New Healthy Products, Celebrities & Shocking Truths 2011
I had the best time at the largest Natural Products Expo in the US. Zillions of products and hundreds of people, lots of sampling going on, I was in heaven! I should have not eaten two days before to save myself.
Just kidding, nobody should do that…
I even rubbed shoulders with celebrities like Jillian Michaels, Fabio & Tv host- Ajay Rochester (super amazing).
I interviewed the Italian Heart throb so look for that video in an upcoming article. Honestly, I didn’t know I was a fan until I had the chance to meet him. He looks great, he’s still in great shape & was very nice!
My tour of the Natural Products Expo will be broken up in to segments since there was a lot to cover and interviews to be done about products I think are helpful to your health & weight loss program & some that are just interesting & entertaining so check out the following posts also.
Lara Bar
In the beginning of my tour we headed to Lara Bar. It’s an all raw bar and their original bars are made from dates, nuts and fruit. Their newer additions to the line have included chocolate & other flavors that could include processed sugars, so watch out. I would stick with the original bars as a quick after workout snack for fast energy.
Yerba Mate
I personally don’t like the flavor of coffee anyway but Yerba Mate is touted as a substitute for coffee. You coffee drinkers will probably tell me, “It doesn’t taste anything like coffee.” That’s true because it’s not coffee, your taste buds have to get used to the new flavor. Give your body a chance to like it. In the video she talks about all the benefits. Here’s a couple points- It is a stimulus plant but a lower amount of caffeine, it contains potassium, manganese, magnesium, I recommend drinking the non-toasted version and steep in warm water not boiling water to get the maximum benefit of the cholesterol lowering benefits as well as the antioxidant benefits.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is a great beverage to bring to the gym. Coconut water is one of the best drink replacements for electrolytes like potassium & magnesium that’s lost through working out. Some coconut waters are now adding fruit juices to their coconut waters, BE CAREFUL! Once they add the fruit juice, you are increasing your “liquid sugar” intake and this will sabotage a weight loss program. So go with the original coconut water, no added fruit juice or if you have them available to you, but the fresh coconuts!
EO is a cool raw company make snacks like rawnola matcha (green tea) bars, pumpkin seed bars, and coconut bars. The higher-protein snacks are great for taking to the gym, light on your stomach and easier to digest giving you energy pretty quickly. This is a cute, up and coming company with a great foundational philosophy, great tasting, healthy bars, and contains all raw vegan ingredients. Kardena approved!
Now this next product is out side the box but I think it’s pertinent. What do you think?
GUM!
Millions of people chew gum, I know I do once in a while, especially if I’ve had one of my garlic surprise dishes or salads and I’m meeting someone right afterwards! I don’t want to scare them away.
A little disclaimer about gum- it won’t whiten your teeth like the commercials say and it actually makes ME hungry because the chewing action triggers the release of HCL in my stomach because my body thinks I’m eating food that needs to be digested. The body’s so smart!
You Will Be Shocked!
Now most commercial gums are terrifyingly bad for you. Here’s a list of their main ingredients-
-Synthetic rubber & polymers just like what rubber tires & panty hose are made from. What ?!
-Aspartame/Saccharin (carcinogen)
-artificial colors (carcinogen)
-preservatives (embalming material)
– HFC’s (high fructose corn syrup)
There’s a solution!
Awwww..Chicza Gum is made of all natural, 100 per cent organic and biodegradable ingredients from sapodilla tree sap without any petrochemicals used to make tires. We like that!
Host of Australia’s Biggest Loser
I had the pleasure of meeting Ajay Rochester, former host of Australia’s Biggest Loser . Ajay once weighed over 300 pounds and lost 170 of them. What a huge accomplishment & inspiration. I love her energy and her “never give up” attitude. She has also created a recipe/weight loss book that she will be sharing recipes from in a future article so look for it!
After meeting the bubbly Ajay, we cruised the aisles & found a range of products from vegan cheeses, organic wines, chocolates of all kinds. They are getting bold with chocolates these days, chilli chocolate!? My favorite is still chocolate and peanut butter. I ate my way through the vegan meats, veg samosas, coconut bliss ice cream, raw treats, coconut drinks, dips of all flavors, colors, & consistencies.
All types of nut and seed butters like sunbutter made from sunflower seeds which is great for people with allergies to nuts & the availability of the protein and lower fat content.
Now, some of the products I mentioned above may not be found in your local grocery store or health food store. However, my tour will at least give you new ideas and understanding of healthy options and you can seek out a similar product if this exact one is not available in your area.
I have several more captivating interviews in upcoming articles.
What do you think so far?
Wishing You Wellness,
Kardena Pauza
Author- Easy Veggie Meal Plan
Thanks for showing us this year’s expo! I can’t wait to see the rest.
Thanks it was a blast and we met and learned so much. I’ll be rolling out the next Expo post soon!
Great info on gum chewing. Never knew.
And knowing is power.
You can purchase it online at planetorganic.com, they are an up and coming company. Or look on their website you can see where it’s available. you may be able to find other similar gum that uses a natural base.
Where can one buy Chicza gum?