Wednesday, December 30, 2020

A Delicious New Superfood Line from Nature's Path

 Now, I'm not one to really roll with the buzzwords of "superfoods" these days. I am by far on the side of "eat good, nutritious food that is either whole or homemade". However, I am a total sucker for Nature's Path cereals (hello Doughnut Seeds) because many of them are gluten free without tasting like cardboard, and their oatmeal texture is second to none. When they approached me about testing and reviewing some of their new Superfood line of granolas and hot cereals, I jumped at the chance - especially since my family likes to "reset" our systems after the overindulgence of the holidays.
 
 
Nature’s Path was kind enough to ship me three of their newest Superfood additions: Cacao Superfood Granola, Cacao Superfood Oatmeal and Golden Turmeric Superfood Oatmeal. All these new products claim to have higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than standard granola and oatmeal, which can help support goals like stress reduction, improved immunity and better sleep patterns (as a teacher and full time student, I can really get behind that last one). 
 
  
 
First up was the Cacao Superfood Granola, which is made with "Fair Trade cocoa powder and crunchy cacao nibs" along with additions of maca and Lion’s Mane (mushroom) powder which have been reported to support energy metabolism. This granola uses a lower GI sugar (coconut) to sweeten, but each bite tastes like a chocolate macaroon - to me, this is definitely more of a "snacking" rather than a "cereral" offering, though I bet it would also be excellent in cookies. Like all granola, this is definitely calorie-dense (1/2 cup is 280 calories) so I strongly suggest measuring your snack or adding a tiny sprinkle to something like yogurt. Besides, if you do that the bag (approximately $7 CDN at my local store) lasts longer!

 
Next up is the workhorse of the winter mornings around here: oatmeal. The Golden Turmeric Superfood Oatmeal contains not just oats, but chia, hemp and buckwheat seeds as well for extra Omega fatty acids. Along with the brilliant yellow turmeric, cinnamon, pepper and ginger are added to the grains for a flavour that is almost chai-like. I don't know why, but I did expect this oatmeal to have more of a pop of flavour and sweetness to counteract the spice, but since the cereal has no salt or sugar added it allows the consumer to add their own. While the control over the breakfast is nice, my expectation is that I can simply add hot water to an instant oatmeal packet wherever I am (like work) and not have to scrounge for seasoning or sweetener. That said, it is a hearty portion that keeps you full all morning, and if you add fruit to your oats it is a unique twist on the classic porridge! Each packet contains 140 calories and 4 grams of fat with 5 grams each protein and fibre, so these are definitely a nutritious breakfast I can get behind even if salt and a touch of sweet is needed. A box of 6 packets is $6 CDN at my local store.


Last, and most exciting for me, was the Cacao Superfood Oatmeal. I am a die hard chocoholic, and this blend features not only the chia, hemp and buckwheat like the Turmeric flavour but dried coconut and MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil. MCT oil has been shown in some studies to boost your "good" cholesterol levels and is definitely a hot nutrition star these days. These packets contain more sugar than the other flavour to compensate for the bitter cacao and also has a pinch of salt which truly makes a difference! This was rich oatmeal which felt almost decadent to eat for breakfast despite it not being overwhelmingly sweet. The consensus around here is to add either chopped fruit (we liked strawberries) or a touch of jam to the prepared cereal to lighten it up a bit. Like the Turmeric Superfood Oatmeal, one packet is hearty enough to keep you full all morning and contains 140 calories, 4 grams of fat and 5 grams of fibre while containing one less gram of protein (4 grams). A box of 6 packets are $6 CDN at my local store.

All of the Superfood products are free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, and like all Nature’s Path products, are made with only organic, non-GMO ingredients, perfect for health-conscious, mindful eaters. 

Thanks to Nature's Path for providing me with the products for this review! For more updates on Nature's Path products, follow on them on Twitter @NaturesPath and IG @NaturesPathOrganic.

2 comments :

  1. I LOVE Nature's Path cacao superfood oatmeal. It's no longer available in my town in west Michigan and I just finished my last serving. Do you have a recipe similar to it? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry to hear that! I can see it on the Canadian website, so it isn't discontinued at least up here (not too sure about the US though).
      What I can recommend is mixing 1 cup of quick oats, 1 tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp buckwheat groats or flakes (flakes will cook faster), 1 tbsp fine-shred coconut, 1 tbsp hemp seeds, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp chia seeds as your dry mix, and cook it in 1 - 1 1/4 cups fortified milk (or alternative) for 3 minutes or so (or add some milk to cooked oats).
      Leaving out the coconut, it's very similar to what I make in the winter (I top mine with a bit of peanut butter because why not!). You may have to play with the ingredients a bit to get them to the right ratio for you, and I suggest letting the cooked mixture sit for a minute to let the chia seeds work their magic. Hope that helps!

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Thanks for the feedback!