Barney Butter (Crunchy Almond) *Review*

The Food Guru here with another review of one of my favorite products of all time.  Surprise surprise, it's ANOTHER nut butter!  I'll tell you what, I'm completely addicted to this stuff, whether it be peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, pistachio butter, or all of the above mixed into one.  Heck, when I get the chance I usually whip up my own batch of homemade nut butter, a mixture of almonds, peanuts, and cashews.  Nuts butters are EXTREMELY good for you, especially in their natural form, and on my weight gaining journey I've been consuming a LOT of them.

Today's product is called Barney Butter, and specifically it's the crunchy almond butter variety.  I will say one thing first and foremost.  THIS STUFF IS FREAKING TASTY!  Seriously, be careful about sticking your finger in and having a little morsel, because more than likely you won't be able to stop.  I have to FORCE myself to put the lid back on sometimes, belittling myself with mental phrases like "OK Seth, come on now, what happened to all your self control?  You've had enough.  Stop eating it.  STOP."  And yet, for some reason it's like this stuff STILL jumps out the jar and into my mouth.  It is good, oh so good.

Health Factor:  As I've already mentioned, natural nut butters in general are VERY good for you.  That's because they contain a lot of healthy, unsaturated fats that help to maintain good cholesterol levels, slow digestion, and can actually be used as a good fuel source by your body on ketogenic diets.  Almonds themselves contain a lot of Omega-6 fatty acids, which when balanced properly with Omega-3 fatty acids (found in tuna, salmon, shrimp and all sorts of other fish and shellfish), can ensure your body stays in top form and is resistant to excessive inflammation.

Almonds themselves are also packed with antioxidants, which help to neutralize free radicals in your body and prevent disease.  They're also loaded with vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

Finally, almonds may actually help you to lose weight, despite being a high calorie, high fat food.  There have been all sorts of studies done on the consumption of raw nuts, including many tests on human subjects regarding diet and weight gain.  People who eat nuts at least twice a week were drastically less likely to gain unwanted fat when keeping their diet in check.  So what are you waiting for?  Have some almond butter, and don't you dare feel guilty.

Nutritional information:  

Here's the label from the back of the jar, which is probably easier to read than me just spewing off all the nutritional facts in the article. More efficient too, I'd say:

As you can see, this almond butter has similar caloric content to peanut butter, however much less saturated fat.  The ingredient list is short and sweet, and free of things like HFCS and hydrogenated oil.  It also has a relatively low sodium count, and low sugar as well.


But my friends, where I have to go off on this butter is the taste.  It is truly remarkable, and is without a doubt the best nut butter I've ever eaten to date.  You put a spoonful in your mouth, and it's like you took a little trip to heaven.  If the spoonful is big enough, you may close your eyes in ecstasy.  It's sweet, salty, and crunchy, and has such a beautifully strong taste that your whole mouth is enveloped in it.  Besides the perfectly sized chunks of almond, the butter is super creamy, and makes it awesomely hard to chew it.  It's like the perfect blend, and I'm not exaggerating.

Guys, this stuff is gold in a jar, NOT KIDDING.

So what are you waiting for?  Pick up some Barney Butter ASAP.  It's healthy, natural, and RIDICULOUSLY delicious.  It's a great break from peanut butter too, if you've gotten stuck in that rut.  It can fit into pretty much any diet too, whether it be weight loss, maintenance, keto, paleo, or mass gain.  Get some NOW, because these guys got it right.

......Barney Butter rules.  Good luck!


References:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909

Emerald 100 Calorie Almond Packs *Review*

These days, it seems grocery store shelves are absolutely littered with "low calorie" or "100 calorie" snack packs.  They usually come in the form of a cardboard box labeled with some colorful picture of a very yummy looking cookie, cracker, or combination of the two.  Sometimes they come with a little bit of frosting, other times they have intricate lacy designs dancing across the surface of these mini cakes.  If you've ever bought a box, you know it's filled with perfectly portioned little foil baggies topped off with miniature versions of the cover art, dry little cakes that aren't much bigger than your fingernails (or more plentiful.)  Rarely do they taste very good, and I can guarantee that almost NEVER will they leave you the least bit satisfied.  Not to mention, despite being only 100 calories, these little treats aren't the least bit healthy for you.  They're filled with artificial ingredients that'll encourage your body to hold onto that body fat you're trying so hard to lose.  Ladies and gentleman, there is an alternative to the nasty 100 calorie snack cake fad.

