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Food Review: Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:02 -0800

Women need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day, and sometimes meals alone won't bring you to your daily quota. I'm always looking for quick snacks that are high in fiber, and when I came across these new Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars ($4) at the store, they looked like a tasty way to help me reach my goal.

To find out how these Almond Butter Crunchy Granola Bars taste and see how many calories are in one serving continue reading

Food Review: Naturally More Peanut Butter

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

The all-natural Naturally More peanut butter certainly has a lot going for it on paper: It was named one of the 125 best packaged foods by Women's Health, has no cholesterol or trans-fats, and contains healthy essentials like flaxseed, flax oil, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. On top of these positive facts, the company boasts that its product has 25 percent more protein and 50 percent more fiber than regular brands. Is this the perfect peanut butter? See the product's nutritional information and my review when you read more.

Nutritionally, this is definitely a twist on an old favorite: Beyond roasted peanuts, Naturally More contains wheat germ, flaxseed, flax oil, egg whites, omega-3 and omega-6. The fact that this peanut butter is fortified with heart healthy ingredients might make me overlook a slight taste deficiency, but I can't say that I'd be able to tell the difference between Naturally More and another natural brand. It tasted like creamy, delicious peanut butter - just the way it should be. I can't wait to eat it with my apple slices for a pre-workout snack, which motivates me to work out.

Serving Size	2 tbsp
Calories	169
Total Fat	11 g
Saturated Fat	2 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	130 mg
Carbs	8 g
Fiber	4 g
Sugar	2 g
Protein	10 g

FYI: It is National Peanut Butter Month! If you're a PB lover, celebrate with two tablespoons of your favorite peanut spread!

Food Review: Zevia Soda

FitSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

The FDA might consider stevia an "unapproved food additive," but you can find it sweetening the zero calorie diet soda Zevia ($5.99 for a six pack).

Zevia's tag line is "Nature's answer to diet soda." Wait, I thought water was nature's answer to soda? Anyway, I must admit up front that I am not really a big fan of diet soda, but I like the idea of this underdog of a sweetener making its way into the big time with its own line of diet soda. Zevia comes in four flavors: Orange, Cola, Lemon Lime and Ginger Root Beer. Since I don't really drink diet soda, I shared my samples with friends and family who do. They all gave the soda mixed reviews – some thumbs up and some thumbs down – but the case was gone in two days. This is a sure sign that people were drinking it and going back for seconds.

To see what I thought of Zevia, just read more.

To me, the sodas taste like all diet sodas with weird sweetness and an aftertaste that somehow tastes artificial even though stevia is "natural." My favorite flavor by far is the Ginger Root Beer. It is a pleasant mix of flavors and tastes of Ginger Ale and Root Beer; my husband thought it was better than any other diet root beer. The drinks are carbonated, but not too bubbly, and they are calorie free.

If you are interested in expanding your diet soda options you should definitely try some. You can order Zevia online directly here or find a store near you with this store locator.

If you have tried Zevia, let me know if you liked it in the comments section below.

Food Review: Code Blue Recovery Drink

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:30:47 -0800

I must admit I'm not big on special fitness drinks, especially recovery drinks. They're often full of extra calories, and I usually opt for water since most exercise physiologists believe you don't need to worry about replacing electrolytes, carbs, and protein unless you have been working out and sweating for more than an hour. I often think a lot of these drinks have added coloring and chemicals, so when I saw Code Blue marketed as an all natural post-workout drink I was curious to try it. I must admit, I liked its tropical flavor, and although it only has 40 calories per eight-ounce serving (the can contains 12 ounces, equal to one and a half servings) Code Blue does not have that artificial sweetener taste of many low-cal beverages.

To see how this drink is sweetened and if it is an unnatural color, just read more.

Looking at the ingredient list on the back of the Code Blue can, I can't say I felt like I was drinking something "natural." After water, the next three ingredients are: crystalline fructose, agave nectar, and malic acid, which adds tartness more than sweetness. Further down the list I found stevia leaf extract listed as well, which is a bit more natural. Code Blue contains the electrolytes potassium and sodium, but also contains the supplement milk thistle to help detox the liver (trainer Bob Harper believes in the treatment), and prickly pear extract to reduce inflammation.

The first time I tried Code Blue, I drank it straight from the can. You can imagine my surprise when I poured it into a glass and found the liquid to be a vibrant unnatural blue. Which prompts the question, what natural ingredient was used to color this drink and why even bother coloring it?

Ingredients: Filtered Purified Water, Crystalline Fructose, Agave Nectar, Malic Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, D-Ribose, Fruit Juice (for color), Sustamine™ (L-Alanine L-Glutamine), Pectin, Inositol, Ascorbic Acid, Prickly Pear Extract (Opunitia ficus-indica), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Extract, N-Acetyl Cysteine, Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana) Leaf Extractives, Soy Protein and Rice Flour, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), DL-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Selenium Complexed with Amino Acids and Polypeptides, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

I'm not really sold on the drink, but I'm not completely opposed to it either. I would certainly drink this over other recovery drinks, but more likely I will sip some water instead. Have you tried it?

