Review of 'Odwalla' Berries GoMega

Odwalla -- Berries GoMega (vegan)
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Summary: very fresh-baked, tender texture, SUPER blueberry flavour, medium sweet, has pockets of crisps and is a very hearty and filling bar with REAL whole berries. I am impressed. I highly recommend this bar.

Where to buy: US (Harris Teeter)/Canada



Ingredients: Brown Rice Syrup, Ground Golden Flax, Organic Rolled Oats, Date Puree, Dried Sweetened Cranberries (Apple Juice Concentrate, Cranberries, Sunflower Oil), Organic Oat Flour, Fig Puree, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Soy Butter (Organic Soybeans, Organic Soy Oil, Sea Salt), Whole Dried Sweetened Blueberries (Apple Juice Concentrate, Whole Dried Blueberries, Sunflower Oil), Plum Puree, Oat Bran, Raisins, Natural Flavors (including Coconut), less than 2% of: Calcium Carbonate, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Dried Strawberries, Dried Raspberries, Baking Soda, Beta Carotene, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) and Folic Acid.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 210
Total fat: 6g
     Saturated fat: .5g
     Trans fat: 0g
     Polyunsaturated: 3g
     Monounsaturated: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 210mg
Potassium: 210mg
Total carbohydrates: 36g
     Fiber: 5g
     Sugars: 16g
Protein: 5g
Vitamin A: 10%
Calcium: 25%
Iron: 8%

Wow to these ingredients...no issues to report, just really delicious-sounding ingredients. For the 210 calories, you definitely get your nutrition's worth. There's a good amount of good fats, no cholesterol, 5g of fiber and 5g of protein. That's great! If that wasn't enough, there's 10% vitamin A and 25% calcium. The sodium is a tad high for me, but I'd definitely recommend this bar and likely buy it again, myself!

Other Odwalla bars:

• Apple Toffee Pistachio (vegan)
• Banana Nut (vegan)
• Blueberry Swirl (vegan)
• Choco-Walla (vegan)
• Chocolate Almond Coconut
• Chocolate Chip Peanut (vegan) (reviewed here)
• Chocolate Chip Trail Mix (vegan)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter (reviewed here)
• Dark Chocolate Chip Walnut (vegan)
• Lemon Ginger (vegan)
• Orange Cranberry (vegan)
• Strawberry Pomegranate (vegan)
• Superfood (vegan)
• Super Protein (reviewed here)
• Sweet & Salty Almond (vegan) (reviewed here)
• Sweet & Salty Peanut (vegan)
• White Chocolate Macadamia

Brand (quoted from odwalla.com):

• "...more than 98% of all our trash is recycled."
• "...30% of our electricity needs have virtually zero emissions, which significantly reduces our carbon footprint."
• "Odwalla has made multi-year donations to the Organic Farming Research Foundation and Conservation International to help with sustainable agriculture."
• "Odwalla contributes to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® to help fund breast cancer research worldwide."
• Non-GMO
• "To help Haiti recover from its devastating 2010 earthquake, we donate 10 cents from every 12 oz. Mango Tango smoothie to the Haiti Hope Project."

Review of 'Kiju' Organic Apple Juice

Kiju -- Organic Apple Juice 
Overall Rating: 5/5
Summary: deliciously cool and refreshing. Perfectly sweet. Highly recommended. Do buy this. Great brand, great product.

Where to buy: Fortinos, Wal-Mart Supercentre #3, Metro, Sobeys #707, Price Chopper #7949, Freshco #9708



Ingredients: organic apple juice (from concentrate), ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 250ml
Calories: 110
Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 15mg
Carbohydrate: 27g
     Fibre: 0g
     Sugars: 25g
Protein: 0g
Vitamin C: 100%
Calcium: 2%

Other flavours (all vegan):

• Grape Apple
• Lemonade 
• Organic Mango Orange (reviewed here)
• Pomegranate Cherry
• Cranberry Pomegranate Blueberry

Brand (quoted from kijuorganic.com):