Luckily for you, this solution comes pre-packaged, therefore you'll get the portions right every single time.  AND it's loaded with tons of vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, and low in carbohydrates.  And guess what else, it's a much tastier product than any of those stupid little crackers.  What is this revolutionary low calorie snack pack?  They're called Emerald 100 Calorie Almond Packs.  Now Emerald is a big name in nuts (check out their website here: http://emeraldnuts.com/press/images/products/Emerald_family.jpg), and I believe that these 100 calorie snack packs are probably one of the smartest ideas they could've come up with.  You get around 20 nuts per package (or maybe like 25, I'll have to count next time I have a pack), which equals out to be about 100 calories exactly.  Here's the nutritional label for each snack pack:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 18g (1 pack)

Amount per Serving:  Calories 100

Calories from Fat 81.0

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 9g    13%

Saturated Fat 0.6g    3%

Cholesterol 0mg    0%

Sodium 150mg    6%

Total Carbohydrate 4g    1%

Dietary Fiber 2g    8%

Sugars 1g

Protein 4g    6%

Est. Percent of Calories from:

Fat 71.7%

Carbs 17.7%

Protein 10.6%

So what exactly is so great about these little packets of almonds?  Well, obviously it has to do with the properties of almonds themselves.  Not only are almonds one of the healthiest nuts you could ever consume, they're very satisfying and therefore will leave you more full than you might expect (and definitely more full than a 100 calorie cookie pack.)  With plain, roasted almonds, you get all sorts of remarkable health benefits:

Healthy Fats:  Almonds have a very large amount of unsaturated, heart healthy fat.  The fat in almonds has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol quite effectively, and will also prevent unneccessary inflammation in your body.

Lower Risk of Obesity/Weight Gain:  That's right, you read correctly.  The fats in almonds (and other nuts) has actually been shown (in several studies) to DECREASE the risk of weight gain.  Here's a little blurb from an article regarding the subject:

The 28-month study involving 8,865 adult men and women in Spain, found that participants who ate nuts at least two times per week were 31% less likely to gain weight than were participants who never or almost never ate nuts.

That's pretty awesome, isn't it?  So while nuts may be calorie dense, they definitely will NOT add fat to your figure if enjoyed in moderation.  And, because fat is satiating, you're more likely to remain full for longer after consuming a 100 calorie almond pack, which can keep your calories for the rest of your day in check.  Neat!

Protein:  While almonds aren't the greatest source of protein out there, you still get a good 4 grams of protein per 100 calorie Emerald almond pack, which is nothing to be scoffed at.  The protein in almonds can help you to sustain lean muscle mass, which will in turn keep your metabolism running full tilt and your fat loss efforts at a maximum.

Vitamins/Minerals:  Almonds are packed with all sorts of those little healthful vitamins and minerals our bodies need to stay healthy, and each almond pack has 25% of your daily vitamin E, 4% of your daily iron, and 4% of your daily calcium as well.  That's a pretty good profile for such a pocket sized snack!

Now before I conclude, I'd like to personally vouch for these almond packs as being one of the greatest things that's ever happened to my college diet.  They're incredibly versatile, portable, and can be incorporated into your diet no matter what your goal may be.  Want to lose weight?  It can be easily done with these packets, they'll fill you up and put your body into fat burning mode.  Want to pack on the muscle?  It's easy to throw a couple of these packets in your belly to increase your daily calorie consumption and give your muscles protein and healthy fats to help develop more lean mass.  I personally use them for the latter purpose, and find they compliment a meal of canned salmon quite nicely, and give my body a little more material to work with when it comes to my muscle building goals.

