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Great Products From Vitacost.com!

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Vitacost.com contacted me and asked if I would like to review a bunch of products of my choosing. This is a HUGE honor for me, I love Vitacost.com!! I am thrilled to share with you what I selected and my personal review. I hope this helps you determine new products to try. I chose a variety of items from snacks to tea as well as supplements.

Disclosure of material connection: Vitacost provided me with free samples of these products to review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.Vitacost loot (640x480)

Vitacost Certified Organic Hemp Seeds:

Hemp seeds are nutrient packed little seeds that look like teeny hearts. In fact, they are great for heart health with their Omega-3 fatty acid content. They are an excellent source of Calcium (25%), Iron (25%), Phosphorus (43%), Magnesium (48%), and Zinc (22%). These are important nutrients for your heart, bones, joints, skin, and immune system. I often pair these with dried goji berries or use in smoothies in place of protein powder. I made a fantastic hemp seed pesto the other day with fresh basil I grew on my patio. Hemp seeds can be sprinkled on salads, whipped into hemp seed butter, spread on toast with honey. There are many ways to enjoy these nutritional gems.

Eden Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Dry Roasted:

Pumpkin seeds are a wonderful alternative to nuts. They are rich in Magnesium (50%), Phosphorus (20%), Zinc (15%) and a good source of Iron (10%). A 1/4 cup serving provides 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, no sugar, and 16 grams of healthy fats. I like to make pumpkin seed butter or eat with Annie’s ginger snap bunnies. Women can reach for pumpkin seeds for a dose of magnesium –  an essential nutrient for pregnancy, hormonal balance, bone health and heart health.

Freeze Dried Raspberry Crunchies:

These are delicious and simply freeze dried raspberries, no other ingredients! They naturally do not contain any sugar, but do have 3 grams of fiber per 1/4 cup serving along with 20% Vitamin C. Pretty great for 25 calories. The freeze dried method removes water without adding sugar, unlike typical dried fruits which tend to be quite high in sugar. This is great for diabetics or those watching their sugar intake. Great to sprinkle on top of oatmeal, cereal, toss into my favorite bunny mix (see below) or on a fresh salad.

Annie’s HomeGrown Gluten Free Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies:

These gluten free ginger snap mini bunnies are crunchy and have a light ginger flavor. I like to eat a handful of these for crunch alongside a creamy green smoothie. They are also great to create what I call bunny mix with pumpkin seeds or nuts with dried fruit or freeze dried fruit. Bunny mix is a great snack to bring on the go when running errands or when you travel. These bunnies are gluten free, made with rice and corn flour. No artificial ingredients or preservatives are added and the bunnies are made in a peanut free and tree nut free facility for those with allergy concerns. These are not whole grain, there is only 1 gram of fiber per serving, that’s why I like to pair with seeds and dried fruit or smoothies. They are also great to sprinkle of top of oatmeal or coconut milk ice cream Winking smile.

Bunny Mix: Annie’s Homegrown GF Ginger Snap Bunny Cookies, Eden Organic Pumpkin Seeds, and Freeze Dried Raspberry Crunchies!

bunny mix

Betty Lou’s Gluten Free Fruit Bars:

These remind me of old school Nutri-Grain Bars I used to eat as a kid. However, Betty Lou goes the extra mile and uses a lot of real fruit – it’s bursting at the seams with blueberry filling! What this lacks is artificial flavors, food dyes (Red 40 and Blue 1), and corn syrup (most likely GMO), which makes me happy. Gluten free oats and gluten free flours along with blueberry filling made with real blueberries along with apples and sweetened with fruit juice concentrate deliver a moist and delicious fruit bar. It’s low in fat and contains 5 grams of fiber. The sugar count is a little high at 23 grams, mostly from the fruit juice concentrate, blueberries, and apples. This is a wonderful treat for afternoon tea or after dinner dessert. You could even enjoy for breakfast with a handful of nuts or nosh on pre-run. I loved the blueberry, I’m sure the other varieties (apple, apricot, strawberry, cherry) are just as divine.

George’s Aloe Vera Water:

Georges Aloe (480x640)

Aloe Vera Water typically has a very bitter taste, but George’s Aloe removes the components of the plant that are bitter for a smooth more pure flavor. George’s Aloe is great for cooling the body, reducing inflammation, and calming stomach acid and reducing reflux. You can enjoy 2 ounces in the morning and 2 at night. This is especially great in the summer time or when you are experiencing high stress. I like to add a couple drops of liquid Chlorophyll for an enhanced alkalizing effect.

Country Life Omega-3:

Country Life Omega-3 (640x480)

We are all encouraged to eat more fatty fish for the healthy Omega-3 fats. These days there are many concerns about the sources of fish and what contaminants we may be ingesting along with our fish dinner or perhaps you don’t eat fish often enough. Country Life brand delivers 1000mg of Omega-3 fatty acids: 180mg EPA and 120mg of DHA. This is a moderate dosage, recommendation ranges are based on each condition. Fish oil is beneficial for many conditions including: high blood pressure, ADHD, stroke, kidney problems, osteoporosis, and menstrual pain.

This product is molecularly distilled and third party tested so you can feel confident about the purity and safety of this supplement. Country Life Omega-3 is GMP Certified and Gluten Free. No wheat, corn, yeast, gluten, milk, preservatives, or artificial flavors are added to this product. As always, please discuss with your doctor before taking any supplements. Do not take if you are allergic to fish.

Alvita Dandelion Tea:

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I consider myself a tea drinker and Alvita brand teas are my favorite. Dandelion tea has a rich flavor, similar to coffee, so if you want to cut back on coffee, give Dandelion tea a try. This tea is caffeine free, so no jitters and is also beneficial for your kidney and liver. These two organs are responsible for cleaning house so anything as easy as drinking healthy tea to strengthen the kidney and liver is a great idea. Dandelion Root is rich in several vitamins and minerals as well.

