Sequel Naturals - VEGA

This review is long overdue but better late than never, right?? Sequel Naturals sent me some Vega Vibrancy bars and Sport Performance Optimizer drink mix to try out. Vega believes you shouldn't have to compromise between whole food goodness and fast food convenience and was created with the following principles in mind:

• Plant based whole foods are the true future of optimal health.
• Raw foods are the best defense against illness and disease.
• Nutrient density is more important than calories.
• Food should energize through nourishment, not stimulation.
• Avoid common allergens to reduce food sensitivities.
• It is possible to grow a younger body.

I have to say, I agree with every one of those principles and was excited to try out the samples.
First up, the bars...raw, sprouted, gluten free and filled with a whole bunch of goodness, I was hesitant that the bar would be gritty and dirt-like tasting. I've tried some plant based bars, etc and they actually taste like you are eating dirt. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the chocolate decadence bar. This bar packed in 210 calories, 10g fat, 5g fiber and 9g protein. The consistency was soft and chewy with a little bit of crunch. Not a ton of flavor, though. A single bar from their website costs $2.95 and a box of 12 bars will run you $33.95.

Next, the sport performance optimizer! Directly from their website, "Formulated by Brendan Brazier, professional Ironman triathlete and bestselling author on performance nutrition, Vega Sport Performance Optimizer provides a complete array of key performance enhancing benefits improving energy, stamina, mental focus, and recovery." I've only tried this once so I can't say that I experienced any of the benefits they claim (and I must note that I am very skeptical when it comes to companies making claims that are not evaluated by a Regulatory agency...hence why I don't take vitamins, supplements, etc). The drink is interesting. It's a strange color, a little thick and there was sediment on the bottom of the glass, but the taste (lemon line) is tolerable. I've actually been looking for something to drink/eat before my early morning workouts and I'm going to try this as part of my pre workout routine this week to see how it works. A single pouch costs $2.25 and a box of 24 pouches costs $49.99. While it sounds expensive, I think you need to consider the ingredients. Would you rather drink something which contains organic sprouted whole grain brown rice syrup, organic palm nectar, acai, pomegrante, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, organic red beet, citric and malic acid over Red Bull or Gatorade?

I like Vega. I like what they are promoting and their principles. Do I believe everything they state, of course not. But I do believe in being as healthy as we can and that's what they are trying to do. Would I spend the money on the bars? I'm not sure. The drink, I'm also not sure. So I'm giving Vega 5 biscuits.

Newman's Own Organics

It was like Christmas here the other day when this huge box of goodies arrived from Newman's Own Organics! Check out this loot! Thankfully I have Andy here to help me try everything, although this stuff was so good, I did pretty well packing it away myself.

One thing I really liked to see on all the packaging was that Paul Newman has given over $200 million to charities worldwide since 1982. Knowing companies who have money give back really does mean a lot to me. All of the products are certified organic and the ingredients have been grown on farms that have no used artificial fertilizers or pesticides for three years or more. They not only make food, but they even have a pet food line out for those of us who want nothing but the best for our furry friends.

I'm all about eating healthy and making the right choices but I never gave much thought to buying organic snacks. A snack is a snack, right? Well, actually, after reading the ingredient list, which was very short, on these products, I'm convinced otherwise. They weren't filled with junk and stuff you couldn't pronounce and honestly, no taste was sacrificed. If anything, everything tasted better. While Andy really enjoyed the chocolate bars, I loved the soy crisps. SOOO good!! They are low in fat and calories and loaded with protein. Even the pretzels were awesome. A pretzel?? Yes, the pretzels were great!! I never had a "hermit" before but I'm glad I tried one because I've been missing out. But by far, the best of the goodies were the double chocolate mint chip cookies. Wow! Seriously, I could go on and on about how good everything was. We didn't find one thing we didn't like and Andy even said to me, "Damn, Paul makes a mean cookie!"

Now, there's always the price factor that comes when you buy organic. I'm not one to spend a lot of money on a snack, to be honest. But since I'm not eating artifical crap anymore, I do see myself purchasing these products again. They may not be a weekly staple in my house, but for a once in a while treat, I will splurge and spend some money on a treat that tastes good and isn't filled with junk. Like the website says, organic really was the last thing I was thinking of when I tried this stuff out.

I'm giving Newman's Own Organics 9 biscuits!

Mary's Gone Crackers

To continue with my quest of trying new things while eating clean, I was lucky enough to be able to try out some Mary's Gone Crackers. I found these in the organic/health aisle of my local running store and could tell they would be something right up my alley. The company was started when Mary discovered that both her and her son had an intolerance to gluten. All of their products are organic, wheat and gluten free.

There are several different varieties of crackers: black pepper (my favorite so far...has a nice bite to it!), herb, original seed, caraway, and onion. The base recipe for the crackers is brown rice, quinoa, flax seed and sesame seeds. There are no hydrogenated oils or trans fats. And a few crackers pack a punch in the nutrition department. 13 of the black pepper crackers have 5g fat, 3g fiber and 3g protein. It's really a cracker you can feel good about eating since you're getting your protein and essential fatty acids.

The crackers are small and very, very crisp. Needless to say, if you couldn't guess by the ingredients, they have a rich, nutty flavor. Not only have I snacked on them plain, but I put a small piece of chicken on it and a touch of salsa and it was delicious! I also like the black pepper ones with hard boiled egg whites.

A box contains about 6 servings and goes for around $3.50 at my local grocery store. The boxes have been lasting me more than 6 servings, though as a small handful does the trick. I know I've been generous with the biscuits lately, but once again I'm giving Mary's Gone Crackers 10 biscuits. I absolutely, positively will be purchasing these over and over again.