Categories: Drinks

20 Dec 2020, Comments (0)

Hollistic Roasters’ Biodynamic Coffee – Rise & Shine Medium Roast

Author: Healthnuttxo

What is Biodynamic Coffee? The folks over at Holistic Roasters make just that. According to their website, “Our Biodynamic Coffee is grown without the use of herbicides, fungicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. And, unlike organic farming, which makes exemptions for the use of certain broad-spectrum natural pesticides such as rotenone, ryania and sabadilla (which kill pollinators), there are no exemptions for their use in Biodynamic farming”.

Hollistic Roasters is USA company that sources their coffee from family run Biodynamic farms and cooperatives.

They sent me over a box of the Rise and Shine to try – Medium Roast. According to the box, It has Caffeic acid and antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and prevent premature aging.

Box and bag are compostable – awesome!

It comes In whole bean (so, I had to go out and buy a coffee grinder…whoops!). Here is what It looks like below, pre ground up

The smell was amazing. A fresh aroma.

But how did It taste?

Honestly…It was good! I definitely think It was more of a light roast than medium roast because there was hardly any “bite” or bitter flavor to It. It could have been my imagination but It seemed a little more potent than other coffee for me to start feeling the caffeine kick in. It was very smooth and light. Went well with some creamer 🙂

Overall, love the idea of this company. A 12 oz. box will run you about $20. So while its not the most affordable, It definitely tastes great and is good for the environment. And if you think about It, it’s a whole box! You can spend easily 5$ on a pre-made cup of coffee. So I think It all evens out in the end.

4 stars

DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED THIS BOX TO TRY FOR FREE. THIS IS AN UNBIASED REVIEW.

2 Mar 2020, Comments (0)

O.R.S. Hydration Tablets

Author: Healthnuttxo

O.R.S. is a tablet that dissolves in water that contains a “scientifically balanced formula of electrolytes and glucose” – it can be used whenever, for every day use, to replenish what you lose when you sweat in sports, or just sweating while living in hot climates.

You are instructed  (ages 6+ and older) to use 2 tablets to 200 ml of drinking water and allow to dissolve completely before drinking. It took about 5-10 minutes for it to completely dissolve.

Dissolving…

I like that it comes in a convenient tube – can store it in your bag or your backpack during hikes.

..and looked somewhat of a science lab! 🙂 Luckily, I checked the ingredients and no added artificial coloring. 

I received two flavors to try – lemon and strawberry. The strawberry I used in Nevada during an intense hike. I knew with all the sweating I would be depleted in sodium as well. 

How did it taste?

STRAWBERRY: 

The strawberry is sweeter in flavor, but again, mild. I think it has less of a “salty” taste than the lemon. It almost tastes like a lightly sweet strawberry juice. 

LEMON:

Mild lemon flavor, mild sweetness. Reminds me of a diluted “lemon-lime” sports drink flavor. You can tell it has a tiny bit of a salty flavor but not overpowering and I think you can just add a little bit more water as desired. 

Each serving has

15 calories, 275 mg sodium, 4 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of sugar, 6% DV of potassium, 16% DV of chloride. See full panel for additional details. 

OVERALL, I like these. I like that they offer electrolytes without a ton of added sugar but still have pretty good flavor. They are easy on the stomach which I enjoyed. I think they are great for the gym, intense exercise, if you live in hot places like Arizona…Nevada…or humid climates for daily use. I also used these for a friend who was not drinking a lot after vomiting from the flu and she said it helped her feel better. I think they are a must have for the active athlete & active lifestyles outdoors!

4 stars

Some things to look out for, as instructed by the company…

–>do NOT use more than 24 tablets in 24 hours  as it may be harmful-

–>children 6+ should NOT use more than 10 tablets in 24 hours as it may be harmful 

–>do NOT use if left out of the fridge > 8 hours or > 24 hours if IN the fridge 

–>as always, consult a doctor or pharmacist before use, esp if you have diabetes, on low sodium or potassium diet.

–> Do NOT USE if you have intestinal obstruction, liver or kidney problems!

**DISCLAIMER: I received these to try for free from the company. This is an unbiased review.

24 Nov 2019, Comments (0)

Kafina Organic Energy Elixer

Author: Healthnuttxo

The 3 pm ‘energy crash’ seems to be something that plagues us all from time to time — long days in the office, mental stimulation, or perhaps your 8 am coffee wearing off, the fatigue that occurs around 3 pm is something that is hard to beat. What to do? Drink another cup of coffee and risk not being able to sleep that night? Or push through it?

