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Food Review: Bear Naked Granola's New Flavors

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:00:09 -0700

Granola is filled with sweet oaty goodness that not only satisfies your sweet tooth, but also fills your belly and gives you energy all morning. Bear Naked is one of my favorite brands because their products always test fresh, homemade, and are made with basic ingredients like oats, agave syrup, and almonds. If you're also a fan of Bear Naked, you'll be happy to see they came out with two new flavors of granola: Maple Pecan and Peak Flax.

To hear more about these tasty new granolas and see how they measure up nutritionally, read more.

The Maple Pecan has a traditionally warm and autumnal flavor, with a very strong hint of maple syrup. The pecans add a crunchy surprise, and every bite reminds me of pancakes at my grandma's when I was a kid. I equally enjoyed the Peak Flax granola. It has a uniquely sweet hint of honey and lemon that's very refreshing, and the crunchy texture complements the chewy dried blueberries beautifully. You'll see on the package that this granola is made with heart-healthy flaxseeds which deliver 320 mg of ALA per serving.

When you check out the nutritional info above, you'll see that both are low in saturated fat, sodium, and surprisingly, sugars. Four grams of protein per 1/4-cup serving isn't bad at all, but I would have thought they'd be higher in fiber. All in all, I'd definitely recommend trying these new flavors out if you're a granola fan. They taste great in milk, on top of yogurt or ice cream, and they were especially delicious warmed up.

Choose the Cereal Super Star!

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:30:36 -0700

Cereal is a great choice for breakfast since it's fast, easy, inexpensive, and when coupled with milk or yogurt, it's a great source of protein and fiber. I always feel full for hours after eating a hearty bowl, but not all cereals are created equal nutrition-wise. Take this quiz to see which are the best ones to choose.

Question 1 of 6

Which Go Lean cereal contains more protein per serving?

5 Ways to a Healthier Bowl of Cereal

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:50:45 -0800

On mornings when I need a quick, filling breakfast, I go for the always-satisfying bowl of cereal. With so many different kinds to choose from, I never get bored. To increase the nutritional value in your bowl, try these five suggestions.

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Food Review: Kashi GoLean Crisp!

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:30:28 -0800

I always have a box of Kashi GoLean cereal in my cupboard, whether it be regular GoLean or GoLean Crunch. These cereals are a great source of fiber and protein, full of wholesome whole grains, and taste great in milk or on their own. If you too are a fan, then you'll be psyched to hear that a new version is hitting shelves now - GoLean Crisp!

Curious to know how it compares nutrition and flavor-wise? Then keep reading.

Food Review: Ultima Organic Blueberry Blue Corn Cereal

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:33 -0800

Being a big fan of blue corn chips (one of my weaknesses), you can imagine how psyched I was to see a cereal made with blue corn. Barbara's Bakery has a whole line of Ultima Organic cereals, and Blueberry & Blue Corn is the latest flavor.

Based on looks, the cereal appears rather ordinary, right? To find out if the cereal lived up to its bland looks and see how much fiber is in a serving, keep reading

Make Your Own Cereal With MojaMix

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:56 -0800

Bored with Breakfast? MojaMix allows you to choose from an array of nutritious nibbles, so you can make your own personally customized cereal. It's really simple to do. Just choose your cereal base (granola, flakes, Os, etc.) that costs $4.99. Then choose as many dried fruits as you want including mango and goji berries, and you pay between $.40 and $1.30 for each, depending on what you choose. Then add nuts and seeds (they even have chia seeds), which cost between $.30 and $.90 for each. Then if you want, throw in some extras like raw cacao nibs. You get to name the cereal made especially by you, and when it arrives in the mail, it comes with the nutritional info on the bag.

See what my bowl of Good Morning Medley looks like when you read more.

Here's the cereal I made with these ingredients: Three Brothers (Wheat Flakes, Rye Flakes, Oat Flakes), Mango, Raisins, Almonds, Cashew Nuts, Cranberries, Blueberries, Cherries, Sunflower Seeds, and Walnuts. This hearty cereal is delicious with milk, yogurt, or heated up like oatmeal.

