Raspberry Fig Bars by Barbara’s

If you love fig bars but don’t want to eat all of the added sugars, you should give Raspberry Fig Bars by Barbara’s a try!

Health Benefits of Figs

First, let’s talk about some of the  health benefits associated with figs. Figs are full of important nutrients including fiber, potassium, calcium, and antioxidants. Figs have been shown to lower triglyceride levels, which helps prevent obesity and heart-related diseases.

Why Barbara’s Fig Bars?

The reason I originally bought Barbara’s Fig Bars is because of the ingredients list at the back of the package. There are only natural fruits and juices to sweeten the fig bars rather than high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and sugar. I checked out the ingredients list of other brands of “all natural” or “organic” fig bars in the health food store, but didn’t end up buying them since they were still full of sugar. Organic sugar is still sugar. I went ahead and tried the Fig Bars by Barbara’s and I have been quite pleased with these yummy fig bars!

Check out the list of ingredients for each company’s fig bars:

Raspberry Fig Bars by Barbara’s

Ingredients: Raspberry fig filling ([fruit juice concentrade (pineapple, pear, apple, and peach), raspberry puree, tapioca starch, apple powder, natural raspberry flavor, vegetable glycerin, locust bean gum, red cabbage (for color)], fig paste, pineapple juice concentrate, natural flavor, citric acid), pineapple juice syrup, whole oat flour, whole brown rice flour, fig paste, whole barley flour, date paste, raisin juice concentrate, soy lecithin, baking soda, salt.

Raspberry Fig Newton’s by Nabisco 

Ingredients: High fructose corn syrup, enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B], Riboflavin [vitamin B2], folic acid), sugar, corn syrup, raspberry puree, soybean oil, apple powder, modified corn starch, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, tapioca starch, whey (from milk), natural and artificial flavor, salt, pectin, citric acid, baking soda, soy lecithin (emulsifier), caramel color, sodium benzoate added to preserve freshness, and red 40.

Taste or Health? I Choose Both. 

I would have to say that one of the (many) reasons for my website is to convince you of one very important thing: You can still have food that tastes wonderful without sacrificing your health for it.

I encourage you to try the Fig Bars by Barbara’s – I’m sure you’ll love the taste, texture, and even the ingredients on the back of the package. This product is great for a variety of people with specific needs since the Raspberry Fig Bars by Barbara’s is Kosher, dairy free, wheat free (not gluten free), Cholesterol free, low fat, low sodium, 100% natural and Vegan.

I love the Raspberry Fig Bars by Barbara’s – which flavor is your favorite?

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Image Credits: Barbara’s Bakery

Tags: Barbara's, Fig Bars, healthy snack, Nutrition

Unsulfured Apricots by Trader Joe’s

I love dried apricots….you know, the ones that taste like you made them all by yourself in your handy dandy dehydrator. I don’t like the squishy apricots that have plenty of sulfur added, since it ruins the texture, taste, and everything else I love about dried apricots. Problem is, dried apricots with nothing added are hard to come by.

Fortunately for you and me, Trader Joe’s sells Unsulfured Apricots that are quite delicious and reasonable priced!

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Tags: Dried Fruit, Health, healthy snack, Nutrition, Trader Joe's

“Low Calorie” doesn’t mean “Healthy”

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the term “low calorie”. Companies market their product as a “low calorie” meal or snack, which as a result, leads consumers to believe they are buying a healthy product. Unfortunately for us, “low calorie” doesn’t mean that it is “healthy”! This concept is a huge misunderstanding that I would like to clear up for everyone.

When Low Calorie doesn’t mean Healthy

I went searching for what consumers thought was a great low calorie snack for weight loss. Here are some of the most common low calorie snacks consumers suggested to others, and my suggestions of healthy alternatives.

•JELL-O Brand Gelatin and Pudding Snacks- The low calorie snack packs make this product easy to consume on a daily basis, which is concerning once you read the label and see what ingredients are listed in the product. They may be labeled as sugar-free and fat-free, but there are tons of artificial sweeteners and unhealthy ingredients you just shouldn’t be putting into your body.

Alternative- You can make your own Pudding using Dr. Oetker’s Organic Pudding mix. You can make a small batch and divide it into small serving size containers to enjoy throughout the week. This product still contains sugar, but I think this is a better alternative than the snack packs mentioned above, but still should be used only in moderation.

•Quaker® Rice Cakes - What’s not healthy about a low calorie snack that is gluten free containing 9 grams of whole grains in it? Lots of sugar and corn syrup. Once you add the sugar and corn syrup (among other things) to the healthy ingredients, it’s no longer healthy.

Alternative- If you are looking for a yummy whole grain, check out Arrowhead Mills® Organic Puff cereals. You will find that there is only one ingredient in this product, just how it should be! They taste fantastic plain or with your choice of milk.

•Popcorn- These are usually full of ingredients that are anything but real butter. Lots of chemically altered ingredients and additives.

Alternative- Buy popcorn with nothing added or make it yourself.

•Frozen Desserts- Consumers recommended Sugar-Free Fudgsicles, Low-Fat Ice Cream Bars from The Skinny Cow®, and Sugar-Free Ice Pops. Notice a common theme here? Companies are selling frozen desserts in small quantities and replace the sugar and/or fat with even more harmful artificial ingredients and tell you that they are now healthy because they have fewer amounts of calories. Sadly, a lot of consumers fall for this gimmick.

Alternative- I love Organic Blackberry Sorbet Bars by Julie’s Organic. Natural ingredients with no sugar or artificial sweeteners added. You can also try making your own healthy desserts, such as frozen grapes!

