6 healthy alternatives to traditional products
For every unhealthy product on the market, there’s likely a healthier version on the market, too. For every gluten-free cookie filled with sugar, there’s one made of something more nutritious, like beans (believe it or not). For every chip covered in grease, there’s one made with hardly a drop of oil. And for that, I’m thankful. It’s wonderful to know that you can find healthier alternatives to traditional foods you crave. It’s reassuring to be able to maintain your health goals without compromising on taste. Here are 6 healthy alternatives to traditional products. All but one is food – the last one is a personal care item that we all use and might not think about the chemicals or unnecessary ingredients that are often found in it.
Flax4Life Muffins
A muffin, in a sense, is a cupcake dressed down. Or a cupcake in gym clothes, if you prefer to look at it that way! Less sugar, no frosting, but still it’s often made with flour, butter, and sugar. These muffins from Flax4Life are made with ground flax seeds as the first ingredient, making them a healthier alternative to traditional gluten-free muffins. If a muffin is a cupcake in gym clothes, the Flax4Life muffin is a muffin that doesn’t just wear gym clothes, but actually goes to the gym (we all know those people who just wear gym clothes to run errands, not work out – that’s the typical muffin). OK, analogies aside, Flax4Life muffins contain 4,320 mg of Omega-3, more than 60 mg lignans, and 10 grams of fiber per muffin! They are made with all-natural ingredients (like shredded carrots and whole raisins in the Carrot Raisin muffin pictured here), and are free from gluten, dairy, and nuts.
Get Flax4Life muffins and check out their other flax-filled products.
BONUS: Right now, you can get 15% off your entire order with promo code CeliacAwareness15 on their website. Offer expires May 31, 2019.
Luce Farms Honey
Honey is a delicious and healthier alternative to sugar. It has a lower glycemic index than sugar, meaning it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels quite as much as sugar does. It also has the benefit of providing a bit of immunity to allergens like pollen, for those who buy honey that is local to their area. And now, honey has gotten even healthier! Luce Farms, a lovely family-owned farm based in Vermont, makes hemp-infused honey. This honey is a blend of raw Vermont honey, certified organic coconut oil, and hemp-derived, full-plant-spectrum CBD extract. It contains 10 mg of CBD in each teaspoon. If you’re not familiar with CBD, it stands for cannabidiol (easier to say CBD) and it is a type of cannabinoid, or class of chemical compounds found naturally inside animals, humans, and plants. CBD helps to regulate the natural cannabinoid receptors that we have in our body, creating homeostasis or balance in nearly every system in the body. CBD is said to help with digestion, pain, inflammation, and a whole host of other ailments.
Get Luce Farms Hemp-Infused Honey and see how a spoonful of honey can make your day that much better!
Kelapo Ghee
Sure, you could cook with oil or butter, but how about trying something a little healthier? Ghee is clarified butter, or butter that has had the milk solids and impurities removed. This process creates a product that is typically safe for people with lactose or casein intolerances (depending on the person). It has a high smoke point, meaning it won’t break down into free radicals like lower smoke-point oils. It contains vitamin K2, linoleic acid, and medium-chain fatty acids, which are absorbed directly by the liver (like carbs) and burned as energy. This type of energy source helps athletes maintain consistent energy and may even help with weight loss. Kelapo’s ghee is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and is gluten-free. The brand also makes a 50/50 blend of coconut oil and ghee, which is also a good replacement for oils and butter in cooking and works great for “bulletproof” coffee. Both the ghee and 50/50 blend are Paleo-friendly.
Check out Kelapo’s Instagram, @KelapoCoconut, or visit them on Facebook.
Quantum Energy Squares
Not all bars are created equal. Some are meant for protein, others are meant as treats, and some are meant for energy. What a lot of them have in common is that they are often high in sugar or contain unnecessary ingredients. The delicious, clean energy squares from Quantum are a good example of a healthier alternative to sugar-filled “energy” bars. Quantum’s coffee-infused energy bars give you energy from coffee, rather than relying on a sugar high. They contain clean, whole ingredients and are high in protein and low in sugar. One bar is equal to one shot of espresso, so these are wonderful to eat before a workout session or a hike. I know a lot of people who need to eat something when they have coffee or caffeine so that they don’t get jittery, so these bars give the best of both worlds – caffeine and food all in one! The Caffe Mocha Macchiato with Almonds flavor is probably my favorite, but they are also available in Coconut with Roasted Almonds, Crunchy Peanut Butter with Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate Almond with Cherries. These bars are not only gluten-free, they are also soy-free, vegan, and non-GMO.
Pick up a variety pack of Quantum Energy Squares to find your favorite!
Lebby Chickpea Snacks
For those in a snack conundrum – you know, when you really want to snack but you’re trying to eat well – step right up and take a bite of Lebby snacks. Lebby makes chickpea snacks that are ::gasp:: not dry and crumbly to the point of making you choke! If you’ve never had a chickpea snack, that’s a hazard of them – they can be so dry that you better not accidentally inhale while chewing, lest you want to burst out into a coughing fit. Lebby chickpeas are tender, yet still crunchy. This is because they are dry roasted – no oil, no salt, no additives. Just natural elements to make them the perfect text (fire, water, and air). Their cooking process dates back 500 years in the Mediterranean and quite frankly, is the way dried chickpeas should be! The chickpeas are then coated in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha chocolate, or sesame honey. They are absolutely delicious, absolutely addicting, and a great alternative to candy or other snacky foods.
Visit Lebby’s website to learn about their cooking process, then grab a variety pack to try all the tasty flavors!
Essential Oxygen Toothpaste
Last but not least, we have toothpaste! After all that eating, you’re going to need something just as healthy and pure to clean your teeth. Essential Oxygen makes all-natural dental hygiene products like toothpaste, mouthwash, and tooth polish, filled with good ingredients like essential oils, and free from harmful ingredients and harsh chemicals like fluoride and alcohol. Their 3-step Pristine Protocol includes a brushing rinse, toothpaste, and tooth polish. The rinse does just what it says – rinses the mouth. It’s meant to remove bad bacteria in your mouth after a night of sleeping, prior to that first glass of water and before brushing your teeth, as you don’t want to swallow that bad bacteria. Then, you use the toothpaste. This is free from abrasive ingredients that can be irritating to the gums, thin your enamel, and worsen tooth sensitivity. And lastly, the tooth polish is there to give you a bit of abrasion when you need it most. It’s separate from the toothpaste to allow you to choose the frequency at which you use an abrasive. These products are gluten-free, vegan, and contain no synthetic flavors.
Read more about Essential Oxygen’s better-for-you dental hygiene products and order some to try!