• Organic
• No added sugar
• Recyclable packaging
• "We make every effort to buy as local as we can, but the majority of our fruit comes from organic farms all over North and South America."
•  Involved in the community (more info here)

Review of 'Bakery on Main' Nutty Cranberry Maple Granola

Bakery on Main --  Nutty Cranberry Maple Granola (vegan, gluten-free)
Overall Rating: 4/5
Summary: This is medium sweet and has amazing textures with little balls of 'who knows what', fresh, crunchy nuts, chewy cranberries, lots of seeds--really great! I never imaged how important texture could be. I'm recommending this granola just to prove this very fact. Beware of the very high calorie count, however. I likely wouldn't buy this again because of it--1 cup = 420 calories without milk :/

Where to buy: Fortinos

 

Ingredients: corn meal, evaporated cane juice, brown rice, expeller pressed canola oil, dried cranberry (cranberry, sugar, sunflower oil), sunflower seeds, almonds, sesame seed, flax seed, corn starch, rice bran extract, pecans, natural flavours, caramel colour, sea salt.

Nutrition info
Serving size: 1/3
Calories: 140
     Calories from fat: 60
Total fat: 6g
     Saturated fat: .5g
     Trans fat: 0g
     Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
     Monounsaturated: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 15mg
Total carbohydrate: 20g
     Dietary fiber: 2g
     Sugars: 8g
Protein: 2g
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 4%

The ingredients are pretty good, but man the calories are really up there. It's high in fat, but good fats! No cholesterol and low in sodium--a few more pluses. However, the fiber and protein content are unimpressive and for this reason (and the high calories), I wouldn't buy this again.

Other Bakery on Main 'Granola':

• Apple Raisin Walnut Granola
• Extreme Fruit & Nut Granola 
• Cranberry Orange Cashew Granola 
• Rainforest Banana Nut Granola

Brand:

• All products are non-GMO verified
• No artificial flavours
• Free from Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Casein, Trans Fats and Cholesterol 
• Certified Gluten Free
• Kosher OU Parve 
• All Natural 
• Low in Sodium and saturated fat 

Review of 'KIND Healthy Snacks' Fruit and Nut Delight

KIND Healthy Snacks -- Fruit and Nut Delight (gluten-free, non-vegan [contains honey])
Overall Rating: 4/5
Summary: alright, this is very nice. The bar is tart and sweet and well-balanced. It's both crunchy (because of the freshness of the nuts), chewy and very fresh. I'm recommending this. It makes for a wholesome and filling snack. What's more, it's a very good brand in terms of social responsibility. Check out the brand info below.

Where to buy: Bulk Barn, Pharma Plus



Ingredients: Mixed nuts (peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts), honey, dried fruit (sultanas, dates, raisins), non GMO glucose, crisp rice, apricots, apple juice, vegetable glycerine, flax seeds, soy lecithin, chicory root fiber, citrus pectin, natural apricot flavor.

Nutrition information
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 200
     Calories from fat: 120
Total fat: 13g
     Saturated fat: 1.5g
     Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 10mg
Potassium: 5%
Total carbohydrates: 17g
     Dietary fiber: 3g
     Sugars: 9g
Protein: 6%

Fantastic ingredients = no worries. I have no issue with any ingredient. They are wholesome, simple, and have no artificial components. The nutritional profile is also very good, with a solid 6g of protein and 3g of fiber, no cholesterol, and low sodium. Don't be afraid of the fat content, as it is low in saturated fat and higher in good fats (mono and poly unsaturated).

