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

Cytosport Muscle Milk Bottles *Review*

As most of you probably know by now, I'm a HUGE connoisseur of protein supplements.  Whenever I get the chance, I try out something new on the shelf and see how it compares to what I've already had.  The other day I ran out of Combat Powder, and needed a quick, single day replacement for post workout nutrition.  I drove over to Walgreens, walked up to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of Chocolate Muscle Milk by Cytosport.  After my workout, I chugged that sucker down, and well.....here's my review of the stuff:

Taste:  The chocolate version tasted great!  Sure, it wasn't the best protein I've ever had, but it wasn't far off, especially for a single dosage.  It's very thick and filling, and tastes like a real and substantially chocolatey shake.  Not hard to drink at all, and honestly it tasted good enough that I wished I had more.  The chocolate flavor is very potent, and doesn't taste very "chemical" at all (as some other proteins do.)  Reminded me of a brownie, even though it's been years since I've had one of those.  I will say though that I'm not a very picky person, and can appreciate most forms of chocolate flavor.  You may be a little more discerning, but I can say that I'm quite confident you'd enjoy the beverage.

8/10 

Protein Content:  As far as the protein factor goes, the profile definitely isn't bad.  Is it the greatest protein source out there?  No.  But it's a good blend of many different proteins, including milk protein and a few types of whey.  The whey isn't amazingly refined, so I assume it won't absorb quite as quickly as a heavily filtered whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey.  Still, unless you're splitting hairs, it's not a huge deal, in fact I think it's good to have a blend so that the protein will feed your muscles over a longer period of time.  One bottle has a total of 25 grams of protein, which isn't huge, but is enough.  Just to compare though, most powdered proteins will give you about 50 grams of protein for the same number of calories as in a bottle of Muscle Milk.  So you're not getting a super concentrated dose, but the amount of protein your body can absorb in one sitting isn't that impressive anyway, so it's not a big deal.  Overall, the protein is of medium to medium high quality, and there's a decent amount of it.

7/10

Other Nutritional Profile:  One thing I noticed right away about Muscle Milk is that it has an interestingly large fat dosage.  Cytosport calls in "functional fat," which I assume means that their marketing it as healthy fat.  One bottle has a total of 9 g of fat, 1.5 g of which is saturated.  I'm not completely sure, but I think the fat mostly comes from the milk, as well as the oil used in the ingredients.  I can't vouch for exactly how high quality the fats are, but let's just say they don't raise any red flags or scare me away.  

A 14 oz bottle of Muscle Milk has only 3 grams of sugar, which is quite low considering the very sweet taste.  There are artificial sweeteners used, but I have no problem with those, though some people might.  The ingredient list is quite long, which I usually don't like, but expected in this case because most protein shakes have quite a bit that goes into them.  

Here's the nutritional information right off of Cytosport's website (click to enlarge):

7/10

Price:  Not the cheapest stuff out there, but definitely not the most expensive.  One bottle is around 3 bucks, not a killer investment if you need some quick protein.  I'd only use it as a temporary replacement for powder though, because you generally get a LOT more bang for your buck with powder.

8/10

Name:  SUPER COOL!  I mean seriously, "Muscle Milk"?  That's AWESOME!  Wish I'd thought of it.  Sure beats "whey protein isolate," or "mass gainer."  It's like, 

"Hey George, whatcha drinking?"

"Oh, nothing special, just MUSCLE MILK!!!"

Love it!

10/10

Overall, would I recommend the ready to drink Muscle Milk 14 oz bottles?  As far as the chocolate goes, yes I definitely would.  It's a great replacement for a powder for a day or two, and is a viable post workout protein source.  It's got a good blend of protein types, tastes great, and won't break the bank.  If you get a chance, try a bottle!  Let me know what you think!

Lift hard, lift heavy, refuel, and as always, good luck!!!

Heartbreaking Dawns 1498 Scorpion Chili Sauce *Review*

OK, I confess, I'm a wannabe chili head.  Allow me to explain.  A "chili head" is someone who absolutely loves, and in some ways is quite addicted to, incredibly spicy, flavorful foods.  These usually include the peppers which are truly the hottest of the hot, the chilis that make Jalapenos taste like unflavored popcorn, and Habaneros akin to a quick night time snack.  I'm talking peppers like the Naga Viper, the Trinidad Scorpion (and similar strains like the Butch T or 7 pot), and of course the infamous Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper).  All of these peppers boast heat ratings over a million Scoville Heat Units (SHU).  To put that in perspective, a Jalapeno is only about 3,000 SHU.  These peppers are HOT!!!!!