In comes Kafina, an organic energy elixer that states it is a “revolutionary organic energy elixer for extraordinary physical energy, mental stamina and uplifted mood with zero chemicals or crash” (according to the box my product came in). You can drink the 1.0 fluid ounce bottles as is, or sip it in another beverage.

note that these statements are not evaluated by FDA, not recommended if pregnant or nursing or for children, and you are advised to consult your doctor prior to use

Each bottle is only 11 mg of caffeine and 10 calories. The ingredients include water, maple syrup, coffee, schisandra berry, fenugreek seed, cardamom.

While I like that the ingredients are minimal and the caffeine content isn’t super high, the taste is something I cannot get over. It is…rough. The taste is somewhat or a mix of bitter and sour, possible coffee like flavor. To ensure it wasn’t just me, I had a friend try it who cringed after she drank it. No noticeable energy boost was achieved, even after the whole bottle was consumed. This is a pass for me.

1 star

DISCLAIMER: I received this bottle to try for free from the company. This is an unbiased review.

24 Nov 2019, Comments (0)

Oatsome Organic Oat Milk

Author: Healthnuttxo

By now, most people are aware of Cow’s milk alternatives including Soymilk and Almond milk, but have you ever heard of Oatmilk? Oatsome Oatmilk is another option, which especially appeals to those who are allergic to soy, nuts and dairy.

Some fun facts which I found out from the carton of Oatsome Oatmilk is that oats are one of the most sustainable grains and take 80% LESS water to grow than almonds do, and it takes over 1 gallon of water to grow ONE almond. That is definitely food for thought (pun intended) when choosing between which milks to drink to help benefit the environment!

You can bake with Oatmilk, drink it as is, & it can be used to make frothy lattes too. I used it mostly in my coffee. I brought it to work and a few of my co-workers who tried it really seemed to enjoy it. One co-worker heated it up in the microwave and used it in her coffee and found it absolutely delicious. The oatmilk itself is nutty, and not too sweet, with a thinner consistency than whole cows milk. It was a good addition to my hot coffee, adding a bit of extra flavor that wasn’t overwhelming.

1 cup of Oatmilk has 130 calories, 4 grams of fat, 21 grams of carbohydrate (13 g sugar) and 2 grams of protein. So while this milk alternative is definitely higher in carbs and lower in protein, I think it is worth adding to the rotation of milk-alternative choices in my fridge.

4 stars

DISCLAIMER: I received this product to try for free from the company. This is an unbiased review.

21 Oct 2019, Comments (0)

Bela Harmony herb infused Wellness Drink

Author: Healthnuttxo

Bela Harmony herb-infused drinks were inspired by Ayurveda, a somewhat sister of yoga, aimed to support overall mind and body wellbeing.

So what’s in the drink?

It’s a blend of 6 herbs, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals (like potassium and magnesium, to replenish what we may lose in a workout) and antioxidants. In particular, there is Turmeric, Ginger, Pepper extract, Tulsi and Shallaki (to be honest, I haven’t even heard of half of these!)

It comes in 3 flavors, I was sent the Elegant Tropical and Unsweetened variety (but also comes in Delicate Berry).

The drinks have 0 sugar, 0 caffeine, are gluten free and vegan.

Elegant Tropical:  reminds me of a light tea flavored drink, with a tiny bit of a kick. I can definitely taste the stevia (which isn’t my favorite) and it is particularly on the sweeter side. It almost has a fruity, lemony flavor with a hint of turmeric. I think it would be too strong to drink intra-workout for me but perhaps after, over a glass with ice in it. I find the flavors particularly strong, however, I let my Mom try one and she really enjoyed it, she states she found it very smooth and refreshing. 3 stars from me.

Unsweetened, no added flavor: This flavor is a little less overpowering for me. You can definitely taste more of the herbs – a basil and turmeric blend. Not sweet, but refreshing. It reminded me of a cup of black tea mixed with a bit of a lemony flavor. I actually preferred this one a bit over the Elegant Tropical. Again, Mom likes both J   3 stars

Overall, while they weren’t my cup of tea, I do like what the company is promoting. And hey! Taste is subjective. I try to always get feedback from others when doing a review. Tea and herbal flavors is definitely something that is very subjective, as displayed with my Mom really enjoying these beverages and me, not so much. However, if you are big into herbal teas I would definitely give this a try.