All in all these 100 calorie almond packs from Emerald are probably one of the smartest choices you can make when it comes to mid day snacking.  They're easy to carry just about anywhere, and are EXTREMELY healthy.  They've got all sorts of nutrients that your body needs to really become a lean, mean, muscular fat burning machine.  Not to mention that these almonds are absolutely DELICIOUS.

So what are you waiting for?  Pick up a package, you won't regret it, and your body will finally thank you for the elimination of those nasty snack cakes.



GOOD LUCK!

MaraNatha Almond Butter *Review*

Time for another review, and surprise surprise, it's another nut butter!  This one's a little different than my previous favorites, and that's mainly because it isn't made with peanuts!  That's right, we're going with something a little more exotic.....Almond Butter!  Ever heard of it?  I'm sure quite a few of you have, and I'm pleased to say that it's available at most grocery and health stores.  One brand which easily stands above the rest, at least as far as almond butters go, is MaraNatha, and their no-stir natural almond butter.  I love this stuff, and please allow me to explain why.

First of all, did you know that almonds themselves actually have a slightly better health profile than peanuts?  That's right, and unlike peanuts, they're actually a nut (peanuts are classified as legumes).  Per serving, almonds generally have more unsaturated fat than peanuts, less saturated fat, and more fiber.  Not to mention they're probably one of the best tasting nuts on the market (especially when they're smoked...yummy.)  All that means natural almond butter has the potential to be even healthier than natural peanut butter, at least to a small degree.

A word to the wise, don't dig into a jar of almond butter believing it will taste like peanut butter, it DOESN'T.  It's a unique taste, but an INCREDIBLY delicious one.  And boy does MaraNatha hit it on the spot, their blend is perfect for just the right amount of taste while keeping good consistency AND all the natural benefits of almonds.  Honestly, when you first try this stuff, make sure you've built up some good self control, because I honestly doubt you'll find it too easy to stop spooning that creamy goodness into your mouth after just one bite.

What if you're a chunky person?  Well I'd suggest the treadmill, and then the dumbbells.....oh god I'm hilarious. But all jokes aside, don't fear, I was extremely pleased to find that MaraNatha has both creamy and chunky varieties of their almond butter, so whichever you prefer you're guaranteed to be quite satisfied.  I have to lean toward the chunky stuff myself, it's nice to have a soft texture, but even better when it's interrupted by that beautiful crunch of a little piece of almond.

Because I'm never one to just blindly tell people to buy a product, let's look at the nutritional profile of MaraNatha's almond butter just to make sure what we're buying is as good as they say.

If that picture's slightly hard to read, I'll spell out the nutrition facts for you:

Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
Calories:190 (150 from fat)
Total Fat: 17 g (2.5 g saturated, ZERO TRANS FAT)
No Cholesterol
Sodium: 65 mg
Total Carbs: 7 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 6 g


Ingredients: Dry roasted almonds, palm oil, organic unrefined cane sugar, sea salt

In general, that's a FANTASTIC nutritional profile.  And because it's natural, it has no hydrogenated oils which could cause trans fats to pop up.  Because this butter is a "no-stir" variety, it has a slight bit of palm oil added in an attempt to keep the almond oil from separating from the butter itself, but this is nothing to worry about compared to its hydrogenated counterparts.  It also has a slight bit of sugar added, which normally would be a turn-off for me, however at only 3 grams per two tablespoons, the amount must be miniscule, and therefore I'm willing to look past this little addition.  The ingredient list is still quite short and sweet, a MUST HAVE for any nut butter I'll buy, as well as any nut butter that's respectively healthy.

So where can you use this stuff?  ANYWHERE YOU WANT!  But seriously, wherever you use peanut butter, you can use almond butter instead.  Spread it on a slice of whole wheat  toast or WW bagel, or maybe put it in a nice warm bowl of oatmeal, or have a tablespoon in your post workout shake for some extra calories.  I actually always have a tablespoon of this stuff before bed to get a few more calories in and slow down my digestion in hopes to prevent overnight catabolism.  It's an extremely versatile food, and hey, nobody's going to yell at you for eating it plain either (as long as you do so in a somewhat sneaky way).