Chili heads also enjoy many sauces and spices created from these super hot fruits.  I've had quite a bit of experience with sauces myself, and have always liked challenging myself with what I've considered to be quite spicy foods, and am always looking to try the next level.  My tolerance to heat isn't bad, but it's nothing compared to the true chili enthusiasts, or perhaps I should call them "heat seekers."  However I am always looking to try the next step up, and decided I'd like to purchase a real powerhouse hot sauce and give it a go.  I  wanted one that would make Tabasco look like the wimpiest little bottle going, but still wanted one made with natural ingredients and actual peppers, not just super hot extract.

After a lot of research, I came upon a company called Heartbreaking Dawns, and let me be the first to say that while my experience with hot sauces isn't as vast as some, these folks blow everyone else out of the water.

Heartbreaking Dawns is a company based on home brewed sauces made with the tastiest combinations of natural ingredients you could ever come upon.  They've got everything from pineapple jalapeno sauces to super spicy yet flavorful ghost pepper varieties.

I, however, wanted something with a little more kick.  So I settled on their "1498" sauce, made with Trinidad Scorpions, one of the original peppers to dethrone the Bhut Jolokia as the hottest pepper in the world.  Boy was I in for a treat.

Flavor:  This sauce tastes absolutely fantastic.  It's not just a destructive, eye watering heat with no flavor to boot, oh no.  It has an extremely rich combination of ingredients (discussed in more detail later in the article) that taste FANTASTIC together.  This sauce went through many prototypes, and boy did they get the end product right.  It tastes great by itself, but even BETTER on food, and BEST on meats.  Seriously, it's got all sorts of fruity aroma, including hints of blueberry and scotch bonnet peppers as well as the very flavorful Trinidad Scorpion pepper.  It adds a lot of character to almost any meal, and honestly I can't really imagine it going poorly with anything.  It doesn't overpower, despite the intense heat.  Awesome!

Heat:  I won't lie, this stuff is HOT!  But I'll also say that it isn't killer.  Sure, if you think Tabasco is hot, you'll have a little bit of an adjustment period (and will want to go light on the sauce at first),  but it won't set your whole face alight.  It's got a "nice" burn to it that lingers, and makes you sweat it out for a little while, but actually feels good once you get used to it.  As you can probably tell, it's hard to describe.  All I can say is that if you're looking for a kick, this sauce will DEFINITELY give it, especially in larger quantities.  But it can also be used sparingly for a great heat without making you cry for hours.  Be prepared for tongue and throat burn though, they can get intense.

Ingredients/Nutritional Information:  Here's a picture of the ingredient list.

As you can see, the ingredients speak for themselves.  No extract, no artificial sweeteners, no HFCS, just all natural ingredients.  Nearly zero calories per serving, only a TINY bit of sodium (very unusual for hot sauces), and a blend that'll make even seasoned food critics quite intrigued.  It's fantastic, and it really brings a smile to my face to see such natural ingredients in such a tasty sauce.

Other comments:  Check out how cool that logo is, really tattoo-esque, right?

Overall, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend this sauce.  It's a perfect blend of heat and flavor, and is about as natural and healthy as you can get.  It'll add awesome kick to any food, yet will also compliment the existing flavors quite nicely.  You can't go wrong with Heartbreaking Dawns.  Be adventurous, get some heat in your life!

Our Daily Eats "Spicy Maple Pepitas" *Review*

I'm back with another fantastic snack that I've recently had the pleasure of stuffing my face with in every possible instance.  As you may or may not know by now, I like things with flavor, things that can kick you in the mouth a little bit with a spicy, sweet combination, yet keep your belly full and waist trim at the same time.  I don't come across store bought snacks that provide this unique feeling too often, yet today I'm pleased to say that a new food has graced my plate with its presence and given me something I truly enjoy.  They're made by a company called Our Daily Eats, and are named creatively "Spicy Maple Pepitas."