Studies Have Confirmed: Sugar, Models, and Clowns

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:34 -0700

Some health studies make headlines and they seem quite shocking and sad, like this one from CNN: Tweens Challenged by Grown-Up Malady: Breast Cancer. Others bring out my inner fourth grader, and my response to them is sophisticated "no duh." But stories are often more complicated than their headlines, and it is nice to have scientific studies confirm a few assumptions.

Kids' Cereals Pour on the Sugar and Sodium - USA Today
A new study illustrates what we have long since learned by reading nutrition labels: cereals aimed at children have 85 percent more sugar, 65 percent less fiber, and 60 percent more sodium than cereal marketed to adults.

Models Strike a Chord in Self-Esteem - New York Times
A study to soon appear in the Journal of Consumer Research found that when women look at photos of models they think about their weight and their self-esteem is affected.

Talk on Your Cell, Risk Missing the Unicycling Clown - CNET
Pedestrians talking on their cell phones were considerably less likely to notice the conspicuously dressed clown riding a unicycle compared with other pedestrians. If you have ever ridden a bike on a city street, chances are high you probably already know this. Extrapolate this data to drivers and realize you need to bike, run, and walk defensively.

Kellogg's Testing Logo Corn Flakes in the UK

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:20:07 -0700

From Chanel suckers to LV-inspired cupcakes, fashion labels and food have been teaming up in unusual ways. But this trend may be headed in a direction that even the most brand-beset consumers couldn't have comprehended.

In an effort to quash imitators, cereal brand Kellogg's is developing laser technology in the UK to burn its logo onto individual Corn Flakes. "Now you'll always be able to tell your Corn Flakes from your corn fakes!" Kellogg's UK tweeted yesterday.
The company intends to use concentrated beams of light to print a toasted trademark logo without altering the cereal's taste, and is going to test batches before deciding whether or not to put branded flakes in all Corn Flakes boxes. If successful, the logos could be put on other brands, such as Special K and Bran Flakes.

Helen Lyons, lead food technologist for Kellogg, said, "We want shoppers to be under absolutely no illusion that Kellogg's does not make cereal for anyone else. We're constantly looking at new ways to reaffirm this, and giving our golden flakes of corn an official stamp of approval could be the answer."

Source: Twitpic User KelloggsUK

10 Cereals With 8 or More Grams of Fiber

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:50:54 -0700

We all could use a little extra fiber in our diets, since it's recommended that women eat between 25 and 30 grams a day. Not only does fiber keep you regular, but it can also help lower your cholesterol and prevent heart disease and certain cancers. Breakfast is a wonderful time to fill up on fiber-rich foods, so check out which cereals contain eight or more grams of fiber per serving.

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Food Review: Bear Naked Cereals

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Bear Naked Fit Granola is a staple in my house, along with other cereals, since I like to mix cereals to reap the nutritional benefits of them all. So when I heard this company was making two new varieties of cereal - Banana Nut and Cranberry Raisin- I had to try them.

To find out what I thought and see how much fiber each serving contains read more.

Both flavors have satisfyingly thick flakes made from wheat and rice that taste hearty with a hint of sweetness. You see those little oat clusters? They add a nice crunchy texture that compliments the soft dried fruit. The Banana Nut cereal contains tons of sweetened banana chips, dried apples, and walnuts. The Cranberry Raisin cereal is full of raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, pepitas, and also has dried apples.

I can't really say which is my favorite, since they're both so full of bold flavor and texture. I was surprised that they both have eight grams or less of sugar per serving because the flakes taste so very sweet. I love how this cereal is high in fiber and protein, but low in calories and sodium. It's set to hit stores in mid to late June, so definitely look for it. Each 12.5 ounce bag costs $4.49. Since the ingredients are 100 percent natural, and the taste is 100 percent delicious, it's definitely worth it.