Other 'KIND' bars:

•  Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew + Antioxidants
•  Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein
• Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants
• Nut Delight
• Pomegranate Blueberry Pistachio + Antioxidants
• Blueberry Pecan + Fiber
• Almond & Coconut
• Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt
• Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan
• Peanut Butter & Strawberry
• Madagascar Vanilla Almond
• Almond & Apricot
• Almond Cashew With Flax + Omega 3
• Apple Cinnamon & Pecan
• Almond Walnut Macadamia + Protein
• Fruit & Nuts In Yogurt
• Cashew & Ginger Spice
• Blueberry Vanilla & Cashew

Brand:

• Part of the PeaceWorks® group (based on a “not-only-for-profit” business model), founded by Daniel Lubetzky
• Non-GMO
• Winner of Men's Health 'Best Breakfast Bar'; Today 'Blue Ribbon for Best Bar'; Women's Health 'Best  Packaged Food for Women'; Time 'Responsibility Pioneer'; and a host of others
• Gluten-free
• Certified Kosher
• 'Do the KIND thing' Mission

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

 

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):

• Vanilla
• Original
• Unsweetened

Brand:

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

Review of 'Dorset Cereals' fruit, nut & fiber muesli

Dorset -- fruit, nut & fiber muesli (vegan)
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Summary: not very sweet, fresh, great texture, very healthy, could have included more date pieces to add natural sweetness. Best part is the texture. Could have also used more sunflower seeds! This is a super wholesome and natural muesli. The calories are pretty high, but the nutritional value makes it well worth it, in my opinion. I'd recommend this, though this flavour may not be ideal for my specific tastes, so I'm keen on trying the other flavours.

Where to buy: Whole Foods Market, Harris Teeter



Ingredients: toasted and malted wheat flakes (wheat, barley malt extract), flame raisins, toasted and malted oat flakes (oats, barley malt extract), raisins, dates, sunflower seeds, toasted coconut, chopped roasted hazelnuts.

Nutritional profile
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 200
     Calories from fat: 50
Total fat: 5g
     Saturated fat: 2.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 20mg
Total Carbs: 38g
     Dietary fiber: 5g
     Sugars: 15g
Protein: 4g

Well, clearly the ingredients are of no concern whatsoever. Everything is perfectly simple and natural and wholesome. The nutritional profile is good, other than the calorie count. If you're watching your weight, beware that 1 cup of this cereal is 400 calories *without* milk! I will still indulge happily every so often because the ingredients are great and the profile is good. There's 5g of fiber and 4g protein, and it's low in sodium.

"the finest toasted cereals with flame raisins and raisins, dates, sunflower seeds, toasted coconut and chopped roasted hazelnuts blended together to make our lovely muesli"

Other varieties:

• Honey Granola
• Simply Delicious Muesli (vegan)
• Simply Fruity Muesli (vegan)
• Berries and Cherries Muesli (vegan)
• Super Cranberry, Cherry, Cherry, Almond Muesli (vegan)

Brand:

• No added preservatives
• No trans fat
• No added sugar
• No added salt
• Kosher
• Vegetarian Society approved
• The Queen's Awards for Enterprise: International Trade 2006

Review of 'Nature's Path' Love Crunch (Gingerbread)

Nature's Path -- Love Crunch (Gingerbread)
Overall rating: 4/5
Summary: So, it has a slight bitterish taste from the gingerbread that I didn't care for too much, but it was still scrumptious! And if you're a big ginger fan, this will do well for you. It's nice and sweet, but way too high in calories for only a 1/2 cup serviing. However, I enjoyed my week of indulging in Love Crunch, as I always do :) I saw a carrot cake variety on the website--that should be delicious!

Where to buy: Bulk Barn, Fortinos, Sobeys



Ingredients: Rolled oats*, fair trade evaporated cane juice*, fair trade molasses*, soy oil*, crystallized ginger*, rice starch*, sea salt, fair trade cinnamon*, fair trade ginger*, allspice*, fair trade cloves*, natural vanilla flavour, tocopherol (added to enhance freshness) *Organic.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size:1/2 cup
Calories: 240
Fat: 7g
     Saturated: 1g
     Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 85mg
Potassium: 230mg
Carbohydrate: 41g
     Fibre: 4g
     Sugars: 16g
Protein: 4g
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 18%

No feelings of guilt required regarding the ingredients. The nutritional profile, on the other hand...pretty high in calories. If you wanted a cup of cereal, you'd end up with a whopping 480 calories *without* milk :/ So, if you're watching your weight, this may not be the ideal cereal for you. I like to indulge once in a while though, and if I'm indulging, this is one of the cleanest brands in terms of ingredients. I'd definitely recommend this!