So what are these things exactly?  Well, they're pumpkin seeds to be exact.  Small ones, that are spiced up with cayenne pepper and maple syrup.  If that doesn't sound like a combination made in heaven, I don't know what does.  And as far as taste goes, these things really hit the spot.  They're exactly what you'd expect, spicy and interesting, yet deliciously sweet at the same time.  If you're not a huge spice fan, don't worry, these things don't burn, they just let you know they're there with a nice little twinge of flame.  And the maple syrup...well coming from Vermont you can already tell I'm a fan.  I love maple syrup, and I truly believe it is a PERFECT addition to these spicy little seeds.  Together they create a very unique taste that I believe you must taste ASAP.

But what about the actual nutritional profile of these seeds?  Well, as you know, I don't eat food that's not healthy/beneficial toward my body in some significant way, much less write a review on it.  And I'm pleased to announce that the nutritional profile on these pepitas is AWESOME!  Let's look a little closer, shall we?

Ingredients:  This is the first thing that caught my eye.  There aren't any chemical/artificial additives!  In fact, the only ingredients are: Pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, cayenne, and sea salt.  That's FANTASTIC!  Seriously, they don't even have any artificial sweeteners, or even added sugar (other than the maple syrup, which is considered a purely natural sweetener that is MUCH better for you than the granulated stuff).  Normally if you see salt on an ingredient list, you need to be wary of sodium content, but NOT THIS TIME!  We'll get more into that later.  But like I said, this list is short and sweet, and completely fulfills the claim "100% natural" that's boasted on the package.  PERFECT!  

Caloric content:  Now as we know, nuts and seeds tend to be very calorie dense, but they're also quite filling, so you're unlikely to go hog wild on such a product.  1/4 cup of this product has 125 calories, which is quite managable and is a PLENTY decent serving size if you're looking for a quick, midday snack.

Added Nutritional benefits:  As the package states, pumpkin seeds are quite rich with unsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids, which you can pretty much always use more of.  They're extremely heart healthy, and lower your risk for heart disease or other cardiovascular health ailments if consumed on a regular basis.  They also help lubricate your joints and keep things sliding smoothly, keeping you mobile as age creeps onto all of us.  Pumpkin seeds are also very rich is minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese, and have good helpings of vitamins C and E.

Sodium content:  Now usually you have to be wary of packaged nuts and seeds for their sky high sodium counts, but not this time.  In fact, per serving, there are only 85 mg of sodium, which is EXTREMELY low compared to most other similar products.  There's just enough salt there to support the delicious flavor, without causing that sodium level to skyrocket.  Awesome!

Entire Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 1/4 Cup
Calories: 125
Total Fat: 5 g
   Saturated Fat: 1 g
   Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 g
Sodium: 85 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 15 g
   Dietary Fiber: 0 g
   Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 1 g

So would I recommend this product?  ABSOLUTELY!  They're ridiculously delicious and are a great tool to either trim down or bulk up, or even just maintain your weight.  They're very healthy, and are a refreshingly powerful flavor compared to most other bland health food.  Just watch the serving size and you're golden.  Excuse me while I go and have another handful...

Eat healthy, stay creative, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Pure Pro 50 *Review*

I'm coming to you today with another rave review, this time regarding a pre-packaged protein shake that really impressed me.  This weekend I spent two days in the gym with my coach, working high volume days with pretty heavy loads.  I'd say I worked out for a total of 6-8 hours over those three sessions, and boy was my entire body feeling it after just the first one.  I was spending the night in the gym, and was going to be completely on my own for breakfast.  I knew I needed something protein packed as soon as I woke up to feed my muscles quickly after the crazy double session the previous day, and therefore that night I ran out to the local Rite-Aid and picked out the first protein shake I saw on the shelf.  After taking a quick glance at the nutritional label, I knew I'd come upon something very special.  This product not only has great macros, but tastes fantastic and works like a charm.  Its name?  Pure Pro 50 by ABB.