My overall rating:

Taste: 10/10 (THIS STUFF IS DELICIOUS)
Versatility: 10/10 (Use it anywhere and everywhere)
Nutritional profile: 9/10 (I like everything but that tiny bit of sugar)
Price:  7/10 (at $4.68 a jar, it may be in the cheaper range of almond butters, but peanut butter is still much cheaper)

There it is, a look at one of my favorite health products of all time, a tasty, savory sweet treat that can be used throughout your day to supply your body with healthy fats, a little protein, and a whole bunch of nutrients.  I STRONGLY suggest you try almond butter.  There are hundreds of almond butter addicts, some having converted from peanut butter (though you can't go wrong with either choice.)  Pick up some MaraNatha almond butter and enjoy, and don't be surprised if that glass jar is empty before you know it!

All Sorts of Milk

Let's talk about milk.  I know it was my favorite drink as a kid, and it's an extremely important liquid in anyone's diet.  Milk is rich with nutrients, protein, and all sorts of other goodies that will keep you healthy and happy for years to come.  But when you usually buy milk, you may notice how many different choices there are.  Some doesn't even come from the good ol' moo-cows either, which to some people doesn't make much sense.  Are these "alternative" milks better for you?  Or are they lacking certain ingredients that may cause them to leave your body starved of milk's otherwise great health benefits?  Let's figure it out.

1%, 2%, and Whole Milk:  These varieties of cow's milk have been around FOREVER.  And there's good reason, because they're some of the most beneficial meal accompaniments you could ever have.  Whole milk basically means the natural fats remain in the liquid, so it tastes much thicker and creamier.  There are 150 calories in whole milk, 120 in 2% milk, and 100 calories in 1%.  All three varieties have 8 grams of protein and quite a few nutrients.  As we all know, cow's milk is filled with calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D.  It's also rich with Riboflavin and Phosphorus, and while not quite as significant as the amount of these vitamins, milk provides a good dose of almost every other vitamin across the board.  Milk really is a kid's best friend, and that's why so many doctors suggest feeding milk to growing children.  It will support muscle growth, bone strength, and load them up with the nutrients they need to develop.

But what about the fat?  There's a little bit of a debate about this one.  A lot of the fat in Whole milk is healthy fat, but there's plenty of saturated fat as well.  Now, saturated fat isn't inherently bad, but you want to limit your intake of it, therefore I don't suggest drinking a LOT of whole milk every day (I'd limit it to one 8oz glass.)  The good thing about this fat though is that your body can more readily absorb the nutrients in milk with all that fat present, because a lot of the vitamins and other nutrients are FAT SOLUBLE.  You'll absorb a lot more Vitamin A and D from whole milk than its fat diluted counterparts.  

Skim Milk:  This milk is my personal favorite, and it's what I drank every lunch and dinner growing up.  It's basically cow's milk with all the fat skimmed off.  It comes in around 80 calories a cup, and still has 8 grams of protein.  While you may be sacrificing the good fats, you're also eliminating the saturated fats, which in my personal opinion is a good trade off.  I personally drink milk for the protein, but those looking to pack on a little muscle with a few more calories should probably look into a higher fat variety like those discussed previously.

Fat free milk actually may contain slightly more nutrients than whole milk, just because the fat takes up so much space in the liquid itself.  When it's gone, there's more room for the good stuff.  Like I said before, the absorption may not be quite as prevalent as with whole milk, but because skim milk still has lactose in it, Calcium is still readily absorbed.  And it's been suggested that a good amount of calcium in your diet may actually cause your fat burning metabolism to increase.  That's a great incentive to get a little more milk in your diet today!

Soy Milk:  This was the first alternative milk I'd ever learned about.  It was always an interesting concept to me, milk that doesn't come from a cow?  Who would've thought.  But this milk has always been a great alternative to those who are lactose intolerant (they can't digest the sugars in dairy milk.)  How is Soy Milk made?  Well basically, Soy beans are pureed very thoroughly, then the solids (called Okara) are strained out.  The "milk" is then boiled for about ten minutes, and voila!  Soy milk.  

