil), Mascarilla de Guava (guava hair mask), Papaya Scalp Scrub and many others. It offers hair care products specific to different hair types, travel kits, accessories and bundles if you’re a frequent buyer and want to save money.
You can purchase Ceremonia online or at a beauty store like Sephora. You can also check out other locations near you using Ceremonia’s store locator.
Nopalera was created by Sandra Velasquez, who wanted to come up with a product that celebrated her Mexican heritage. Nopalera is a hair and skincare line that is made out of oils from the nopal cactus fruit seeds. The packaging for this product is also low waste since most of the shampoos, conditioners and lotions are all in the shape of solid bars.
Nopalera’s products are known to gently exfoliate and moisturize so you aren’t compromising your skin’s health. Some of the brand’s bestsellers include the Cactus Flower exfoliant, Flor de Mayo Botanical Lotion bar, and the Balance + Repair Duo, which consists of a shampoo and conditioner bar.
Nopalera can be purchased online or at Free People, Nordstrom or Credo Beauty.
If you’re a tequila lover, Hiatus Tequila is a good option to try. The tequila was created by Kristopher DeSoto, a Cuban American who spent about eight years in Mexico getting to know the culture and tasting its tequila. Upon returning to the States, he realized that most of the tequila sold in the United States was not comparable to authentic Mexican tequila, so he decided to change that. As a result, Hiatus Tequila was born.
Hiatus Tequila is made from 100% blue Weber agave that takes eight years to ripen. The brand sells three types of tequila: Hiatus Tequila Blanco, Hiatus Tequila Reposado and Hiatus Tequila Añejo. You can also purchase them as a trio or duo.
Latin culture is well known for its remedios (remedies), and Anima Mudi puts its apothecary at your fingertips. It was founded by Costa Rican Adriana Ayales, who was looking for a way to connect ancient Indigenous remedies with the modern world by developing high-quality botanical extract powders, tinctures, elixirs, teas and more. These herbs are sourced from small, ethical farms in places like North, Central and South America, India and Thailand.
Some standout items sold on the site include Rose Water Beauty Myst, made from the Bulgarian Rose Valley. Others, like the HEAL-ALL Arnica Relief Balm, contain arnica and skin-healing calendula to help tired muscles. You can browse the site and get inspired by the different and unique remedies available to help your ailments.
If you love the flavors of Mexican food then you’ll want to check out Somos. The brand was co-founded by Mexican-American friends Miguel Leal, Daniel Lubetzky and Rodrigo Zuloaga. It was created with authentic Mexican flavors in mind so you can cook a flavorful meals in under 10 minutes. Somos has salsas, sauces, chili crisp, beans and much more. Somos salsa macha (Mexican Chili Crisp) is a fan-favorite because you can put it on any of your meals. You can find at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods and your local Publix.
If you’re sober-curious and experimenting with non-alcoholic drinks, this is for you. Casa Lumbre is a Mexican spirits brand that has created its first non-alcoholic tequila, Almave. Casa Lumbre’s master distiller, Iván Saldaña, created the formula meant to appeal to those who enjoy tequila — but who don’t want the hangover. Even though this alternative lacks alcohol, he wanted to make sure that it stayed true to the methods used in making traditional tequila so anyone could enjoy it. Almave can be found at your local liquor store or you can use the store locator to find your closest retailer.
Traditional Mexican beverage agua fresca consists of fruits, lime juice, water, herbs and agave sweetener. Bawi is a revamped agua fresca with less sugar and was created by Co-founder Victor Guardiola and his college friend, Jordan Hicks. Bawi comes in a can in three different flavors like Limón (lime), Maracuyá (passion fruit), and Piña (pineapple). The beverage was inspired by Guardiola’s Mexican roots and because he wanted to put out a healthier version of the traditional agua fresca he frequently drank as a kid.
Bawi is carbonated so it can be enjoyed on its own or as a mixer to cocktails. The 8 grams of sugar also makes it less sugary than most other juices and sweeteners on the market. You can find Bawi online or at a local store near you using its store locator.