Giving women something to chew on
给女人一点咀嚼的东西

The popularity of chick lit and chick flicks — books and movies aimed at women — may have spawned the marketing world's latest trend: chick food.

女性书籍和女性电影的大行其道，可能孵化出市场新趋势：女性食品。

More than 1,000 new foods and drinks targeting women have hit the global market in the past four years, says Mintel, which does research on new products.

做新产品研究的Mintel公司说，过去四年中1000多种针对女性的新食品和饮料已摆上了世界各地的市场。

These aren't just diet foods. There are energy bars for women — even one just for pregnant women. There's bread for women, and a tortilla. There's a tea for women.

其中不仅包括减肥食品，还有高能棒，甚至还有专为孕妇设计的高营养能量棒。以及女性面包、玉米粉圆饼和女性茶。

"There's some badge value in saying, 'I'm a woman and I eat Luna Bars,' " says Lynn Dornblaser, new product guru at Mintel. "You're part of a club."

Mintel 公司的新产品研究权威Lynn Dornblaser说：“这里有某种象征意义，‘我是位女士，我吃Luna Bars’，这样你就进入了圈内。”

Is it hype? Or is it nutritionally meaningful? Perhaps some of both.

这究竟是炒作，还是真有营养学上的好处？也许兼而有之。

"Marketing folks have stepped in to create a new niche," says Darra Goldstein, editor of Gastronomica, a food and culture journal. "But I don't think any of us will be healthier for it."

食品文化刊物的编辑Gastronomica说：“营销人员进入了一个新的领域，但我并不认为我们会因此而更健康。”

Nutritionist Robyn Flipse says many of the items have nutritional pluses. Most add calcium, vitamin D, iron or Omega-3. "But few women will know which product is best for them."

营养学家Robyn Flipse说，这些食品大都含有强化营养。大部分富含钙、维生素D、铁和Omega-3（不饱和脂肪酸，小僧注）。“但很少有女性知道哪些产品最适合她们。”

The hottest categories:

热门产品：

•Energy bars. There are about a dozen female-focused energy bars, but none has the wallop of Luna. Luna Bar was created in 1999, after women at Clif Bar lobbied for an energy bar with fewer calories. "In a perfect world, we'd see no packaged food," says Nicole Pemerl, Luna brand manager. "But convenience is huge. We offer women something thought out for them."

高能棒（Energy bars）。针对女性的高能棒约有12种，但是没有一种能和Luna Bar争锋。Luna Bar始创于1999年，之前Clif Bar公司的女性要求推出一种低卡路里的能量棒。

Luna's newest rival: Bellybar, an energy bar for pregnant or nursing women. It's got extra calcium and Omega-3.

Bellybar是最近Luna Bar的竞争者，它富含钙Omega-3，适用于孕妇和女性滋补。

"Pregnant women are hungry all the time," says Leslie Sagalowicz, co-founder of its maker, NutraBella. "It's a healthy alternative to candy bars."

“孕妇总是有饥饿感，我们的产品是比candy bars更健康的替代品。” Bellybar的共同创始人Leslie Sagalowicz说。

•Breads. Woman's Tortillas rolled out late last year as a follow-up to the popular Woman's Bread from French Meadow Bakery. They've got lots of flax seed and are high in omegas and protein. And they're organic.

面包。女性玉米粉圆饼在去年底推出，成为继French Meadow Bakery之后又一女性面包流行潮。这种食品含大量亚麻仁，富含omegas和蛋白质，并且是种有机食品。

A loaf fetches up to $5.99.

一块女性玉米粉圆饼售价达$5.99。

•Beverages. Republic of Tea, in a venture with Luna, recently rolled out Nutritional Iced Tea for Women. One 12-ounce bottle goes for $2.99.

Coca-Cola is in the chase, too.

Coke last year rolled out pink Tab Energy, a women's drink with the slogan: Fuel to be Fabulous. Among celebrity sightings: ultraskinny Nicole Richie.