Soy milk has around 8 grams of protein, and a LOT of fiber compared to dairy milk.  It's also rich in Isoflavones, which are thought to help prevent cancer.  This sounds all fine and dandy, but as healthy as these Isoflavones are, they're one reason why I personally don't drink soy milk.  Isoflavones are very close in chemical composition to the hormone estrogen, which basically fights the male body's natural testosterone levels.  While this is by no means serious if soy milk is consumed in average quantities, it's still a factor that may cause a decrease in muscle growth, or actual muscle depletion.  As a lifter, this is NOT something I need, and if any of you are looking to build some muscle I don't suggest soy milk as a dairy alternative.  

Soy milk does have fat, a little more than 2% dairy milk actually, however without the bad cholesterol.  The fat in Soy milk is unsaturated, and therefore heart healthy.  All in all soy milk is a good alternative milk for those with lactose intolerance, though I do believe there are better choices.  

Rice Milk: I hadn't ever heard of rice milk until one of my workout partners from high school was talked into going on a week long "cleanse."  He wasn't allowed to consume gluten, and the cleanse said that rice milk was a great alternative to gluten rich dairy milk.  I went over to his house that weekend, and he let me try a little.  It wasn't bad, it had a real unique taste that I enjoyed.  Rice milk is made from boiled brown rice that's pureed, then strained of the remaining solids.  It tends to be pretty translucent, but also naturally sweet from the rice flavor.  It has much less protein than dairy milk and soy milk, at around only 1g per cup, but it also has more carbohydrates than dairy, making it a great energy source.

Rice Milk is often fortified with Vitamins found in dairy milk, such as vitamins A and D.  It's also naturally VERY low fat at only around 2g of unsaturated fat per serving.  Calories in a cup?  Around 120, so it's about the same as drinking 2% dairy milk.  It is vegan safe, and lactose intolerant safe, and therefore makes a great alternative milk to those who cannot drink dairy.  What's great about rice milk is that it also can be an alternative milk to those who are allergic to nuts.  Soy and Almond Milk are both not safe in this regard, which puts rice milk a step ahead.  If you're looking for a new taste, or a different alternative milk, I suggest giving rice milk a try.

Almond Milk:  This happens to be my favorite alternative milk out there.  It's got a naturally "nutty" flavor and is extremely low calorie if you get the unsweetened kind.  Unsweetened almond milk is about 40 calories a cup, sweetened is 60 calories per cup, and vanilla sweetened is around 90 calories a cup.  Almond milk is extremely rich in healthy, unsaturated fats and is probably one of the most heart healthy liquids you could drink.  It still doesn't have too much protein, at only a gram per serving, so I don't usually drink it as a muscle building tool.  I will however mix it with protein powder if I'm looking for a nice slow muscle feed, because the natural fats in almond milk will help to slow the absorbtion of otherwise fast absorbing whey protein.  It also adds a nice creamy flavor.  

Almond milk is loaded with the same vitamins as dairy milk including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin D
• B Vitamins
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Potassium

The unsaturated fats in almond milk will also help these vitamins to readily absorb into your body for easy usage.  If you're looking to cut back on carbs, almond milk is a great choice, containing only 8 grams of carbohydrates per serving as opposed to 25 grams in rice milk.  It also has a little less sugar than rice milk, if the unsweetened kind is purchased.  All in all Almond milk is another great alternative to dairy milk, particularly because of all the nutrients it offers at such a low calorie density.  

So there you go....MILK, both traditional and non-traditional.  My opinion?  Try a few alternative milks, and switch it up every now and then.  Don't be afraid to try each and every one, they all taste fine, and each has their own unique set of nutritional benefits.  Fellow gym rats?  I suggest sticking with dairy.  Looking to drop a few pounds?  Try almond milk.  Want something sweet and unique?  Try rice or soy.  Every one has their place, see if you can give each one a try.

Keep chugging, wipe off that mustache, and as always, good luck!