Alvita Ginger Root Tea:

Ginger Root Tea (640x480)

Ginger Root tea is great for calming the stomach. Most people reach for ginger ale soda if they have upset stomach, but ginger root tea has a higher concentration of this beneficial herb and does not contain high fructose corn syrup like most sodas. You can add a teaspoon of local honey to warm tea after meals or in between. It has a pleasant ginger flavor that is soothing and enjoyable!

Many thanks to Vitacost for this wonderful opportunity to review some of my favorite products and a few new ones to share with my readers!

Disclosure of material connection: Vitacost provided me with free samples of these products to review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Information provided in this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or serve as a substitute for advice from your own physician or medical provider. I encourage you to seek medical attention from your doctor and do research on conditions specific to you. I appreciate you reading my blog posts!

Sip Smart: A Guide to Specialty Coffees and Teas

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These days there are so many different choices when it comes to coffee and tea. What flavor is the best, should you get organic, fair trade, herbal?? Here to clear the air is Vitacost.com to the rescue with a guest post from Rebecca Chopin. Thank you again for a wonderful and informative post!!

Guest blog post: coffee/tea, Rebecca Chopin
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Buying coffee used to be simple. You’d pick regular or decaf, with your biggest worry being which big-name brand—Folgers, Maxwell House, or Hills Brothers—tasted best. Tea was even easier. Lipton for hot; Nestea for iced.

Now, you’re lucky if you exit the coffee-tea aisle without a headache bigger than the one you’d get if you skipped the hot, caffeinated beverage altogether. Beans, grounds, freeze-dried crystals, pods, K-cups, loose leaves, bags, powders—these are merely delivery methods for coffee and tea today. What kind to sip is a whole ‘nother struggle.

Specialty coffees and teas have soared in popularity over the past few years, with the “gourmet,” exquisitely flavored varieties that once dominated the category now representing just a part of it. To keep up with trendy coffee house menus, and to satisfy the ever-more-selective palates of home brewers, manufacturers continue to roll out new specialty coffee and tea products.

Here’s a guide to some you’ll find on grocery store shelves:

Organic Coffee
Unless you’re a coffee fanatic, you probably don’t give much thought to the origins of the beans used to brew your morning cup. And as you sip that rich, black liquid, chances are slim you’ll consider it came from a plant. But coffee beans, which are technically seeds, are extracted from the berries of a small, perennial bush that grows in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.

In the lush, hot climate where coffee plants thrive, insects abound, making it necessary for farmers to use pesticides or other means of control. Although coffee is the third most chemically treated crop in the world (after cotton and tobacco), an increasing number of growers are moving toward organic agriculture.

Organic coffee beans are grown without the use of chemical-based pesticides or fertilizers, a practice that’s not only safer for the environment but produces a cleaner, healthier beverage for you. Look for the USDA Organic Certified logo on labels, and be prepared to pay a little extra, as organic coffee is more expensive to produce.

Fair Trade Coffee
Growing and harvesting coffee beans is hard work, especially on small, organic farms where plants require vigilant care. When you buy fair trade coffee, you help to support the people who dedicate their lives to bringing better beans to your grinder.

Put simply, fair trade certification is a guarantee that coffee farmers receive fair prices for their beans—allowing them to better support their employees and their own families. Fair trade revenues may also be used to support community projects, such as building schools.

Shade Grown Coffee 

Until about 35 years ago, “in the shade” was the only way coffee was grown. But hybrid plants that flourished in full sun—and yielded more coffee beans—were developed in the 1970s, resulting in farmers clearing away patches of rainforest to make way for these new-and-improved crops.

Besides negatively affecting the environment, tearing down trees interferes with the natural habitat of wildlife living in the forests. When you see “shade grown” on a coffee label today, it means the coffee plants were raised under a natural canopy of native trees—keeping birds where they belong, and preserving the biodiversity of the area. Shade-grown coffee is said to have a smoother, richer taste than full-sun varieties.

Estate Teas
Ready to take tea drinking beyond ordinary herbal blends? Single estate teas are considered the “champagne” of teas—respected in a way similar to fine, estate wines. As the name suggests, “single estate” means this type of tea comes from a single tea plantation. Common teas, like those found in supermarkets, often contain a blend of tea leaves from many different gardens (and even countries).

Single estate teas are known for their distinct “personalities,” with flavors reflecting the unique properties of the regions and individual plantations where the teas are grown. Their taste may vary from season to season, batch to batch, depending on factors such as weather and soil conditions. But this is what makes them special, and ups their cost significantly over other types of teas.

Medicinal Teas
Since the earliest of times, tea has been used to support health and longevity. Today it’s still a go-to natural solution for everything from a tickle in the throat to an upset stomach.

Next to boxes of “regular” herbal teas, you may see blends specifically designated for energy, relaxation, weight loss, digestive comfort and more. These teas are typically made from single or carefully blended herbs that have been used traditionally to support health. While they may offer some relief, medicinal teas aren’t intended to treat serious health issues. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have specific concerns.

This article has been provided by the folks at Vitacost.com. Vitacost.com has been selling discount vitamins since 1994. Since then it’s grown into one of the biggest online marketplaces for healthy living essentials-with vitamins and supplements such as green coffee bean extract . Get the best price on vitamins, nutritional supplements, whole foods and healthy diet products. Vitacost.com’s customers mean the world to them, and it’s their goal to provide you with the best nutritional supplements, natural foods and sports nutrition to help with your health and wellness. Vitacost.com is not affiliated with this blog, and isn’t responsible for content outside of this article.

By: +Rebecca Chopin writer for Vitacost.com