That next morning, as soon as I woke up, a sore and tired mess, I immediately cracked open this shake and prepared to chug it down (just in case it didn't taste so hot, as some canned shakes can be disgusting.)  But as soon as the first drop glanced across my tongue, I immediately threw all intentions of chugging it out the window, and instead savored this liquid goodness as well as I could.  The shake was thick, creamy, and extremely chocolatey (as it should've been, being the milk chocolate flavor).  I could definitely taste the thick milk used in the ingredients, which was an extremely refreshing change of pace from all the watery protein shakes I've had in the past.  Unfortunately the stuff was gone before I would've liked it to be, but throughout that day I noticed a resurgence of power through all my snatches, clean and jerks, and even my extremely high volume squats at the end of the workout, where I hit 105kg for four triples AFTER a total of 40 reps of varying lighter weights.  Thank goodness for that morning protein fix.

But what exactly had I just consumed?  More specifically, what's in Pure Pro 50 that makes it such an optimal shake for strength athletes?  Well, before I get going on why I love the nutritional breakdown of this shake, let me show you the nutritional label:

12/14.5 Fl. Oz. Bottles Milk Chocolate Serving Size1Bottle(14.5fl oz) Servings Per Container12 Amount Per Serving Calories 250 Calories From Fat 20 % Daily Value* Total Fat 2g 3% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 40mg 13 Sodium 90mg 4 Potassium 490mg 14 Total Carbohydrate 9g 3 Dietary Fiber 3g 12% Sugars 3g Protein 50g Vitamin A 0% Calcium 100% Vitamin C 0% Iron 8% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients Water, Protein Blend (Milk Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Concentrate), Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Sucralose, Cellulose Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, Carrageenan. Allergen Information: Contains Milk Ingredients.

First and foremost, this stuff is PACKED with protein at a whopping 50 grams!  If that doesn't help those tired muscles recover, I don't know WHAT will.  And what I really like about this product is that it gets those proteins from various sources, including a quick digesting whey concentrate and a more slowly digesting milk protein concentrate.  This means that Pure Pro 50 will feed muscles both IMMEDIATELY and over an extended period of time, giving you a more complete recovery.

Second, this stuff is very low in both sugar and total carbohydrates!  I prefer low sugar protein sources, because once you start adding a ton of sugar you start to lose a lot of the support for lean muscle mass, and instead start coaxing your body to start storing some of those simple carbs as fat.  Now I know a lot of people out there say that you need fast acting carbs after a workout in order to force more protein into your muscles, but there have been multiple studies done refuting that claim.  Many EXTREMELY successful athletes don't supplement simple carbs after a workout, and if they do consume carbohydrates, they're usually a more complex carb like waxy maize, oats, or even vegetables (like sweet potatoes!)  You don't need sugar, and I'd much rather live without it.  The low total carbs in this product also promote its usage on low carb diets, and make it a much more versatile option for most people.

And on the subject of carbohydrates, Pure Pro 50 has 3 g of fiber!  That's AWESOME!  The more fiber you can get in your diet, the better.  Fiber helps digestion, allows your body to more effectively use the food it's been given, and helps to keep you lean.  Sweet!

Pure Pro 50 is also very low in sodium, and high in potassium, which is just what you want following a workout.  After working hard, your electrolytes have been severely depleted, and you need a decent dose of potassium to ensure your body can rehydrate effectively.  The fact that Pure Pro 50 takes this into account impresses me greatly.

And finally, Pure Pro 50 is very low in fat, with only 2 total grams, only 1 of which is saturated.  This is a perfect compliment to the average American's diet which is absolutely loaded with saturated fat.  Cut that crap out little by little, and I guarantee you'll like the results.

Now in terms of price, I have to say that these shakes become more fiscally feasible when consumed every now and then as a supplement to your normal protein powder.  They're relatively cheap on their own, but don't really become practical when bought in a 12 pack (like they're commonly sold in.)  It's between 40-50 bux for a 12 pack of Pure Pro 50, where as 4lbs of whey protein powder, which is about 50 servings, is around the same price.  12 vs. 50...hmmmm...I wonder which one I'd choose.

All in all though, Pure Pro 50 is a GREAT alternative to nasty canned shakes that are packed with sugar and lacking on the protein.  It's made with quality ingredients, has a great nutritional profile, is loaded with muscle building protein, and tastes absolutely DELICIOUS.  I would definitely recommend trying the milk chocolate flavor, boy was it yummy.  Who knows, you might get hooked on the stuff.  Thanks Pure Pro 50 for helping me recover from some of the craziest workout sessions of my life.