There are very few things that I love more in life than sweet, delicious tasting snacks. I have a serious sweet tooth that I just can’t argue with (it wins every time). The types of snacks that I’m referring to aren’t your typical sugar-filled chocolate bar with crunchy wafer or marshmallow stuffed cookie with some kind of weird, oozing red jam in the center. The types of snacks that I prefer are made with wholesome, natural ingredients that not only taste delicious, but are also really good for us.
As a Holistic Nutritionist, health enthusiast, nut allergy sufferer, and avid snack eater, I prefer to make my own snacks at home, in my own kitchen, where I can see exactly what is going into my food. I use pure, natural ingredients in my snack recipes such as oats, whole grain flours, raw seeds, and pure dark chocolate.
I always opt for a good homemade treat, however sometimes with busy schedules and barely enough time to make the bed in the morning, making my own snacks is simply not an option. So how does a nutritionist like myself choose which store bought snacks to buy, you ask? I look very closely at the ingredients!
If the ingredient label includes refined sugar, GMOs, artificial flavours and colouring, monosodium glutamate (MSG), or high fructose corn syrup, I simply put it down and move on to the next. Refined sugar is heavily processed, meaning that it has been stripped of all its nutrients. It causes spikes in blood sugar, causes mood swings and energy crashes, and contributes to diabetes and obesity. MSG is another no-no when it comes to choosing a product. This chemical can lead to stomach upset, increased heart rate, nausea, migraines and a long list of other symptoms – not fun for anyone.
Many snack foods today are labeled with fancy “healthy for you” slogans, but are generally not be as healthy as they appear. So what products can we trust?
The fine people of Sweets From the Earth Bakery take the guesswork out of choosing snack foods. All of their products are made with natural, organic ingredients, and are also lactose, trans fat and GMO free. They are free of refined sugar, artificial colours and flavours, and most are peanut/nut free, as well as gluten and wheat free. You never have to worry with Sweets From the Earth, and you are never left feeling sluggish, irritable, or bloated, which makes snack time that much more enjoyable.
My weapon of choice is their mouth watering chocolate chip cookies, although I have a hard time avoiding the date squares, chocolate and carrot cakes, cheesecakes, pies and tarts as I quickly walk (fine, slowly tiptoe) past them in the store. Somehow, they remove themselves from the shelves, jump into my cart and end up in my kitchen (give me a break, I’m only human). You can’t go wrong with any of their amazing snacks and desserts and you can always rest assured that you are receiving the healthiest, highest quality, most delicious tasting food.
Not only do they offer delicious snacks, but the faces behind the Sweets from the Earth brand are some of the most generous and kind people I know. I have had the opportunity to include them and their amazing cookies as part of my company’s membership program gift bag. They were so incredibly generous for donating boxes of their chocolate chips cookies for my members to enjoy. They care about the quality of food they produce and about the health of their customers. They have incredibly high standards for their products and choose only the best quality ingredients when making their delicious snacks. It is important to support good people who do good things, and that is why I shake my pom poms and do a little dance for Sweets from the Earth.
Shannon Kadlovski (www.shannonkadlovski.com) is a Certified Nutritionist and Healthy Lifestyle Specialist. She is the owner and chief nutritionist at BareNaked Nutrition in Richmond Hill, where she helps her clients look and feel their best. She consults one-on-one, as well as with groups, helping individuals achieve their health goals. She offers hands-on cooking classes, healthy living workshops and a variety of fun and educational online wellness programs. She leads corporate nutrition programs and is the creator of “BareNaked at Work” workshops for businesses across the GTA. Shannon is a monthly guest expert on “In the Know” as well as “Daytime” on Rogers TV, sharing healthy living tips and recipes. She also writes health and wellness articles for TONIC and Naturally Savvy magazines.