Friday 26 July 2013

Review of 'Natura' Almond Enriched Chocolate

Natura -- Almond Enriched Chocolate (vegan, gluten free)
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Summary: This is a great beverage for children. It's medium sweet, chocolatey, cool, light, refreshing, and has kid-friendly packaging. The texture is smooth and thin in consistency. I very much enjoyed this, especially paired with lightly sweetened cereals. I also tried it in oatmeal instead of regular vanilla or unsweetened milks and it was good! It may be easier to get your kids to eat a little healthier if chocolate milk is in the equation. Things to keep in mind are (1) the presence of carrageenan (associated health risks) and (2) the slightly high sugar content (the second ingredient!).

Where to buy: Bulk Barn, Freshco, Sobeys, Metro, Food Basics, Rabba Fine Foods, Foodland, Fortinos, Wal-Mart Superstore, No Frills

 Chocolat

Ingredients: FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, ALMONDS, INULIN (CHICORY ROOT FIBRE), COCOA POWDER, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CANOLA OIL, SEA SALT, GELLAN GUM, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, CARRAGEENAN, ZINC OXIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN D2, VITAMIN B12.

Nutrition Profile
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 120
Fat: 3g
     Saturated: .4g
     Trans: 0g
     Polyunsaturated: .6g
          Omega-6: .6g
          Omega-3: .1g
     Monounsaturated: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 110mg
Potassium: 50mg
Carbohydrate: 21g
     Fibre: 3g
     Sugars: 18g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 10%
Calcium: 30%
Iron: 6%

The ingredients wouldn't be an issue if not for the carrageenan, which has been linked to several health risks. More info here. The sugar content is a bit too high for my liking, but I don't regularly buy this milk, so it's not a big issue in moderation. It has a good nutritional profile, with healthy fats (poly and mono unsaturated), no cholesterol, 3g of fiber and fortified with vitamin A and calcium. It is a wee bit high on sodium, however.

Other flavours (all vegan and gluten-free):

Brand:

  • All products are certified organic, kosher, and vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • California almonds
  • Rich in Calcium & Vitamins D, B2 & B12
  • With Prebiotics

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