DISCLAIMER: I received these to try for free, from the company. This is an unbiased review.

7 Oct 2019, Comments (0)

Steeped Coffee

Author: Healthnuttxo

Like the idea of single serve coffee (aka K-cups) but don’t like the idea of all the plastic waste?

In comes Steeped Coffee.  Single serve coffee in a renewable and compostable bag. Seriously. It’s quite genius. While I love the flavor of a fresh pot of coffee, I work pretty early hours and definitely don’t always feel like brewing it from scratch at 5 am..But I’m not entirely PRO K-cup either, since it’s such a waste of plastic. Even the PACKAGE is compostable. Seriously.

According to the website the sealed edges from the bag eliminate glue and staples, and the ink used for printing is water based and without toxic chemicals. Amazing!

So how does Steeped work?

You simply place the bag in a cup and pour about 8 oz of hot water, dunk it for 15 seconds (or longer if you like it stronger) and leave it in your cup until desired taste. It resembles a giant tea bag, essentially.

cute little submarine!

They have flavors from French, light to extra dark roast and even decaf for those who enjoy the taste of coffee but maybe can’t have the caffeine (or like me, who already had 3 cups of coffee today but wants another and maybe shouldn’t have any more caffeine for the day!)

My taste for coffee has developed over the years. From liking very light roast to switching to cold brew has made it difficult for me to enjoy a cup of coffee without the punch. So, while some of the flavors here were a little too weak for me (light roast, French), I did enjoy the dark roast much more.  I thought it would be a good idea to let it brew, let is sit, and then add ice, but I found it really muted the flavor, so I would recommend these hot only.

Overall, I love the idea of this company and love the idea that it’s entirely compostable. THANK YOU Steeped! While I would stick to the darker roasts, that’s entirely a preference. However, I would recommend having it hot only, as iced kind of mutes the flavors (which makes sense as we are watering it down!) But definitely give them a try, the environment will thank you for it 🙂

DISCLAIMER: I received these to try for free from the company. This is an UNBIASED review.

23 Sep 2019, Comments (0)

Hint Water for Kids

Author: Healthnuttxo

Hint water for kids offers the same quality, 0 grams of sugar and no added sweeteners that traditional Hint water offers, but in super cute ‘juice’ box form! –(But really, how cute are the little fruit cartoons!)

Juice is a common drink amongst kids- however, while juice can provide some Vitamin C, it’s also loaded with sugar and a lot of empty calories. Plain water can be tough to get your kid to drink, especially if he or she is used to juice. A better alternative? Hint! These are water infused with fruit essence and have zero sugar, zero sweeteners. In fact, look at the nutrition label, and there’s a whole lot of…well…nothing!

They come in 4 delicious flavors.
Apple, Blackberry, Watermelon & Cherry. All 4 of them are quite delicious. While they certainly aren’t sweet like juice, they have this wonderful flavor of fresh fruit! The Apple I found to be my favorite, reminded me of granny smith slices in a bottle of water. All 4 flavors have a real, fresh fruit flavor, without harsh sweetness or fake flavors.

How did they do it? I don’t know but I am glad they did. You can get a case of 32 for ~$19 or ~$15 with subscribe and save. I hope I find these at the market because let’s be honest, sometimes we get tired or plain old water, but don’t want added chemicals/preservatives that diet drinks offer or sugar, and I found this to be the perfect little addition to keep me hydrated 🙂

4.5 stars

DISCLAIMER: I received these to try for free from the company. This is an unbiased review.

19 Aug 2019, Comments (0)

Sparkling Ice Mango Guava Sparkling Water

Author: Healthnuttxo

The mystery flavor is finally revealed from Sparkling Ice — and it is MANGO GUAVA!

After months and thousands of guesses from #WhatTheFlavorSweeps, Mango Guava is finally revealed. 0calories, 0 grams of sugar, caffeine free and enriched with Vitamin A, D, B6, Niacin, B12, Biotin and Panthothenic Acid per serving.

I was sent some of these to try from the company – I tried to guess the flavor and honestly, that’s almost what I was guessing! It is mildly carbonated (perfect), with a fruity, tropical flavor. I was trying to guess with every sip and I settled on a guava/mango flavor. To my surprise, I was actually right! It definitely reminds me of something fruity that I should be sipping on a nice, warm beach. Almost some hints of pineapple in there too. Super refreshing, and a perfect summer drink.

