Friday 28 June 2013

Review of Cadbury Fry's Peppermint Cream Dark Chocolate Bar

Fry's - Peppermint Cream Dark Chocolate
Overall rating: 2.5/5
Summary: I don't even like peppermint, but this flavoured bar wasn't sooo bad! If the ingredients and nutritional profile weren't so weak, I'd rank it 3.5/5. I actually refrigerated it for a crisp outer layer and cool peppermint filling. Really good, especially if you like mint-chocolate. Alas, I cannot recommend it.

Where to buy: Bulk Barn


Ingredients: fondant (sugar, glucose syrup, glycerol, flavours), chocolaty candy (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, vegetable fat, soya lecithin, polyglycerol esters of interestified castor oil fatty acids.

Nutritional profile
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 205
Fat: 6.5g
     Saturated: 3.9
Sodium: 0mg
Total carbs: 34.3
Dietary fiber: .6g
Sugars: 32.2g
Protein: 1.4g

Okay, so the ingredients are basically fat and sugar. Do yourself a favour and keep walking.

Other Fry's varieties:
Brand: 

  • Not very impressive on the health front...at all.
  • No commitment to going GMO free

Review of Cadbury Fry's Orange Cream Dark Chocolate

Fry's Orange Cream Dark Chocolate
Overall Rating: 3/5
Summary: mmm omg mmmm creamy fresh orange flavour, a very light sweet tart flavour, the chocolate is really sweet, just delicious! Taste-wise, this is a 4.5/5. Combined with nutritional considerations, it comes down to a (generous) 3/5. I just couldn't recommend buying this.

Where to buy: Bulk Barn



Ingredients: fondant (sugar, glucose syrup, (glycerol) flavouring, citric acid, vegetable oil, colour), chocolaty candy (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, vegetable fat, soy lecithin, polyglycerol easter of interestified castor oil fatty acids), glucose-fructose, glycerol, flavours.

Nutrition information
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 205
Fat: 6.5g
     Saturated: 3.9
Sodium: 0mg
Total carbs: 34.3
Dietary fiber: .6g
Sugars: 32.2g
Protein: 1.4g

Okay, when the first ingredients is fondant/sugar, you know you're in trouble. Add to that 'flavouring' and you likely have artificial ingredients.The nutritional profile is way too sparse to warrant consumption! There's just fat and sugar...next to no fiber or protein. Pass on this!

Other Fry's varieties:
 Brand: 

  • Not very impressive on the health front...at all.
  • No commitment to going GMO free
  • Vegetarian

Saturday 22 June 2013

Review of 'Pacific' Rice non-Dairy Beverage (Original)

Pacific -- Rice non-Dairy Beverage (Original)
Overall Rating: 4/5
Summary: very smooth, medium-thick texture. It has a pleasant scent--ricey sweet. I actually really like this. It doesn't work well added to coffee or tea if you're looking for a nice creamy look, though it tastes good in coffee/tea. It's lightly sweetened (with no added sugar) and I do get the underlying rice flavour, which I quite enjoyed. This project is Non-GMO project certified.

Where to buy: Fortino's
All Natural Rice Original

Ingredients: filtered water, brown rice, expeller pressed canola oil, tricalcium phosphate, natural flavour, sea salt, guar gum, xanthan gum, caron bean gum, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 130
Total fat: 2g
     Saturated fat: 0g
     Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 60mg
Total carbohydrate: 27g
     Dietary fiber: 0g
     Sugars: 14g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 10%
Calcium: 30%
Iron: 6%
Vitamin D: 25%

The ingredients are all good, except there's some question about the health impacts of carrageenan, which has been linked to higher rates of colon cancer in laboratory animals 

The nutritional profile is good because the beverage is fortified with vitamin A, D, and calcium. It's also low in fat and sugar, which is great. I'd recommend this product, yet I'm looking forward to more information on carrageenan in the future.

Other non-dairy rice beverages:
Brand:
  • All natural and organic
  • Certified to the Source
  • "At our founder's family farms that supply Pacific Natural Foods the milk for our delicious creamy soups, you'll find healthy cows fed an organic, vegetarian diet with room to roam in open pasture."
  • Cows are fed 100% an organic, vegetarian die, not given antibiotics or synthetic hormones, and reared humanely and under stress-free environments
  •  Awarded for sustainability initiatives
  • Engaged in Wetlands Conservation
  • Top donor to the Oregon Food Bank
  • Supports local community

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Review of 'Natura' Organic Fortified Soy Beverage (Vanilla)

Natura -- Organic Fortified Soy Beverage (Vanilla) (vegan)
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Summary: mm, great scent, great flavour! It's lightly sweet. You do get that faint soybean flavour, which is delicious, trust me! Such a good milk for cereal. Highly recommend.


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

 

Ingredients: FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYBEANS, EVAPORATED ORGANIC CANE JUICE, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL VANILLA FLAVOUR WITH PURE VANILLA EXTRACT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, NATURAL FLAVOURS, SEA SALT, XANTHAN GUM, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, RIBOFLAVIN (B2), VITAMIN D2, VITAMIN B12, THIAMINE (B1), NIACIN (B3), VITAMIN B6, PANTOTHENATE (B5).

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 130
Fat: 5g
     Saturated: .5g
     Trans: 0g
     Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
          Omega-6: 2g
          Omega-3: .3g
     Monounsaturated: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 80mg
Potassium: 270mg
Carbohydrate: 13g
     Fiber: 1g
     Sugars: 11g
Protein: 7g
Vitamin A: 10%
Calcium: 30%
Iron: 10%

Check out these recipes:

Other 'Soy Beverage' flavours (all vegan):
Brand:
  • All products are certified organic, kosher, and vegan
  • Organic, non-GMO soybeans
  • Soybeans are grown in Quebec by certified organic farms
  • Gluten-free