•Dannon Light ‘n Fit Non-Fat Yogurt- This is made with Splenda®, and goes along the same line as the gelatin and pudding snacks.

Alternative- All Natural Yogurt or Greek Yogurt with no added ingredients.

•100 Calorie Snack Packs- These low calorie snack packs were highly suggested by consumers, mainly due to taste and because it’s a “mindless alternative”. You can choose from cookies, crackers, and chips. Low calorie? Yes. Healthy? Not one bit. The company just provided small portions that are prepackaged and sold as low calorie. These products are full of sugar, which creates fat in your midsection. Not something you should do for fat loss, right?

Alternative- There are plenty of healthy crackers or other snacks to much on, without all of the processed ingredients, additives, and preservatives.

•Fiber One® Chewy Bars- Consumers suggested this low calorie snack because they taste like a candy bar. Not surprised, considering these snacks contain a lot of sugar and high maltose corn syrup (a sneaky way of adding a cousin of “high fructose corn syrup” into products).

Alternative- Looking for a chewy bar that tastes delicious? Check out all of the Fruit and Nut Bars by LÄRABAR®. Most of the flavors are made with healthy ingredients, with only six ingredients or less. The Pecan Pie flavor, for example, only has three ingredients; dates, pecans, and almonds. You wouldn’t believe these are healthy and low calorie once you taste how delicious these bars are.

•Campbell’s® Healthy Request® Soup- The soup may only have 90 calories per serving, but with two servings per can, most people are going to eat more than one serving. 180 calories still isn’t all that bad, but considering there are 410 mg of sodium per serving, that means you would be consuming 820 mg of sodium in just one serving. This soup may be marketed as “Heart Healthy”, but that still doesn’t make this soup healthy for you. It’s crazy how marketing works sometimes.

Alternative- Make your own homemade soup. Even if you buy an Organic or All Natural Soup with very few ingredients (think Amy’s Kitchen soups), you are still going to find more sodium than you bargained for.

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Image Credits: arrowheadmills.com; larabarstore.com

Tags: all natural, artificial ingredients, Dessert, gelatin, Healthy, Healthy Alternative, healthy snack, jell-o, Lara Bar, low calorie, low calorie snack, Nutrition, Organic, Popcorn, pudding snacks, snack, soup, sugar, USDA Organic

Trick-or-Healthy Treat!

Even when I was a kid, I was all for healthy Halloween treats. I must admit that I never quite appreciated the houses that gave away toothbrushes. It was usually a dentist trying to profit from the holiday, with their logo and contact information on the toothbrush (Dentists- you’re welcome for the marketing tip)!

Looking for some yummy and healthy treats you can give away on Halloween night? Look no further!

Here’s five healthy trick-or-treat ideas for the spooky holiday:

1) Dried fruit

Example: Clif Kid Twisted Fruit

- This is a a tasty treat that comes in a variety of flavors, among my favorite are Strawberry and Sour Apple. Kids will love them, and parents will love them even more when they find out that there is no processed sugars.

Worried about having a gluten intolerance? No worries…this is also a gluten free treat.

2) Nutritious Bar snacks

Example: LÄRABARS

- I absolutely love all of these bars! They taste great and have very limited ingredients. Another perk? These are healthy bars that are actually “healthy”. Go figure…

3) Individual Nut packets

Example: Planter’s Nuts on the Go

-You’re trick-or-treaters will go nuts for these (cheesy joke, sorry)! They are loaded with lots of protein from the nuts, and are in small enough packages that you won’t over do it on the calories.

4) Crackers

Example: Annie’s Homegrown Real Cheddar Bunnies.

-These delicious snacks don’t have any artificial flavors or hydrogenated oils. They are orange…perfect for the holiday, right?

5) Natural  Gum

Example: Xylitol Gum by Epic™

-This is a rare and special find! I dare you to look at all other gum on the market and try to find something without any  Sugar, Cane Juice, Aspartame or any other artificial sweeteners.The Xylitol Gum by Epic™ has no sugar or artificial sweeteners!

Also, this gum comes in lots of different flavors, and each of them tastes great!

These healthy treats are a win-win:  Your trick-or-treaters will love these healthy treats, which will be a nice change from all of the junk food they will be getting. Another win? You won’t mind if you end up with leftover treats!

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Tags: Candy, crackers, Dried Fruit, gum, Halloween, Healthy Alternative, healthy snack, healthy treat, holiday, Nut packets, Nutrition Bar, Trick-or-treat

Sliced Pear and Cottage Cheese

I love snacks so much that I decided that I needed to learn how to make healthy snacks for myself. If you are going to enjoy a snack, make sure that it is delicious, easy to make, and guiltless.

Ingredients:

2 Pears

1/2  cup low fat Cottage Cheese

ground Cinnamon or Poppy Seeds (garnish)

Instructions:

1) Cut pears in half and throw out the core and seeds.

2) Scoop cottage cheese over pear halves

3) Sprinkle on desired amount of Cinnamon or Poppy Seeds on top of the cottage cheese.

Enjoy!

Notes:

This is a great snack to have any time of the year. This snack not only taste great, but it’s also very quick and easy, inexpensive, and low in calories. You can use fresh (preferred) or canned pears for this recipe. 

The pear is about 75 calories or less (depending on size), and the low fat cottage cheese is about 90 calories.

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Tags: Copper, cottage cheese, dairy, easy recipe, fiber, healthy snack, pear, potassium, Recipe, snack, vitamin C, Vitamin D