This just in: The color comes from blueberries.

Food Review: Celebration Roast

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Surrounded by vegetarians and vegans, the arrival of the holidays always leaves me a little perplexed as to what's best to serve them during a festive meal. I don't want to slight them by giving them a bunch of side dishes, but I am not a fan of Tofurky and Now and Zen's Unturkey. My vegetarian and vegan guests will have the pleasure of eating a Celebration Roast this Thanksgiving. It's a meatless alternative to turkey that omnivores have been known to gobble up.

To hear how it tasted, read more.

Made by the Field Roast Grain Meat Co., the Celebration Roast looks a little like a ham or pork roast because of the appearance of darker outer skin with lighter "meat" on the inside. The "meat" of the roast is made entirely of grain that's been mixed with spices, herbs, lemon, and lentils. The center of the roast is stuffed with a delicious "sausage style stuffing" made up of apples, butternut squash, and mushrooms. As for the sausage flavor you can choose from Lentil Sage or Sundried Tomato, I opted for Lentil Sage. I love that each roast is made by hand, which shows when you are shopping for them - they all look just a tiny bit different.

The roasts come fully cooked and just need to be heated for about 15 minutes in the oven. It has a nice texture that isn't slimy or rubbery like some fake meats, and all the seasonings give it a nice savory flavor. I think the reason the Celebration Roast tastes so good is because it's not aspiring to be something it's not. Instead of trying to be a synthetic meat, the natural flavors and texture of the grains and seasonings are showcased. I'm pretty certain I'll be munching on this in addition to the turkey on Thanksgiving. An added plus is that it tastes good cold and will make a really good sandwich for the day after.

The Celebration Roast comes in two sizes, 1 or 2 pounds ($8 and $16, respectively) and is carried nationwide by Whole Foods. A 4-ounce serving contains 280 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 31 grams of protein.

If any of you decide to try the Celebration Roast this holiday season please let me know what you think!

Food Review: Chia Goodness

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:30:52 -0700

Chia seeds are in fact used to grow Chia pets, but these little brown seeds are also an excellent source of omega-3s. If you're worried about getting enough of this valuable nutrient, then check out this new cereal called Chia Goodness.

This gluten-free cereal contains more calcium than a glass of milk, more omega-3s than flaxseeds, and is a great source of fiber. It sounds healthy, but if you're curious to know how it tastes then read more.

The directions on the package say to stir two tablespoons with 1/3 cup of hot or cold liquid such as milk, soymilk, or water. Then you wait three to five minutes for the liquid to absorb. I mixed the Apple Almond Cinnamon with hot water, and this is what it looked like after eight minutes.

I have to say, it smelled really good, like homemade apple pie. The consistency however is really bizarre. When chia seeds get wet, they become gelatinous, so they feel slimy and wet. The texture reminded me exactly of the gooey seeds inside cherry tomatoes. This Chia Goodness may be healthy, but in my opinion, it's a little too weird to eat on its own (not to mention it doesn't exactly look too appetizing). It tasted much better when sprinkled on my yogurt. Check out the nutritional info below of all three varieties.

	Original	Cranberry Ginger	Apple Almond Cinnamon
Calories	140	140	140
Total Fat	8 g	7 g	6 g
Saturated Fat	1 g	1 g	.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	125 mg	120 mg	125 mg
Carbs	14 g	16 g	16 g
Fiber	5 g	4 g	4 g
Sugars	0 g	3 g	4 g
Protein	6 g	4 g	4 g
Omega-3	4 g	3 g	3 g
Omega-6	2.5 g	2 g	1.5 g
Ingredients	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, celtic sea salt.	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, currants, cranberries, organic cane sugar, ginger, celtic sea salt.	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, dehydrated apples, almonds, raisins, organic cane sugar, cinnamon, celtic sea salt.

Food Review: The Works! Tortilla Chips

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:00:05 -0700

When I go with the fam to get fresh-baked bagels, I usually choose an everything bagel because I love the savory taste and interesting texture of the poppy and sesame seeds, and the onion and garlic. The company FoodShouldTasteGood has a new tortilla chip called The Works! Topped with poppy and caraway seeds, minced garlic, and onion, I knew this was something I needed to try.

To find out how these puppies taste and see how many calories are in one serving, keep reading

Food Review: Kashi Heart to Heart Crackers

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:00:34 -0700

If you're a fan of Triscuits, you're going to love Kashi's new Heart to Heart crackers. Both flavors - Original and Roasted Garlic - contain plant sterols to help lower cholesterol, and six natural antioxidants including green tea and grape seed.