You can get this flavor for a limited time in stores while supplies last!

DISCLAIMER: I was given these bottles to try for free from the company. This is an unbiased post.

17 Aug 2017, Comments (0)

Banana Wave Dairy Free Banana Milk

Author: Healthnuttxo

An alternative for those bored of soy, almond, or can’t tolerate regular milk, in comes BANANA MILK!!! I love the concept of this, every now and then when I make oatmeal or something, I like the flavor of banana but I HATE warm bananas– changes the consistency and bleh — but something like this would come in perfect.

Banana Wave is made with actual bananas, so none of that artificial flavor banana stuff. That also means you get the added benefit of Potassium with your banana milk, a pretty important mineral to prevent muscle cramping and maintain proper conduction of your heart, etc.  This milk is vegan, kosher, gluten free, and has no artificial colors or flavors.

I tried it 2 ways– in my morning coffee in the place of milk, and with my oatmeal (again, in place of milk).

The milk itself is mild in flavor, and has the consistency of a thicker almond milk. In coffee, it was okay. I usually use whole milk in my coffee, because I like it light and sweet, and hate the bitterness of a cup of Joe. The flavor is pretty mild so a little bit of banana flavor came through but unfortunately the coffee flavor still predominated and the bitterness remained.

In the overnight oats, it provided mild sweetness and banana flavor, which went fantastic with peanut butter. Seriously, what a great find. I used it with overnight oats– so I didn’t actually “cook” the milk– but put 1 cup of Banana Wave with 1/2 cup of oats and 2 Tbsp of peanut butter in a container and let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then just put in microwave for 30 seconds in the morning to take the chill out and melt the peanut butter. Delish!!

Here are the nutritional facts: more or less the same as a banana in terms of calories, but does have added Cane sugar so a serving will cost you 18 grams of sugar (Forgot about this when I had my oatmeal –> high blood sugar… whoops)

However, a good alternative to almond/soy/cow’s milk and good to spice it up every now and then. But watch your sugars!

4 stars

 

DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free from the company. This is an unbiased review.
22 Apr 2017, Comments (0)

Ion8 Sports Bottle with ionizing technology

Author: Healthnuttxo

 

So before receiving this product and doing a bit of research, I had no idea what it meant to “ionize” your water. To me, I know cations and anions involved in body chemistry and physiology, or what an “ion” is– (which is a molecule that lost or gains electrons to give it a + or – charge)… but what does it mean to IONIZE my water?!

According to the box, I could do that to my water/drink by shaking it. What I am assuming is that you are aerating the beverage, thus ionizing it, which I’m not sure the chemistry behind that (I’m in medicine…not chemistry!) so we will just go with it and talk about the other features of the bottle.

 

The bottle is BPA free, dishwasher friendly (this one is huge for me), can be used with hot or cold beverages, big enough to add ice cubes to, odor resistant, and leak proof. It has a cap that closes snugly, but then also a little lever that you clip so it won’t open up in your bag. Which, let me tell you, I have had many “expensive, great” water bottles open up in my bag and like what is the point of spending good money on a bottle if your beverage leaks everywhere?

NO POINT THAT’S WHAT.

anyway…

 

I used this with water and iced tea mainly. Honestly, I loved it. Loved that I could just throw it in my bag, and the box claims it has a “vented, smooth liquid flow” which is 100% does. You ever go to drink out of a bottle and the flow of water is either so rapid you almost choke or barely streams out of it? Or you get a lot of “glugs” of water (I may have made that word up), where it just doesn’t flow smoothly. I really liked that the flow of water was smooth and just easy to drink.  It’s hard to explain, but I will tell you it’s much different and noticeable than drinking from other bottles.

The bottle also has a rubber portion in the middle making it great for grip, and since it’s a sports bottle (and I am assuming most of you guys get sweaty during sports with sweaty palms…) it’s easy to hold and won’t slip out of your hand. With ice, it kept my beverages cool for a decent amount of time. Unfortunately I don’t drink a lot of hot beverages besides coffee so I did not test how long it would keep something hot.

Overall, a homerun from me. Really loved this product. Solid 5/5, no complaints.

 

 

Disclaimer: i received this bottle for free. This is an unbiased review.



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