Other Nature's Path Love Crunch granola flavours:

• Aloha Blend Granola (reviewed here)
• Apple Crumble (vegan)
• Carrot Cake
• Dark Chocolate & Red Berries (reviewed here)

Brand (quoted from the Nature's Path website):

• "For every bag you buy, we’ll donate the equivalent in cash and organic food to the food bank, up to $1 million a year! That’s what the Bite4Bite model’s all about."
•  Certified non-GMO and organic
• Fairtrade certified
• "We source all our ingredients as locally as possible to our production plants."
• "...over 78% of the weight of ingredients we purchase comes from organic farmers in North America."
• "Some of the ingredients we have committed to purchasing are Fairtrade Certified cocoa, sugar cane, molasses, and spices."

Review of 'Toufayan' Pita Bread (Oat Bran)

Toufayan -- Pita Bread (Oat Bran) (vegan)
Overall Rating: 3/5
Summary: salt, tender, soft pita. It's pretty tasty and very filling. I'd prefer a brand that does not use enriched flour or preservatives linked to health issues, so I likely won't be buying this again.

Where to buy: U.S. grocery stores (Florida, Maryland)



Ingredients: stone ground whole wheat flour, enriched wheat flour (contains niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid), water, oatbran, wheat gluten, yeast, contains less than 2% of each of the following: sugar, cellulose fiber, salt, calcium propionate (added to maintain freshness).

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 pita
Calories: 150
Total fat: 1.5g
     Saturated: 0g
     Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 225mg
Total carbohydrate: 29g
     Dietary fiber: 4g
     Sugars: 1g
Protein: 6g
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 8%

So, this wouldn't be my number one preference for pita breads because of the enriched wheat flour and added preservative, calcium propionate. The nutrition facts are pretty good, however. It's very low-calorie, low in fat, and has a good amount of fiber and protein. But, again, because of the ingredients, I wouldn't recommend it.

Other pita flavours:

• Wheat pita
• White pita
• Garlic pita
• White mini pita
• Hearty white flatbread
• Garlic bread
• Low carb pita
• Multigrain pita
• Onion pita

Brand:

• Uses enriched flour, meaning its refined (been stripped of natural nutrients)
• All of Toufayan products are Kosher Parve or Dairy
• Does not list nutritional information online
• Does not mention GMO status online

Review of 'Nice and Natural' Pistachios and Mixed Berries

Nice and Natural -- Pistachio and Mixed Berries (gluten-free, vegan)
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Summary: this bar is very light, very crisp, and very flavourful. I don't get as much of that pistachio flavour, though. It has a variety of flavours, incredible texture, and it's both tart and sweet. The ingredients are wholesome and it's gluten-free and vegan! I highly recommend this bar...I just have to find out where to buy it!

Where to buy: to be determined...



Ingredients: peanuts, agave nectar, pistachio, whole grain crisp brown rice, raisins, pumpkin seeds, tapioca syrup, blueberries, flax seeds, cherries (apple juice infused), raspberry nuggets, sunflower oil, natural flavour.

Nutrition facts:
Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 150
Fat: 7g
Saturated fat: 1g
Trans fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 25mg
Carbohydrates: 18g
     Fibers: 2g
     Sugars: 10g
Protein: 4g
Vitamin C: 2%
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 6%

Absolutely great ingredients. Nothing to fear here. The nutritional profile is decent, with 4g of protein and 2g of fiber. I'd normally opt for more fibrous bars, but it's not bad.

Brand:

• Made in Canada
• Registered trademark of Shandiz Natural Foods, since 1988
• Eco-Cert
• USDA organic
• Family owned and operated corporation
• BRC Standards Certification
• Non-GMO Project Verified
• Vegan
• Certified Kosher
• Gluten-free