To find out how they compare with the crackers you grew up with, read more.

As you can see from the chart below, these Kashi Heart to Heart crackers contain half as much sodium as Triscuits, which is great if you're trying to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. They're also lower in saturated fat and contain more fiber. What's more, the Kashi crackers also contain .4 grams of plant sterols per serving, which are natural compounds found in fruits, nuts, and veggies that have been found to help lower cholesterol. Other nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C have also been added to these little crackers, which help fight free radicals and keep your arteries healthy.

The Kashi crackers and Triscuits are actually very similar in taste and texture. Even though the Kashi crackers are lower in sodium, they don't taste like they're lacking in salt or flavor. I'd definitely recommend giving these a try if you're a cracker fan. They're delicious topped with hummus and veggies, cheese and apples, or homemade salsa.

	Triscuits (6 crackers)	Kashi Original (7 crackers)	Kashi Roasted Garlic (7 crackers)
Calories	120	120	120
Total Fat	4.5 g	3.5 g	3.5 g
Saturated Fat	1 g	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	180 mg	85 mg	75 mg
Carbs	19 g	22 g	22 g
Fiber	3 g	4 g	4 g
Sugars	0 g	0 g	0 g
Protein	3 g	3 g	3 g
Ingredients	Whole wheat, soybean oil, salt, monoglycerides.	Whole grain wheat, expeller pressed canola oil, plant sterols, cornstarch, sea salt, dehydrated vegetables (onion, garlic, and roasted garlic), spices, decaffeinated green tea extract, decaffeinated white tea extract, alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), grape seed extract, parsley, autolyzed yeast, malic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid, spice extract, natural flavor, mixed tocopherols for freshness, beta carotene (source of vitamin A), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12, folic acid.	Whole grain wheat, expeller pressed canola oil, plant sterols, sea salt, decaffeinated green tea extract, decaffeinated white tea extract, alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), grape seed extract, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), natural mixed tocopherols for freshness, beta carotene (source of vitamin A), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12, folic acid.

Food Review: Clean Cravings Gluten-Free Crusts

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0700

I experimented with a gluten-free diet in college for a variety of reasons. My strongest memory from that period of my life was missing pizza. Crust was a digestive curse. Now if Clean Cravings and its line of crusts had been around, things could have been much different. The brand has created a line of crusts made without wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, yeast, soy, corn, sugar, peanuts, or nightshade vegetables. For folks with food allergies, this is a blessing.

To see how Clean Craving mini crusts taste and their caloric content, read more.

	1 5-inch crust	1 5-inch crust (rosemary)
Calories	160	160
Total Fat (g)	1.5	1.5
Saturated Fat (g)	0	0
Cholesterol (mg)	3	2
Sodium (mg)	280	290
Carbs (g)	34	34
Fiber (g)	3	3
Protein (g)	2	2
Calcium (mg)	2 %	0 %
Iron (mg)	6 %	4 %

These crusts have a satisfyingly moist and chewy texture, and they're full of nutty flavor with subtle sweetness. Use them to make pizza, top them and serve as appetizers, make sandwiches, cut and toast them and serve with dip, or eat them on their own. As far as gluten-free foods go, I've tried my fair share, and these really do taste good. So far, my favorite way to eat them is to smear on a layer of pesto, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese, and add a slice of tomato. Pop it in the toaster and this savory snack tastes warm and chewy with a hint of crispiness. You can buy a three-pack of five-inch minis for $5.99, or a single 12-inch crust for $7.99 - definitely not cheap, but to avoid stomach cramps and still eat tasty foods, I'd say they're worth it.

Food Review: Sweet Potato Chips by FoodShouldTasteGood

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:15:00 -0700

Salty crunchy foods top my list of things I crave, but generally the words "salty" and "crunchy" are synonymous with unhealthy. So I continuously check out my local health-food store to find new crave-worthy snacks that aren't high in fat and sodium. I just discovered a new chip by FoodShouldTasteGood featuring sweet potatoes. I'm such a fan of this healthy veggie, so I had to give these a try. To see what I thought of these chips and the nutritional info read more.

At first bite, I became these chips number one fan. They're made with a combo of corn and sweet potatoes, so they're crispy, thick, and perfect for dipping. The saltiness factor was present but not too extreme, and it complemented the warm flavor of the sweet potatoes very well. Nutritionally speaking, these chips are not too bad. They're surprisingly low in fat and sodium as compared to other chips (I had to do a double take), and the 3g of fiber and 2g of protein per serving is a definite plus. These chips will absolutely make it into my shopping cart again.

Serving Size	10 chips
Calories	130
Total Fat	6g
Saturated Fat	.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	80mg
Carbs	18g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	2g
Protein	2g