As usual I bought this product it was not sent to me. This is something I grabbed at Costco because I went shopping and didn’t take a snack with me. Now I have been eating healthy long enough to know that finding food while I am out is nearly impossible (unless I am going to the health food store). But did I pack a few nuts or a piece of fruit? No! Bad Alicia, bad! I don’t need to tell you what happened. I got hungry; no I was famished, while I was out.
There sitting on the shelf was green juice with 2600mg of spirulina in a comforting army green color. So I grabbed it and tossed it in the cart. After all the ingredients didn’t sound too bad: Apple Juice, Mango Puree, Pineapple Juice, Banana Puree, Kiwi Puree, Spirulina, Natural Flavors, Chlorella, Broccoli, Spinach, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Parsley, Ginger Root, Blue Green Algae, Odorless Garlic. Only the “natural flavors” had me worried. But overall, it sounds fine and in the cart it went.
Here are the nutrition stats from the package on 8 ounces of this beverage:
Calories - 140
Calories from fat – 0
total fat – 0g
sat fat – 0 g
trans fat – 0g
cholesterol – 0g
sodium – 15g
potassium – 400mg
total carbohydrates – 33g
fiber – 0g
sugars – 28g
protein – 2g
A little high in natural sugar but I was hungry so I went for it.
The verdict:
Both Dan and I expected to like this since we drink fresh green juice all the time. However, maybe we shouldn't make assumptions based on appearance. If you are addicted to sugar this is for you. This stuff is deadly sweet. I can only drink ¼ cup of it straight. The amount that is gone from this bottle has taken us over a week to drink and only contains 4 servings, if that tells you something. Even Mr. Sweet tooth (Dan) thinks it is too sweet. There is a good chance the second bottle will go in the trash unopened. It does not taste bad, it is just sickening sweet and I do not find that pleasant. Sorry Naked Juice this way too sweet for our tastes. Now if you like sweet food and juices this may be for you. As I said the flavor is good it is just too sweet for us.
Unrelated note:
Now you may be asking why I bought it. I was asking myself the exact same thing once I had a taste. This is what happens when you go out unprepared. I normally have a little trail mix and/or a piece of fruit in my purse. After all what are purses for if it isn’t to carry your wallet, sunglasses, keys and a snack. I am only mentioning this because I think a lot of us (myself included obviously) get in trouble when we are out of the house. From now on I am taking a snack with me even if I am only planning to be gone two or three hours. Or … next time I will rip open a bag a fresh fruit I just bought and eat it uncleaned. That would have been a better choice. *sigh*
Today has been a good one at my place. I had lots of time for exercise and knocked that out early. There was no rain, not a drop. Yay! But the temperature is in the 90’s so I had to turn the air conditioning on about an hour ago to keep my fur covered babies from wilting. They get so lethargic in the heat we have to run the A/C. Thankfully the weather is only supposed to stay warm for two or three days and then we are back to windows open. I really do prefer fresh air in the house. I just think it is healthier than being closed up. But I make an exception when it is hot and/or humid.
I am working on the grain and potato chart after viewing the talk from Dr. Walter Willett yesterday. I have to say I learned a few things. I am still trying to find stats on cooked sorghum for Naina. Once I find those I will get that posted.
I hope everyone is having a great Wednesday. We are over half way to Friday and a long weekend. Anybody doing anything fun this weekend?
Talk to you all later.
I am glad you at least tried it. That takes gumption!!! Most people would walk past this gnarly green gunk in a jar... I use to drink this all the time. It is cloyingly sweet and the thickness is a little off...First time health foodists will love this, but over time it gets old...
ReplyDeleteBrandi,
ReplyDeleteI must be weird I loved the green color, LOL! I liked that much more than the taste. ;-) Thanks for letting me know it wasn't just me that thought it was too sweet. I noticed the thickness but that didn't bother me, it was the sweetness. It was a darn shame, I really wanted to like this.
Ali
Your post brings back memories :)
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday memories in fact! LOL!
We were at Sam's, and honestly it hadn't been that long since we had eaten. However,...I don't know why....seeing all the food.....eyeing the poison apple,....I don't know why, we just had to eat something!
I decided on True North almond pecan cashew clusters. They seemed like a nice compromise. The first ingredient is almonds!
Yes, they are bathed in rice syrup, and sprinkled with sugar.
Oh, and I should mention a tad of sea salt......ok there is some sunflower oil too. ;)
I must say, they were quite tasty.
Yet, as usual I ended up with a
stomachache. :( I could have gotten away with two or three clusters....I had to eat say, 10!
I would say live and learn, but I am falling behind on the learning
curve.
Ali, I feel guilty for holding up everyone else. Go ahead and post without the sorghum. :)
FYI- "eyeing the poison apple" my expression for all processed foods that I once loved. :)
I say this as I see food manufacturers as the witch in "Snow White" tempting us with the poison apple.
It helps me to think this way. :)
"......to keep my fur covered babies from wilting"
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHA!!
i tried that juice a week or so ago, it was really sweet, i dont think i could drink the whole thing. i thought it was ok, it was better than i thought it would be actually. but still...weirdly sweet... i havent gotten into green drinks yet. i can feel that coming...but not yet..lol!
i always bring a snack!! keeps that inner four year old at bay.i usually go with a larabar and will eat half or so.
Naina,
ReplyDeleteI bring snacks for trips over 4 hours but I convince myself for shorter trips they are necessary. This little episode really proves they necessary.
You aren't holding things up. I got busy and didn't get back to the chart. I hope to get that up tomorrow. ;-)
Ali
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteYou should have seen the drama from the felines. Had you seen them you would have been convinced they could not have been more miserable. They are little actors.
I thought the flavor was good except the sweetness. It was just way too much.
I will be bringing snacks even for short trips now. ;-) My inner 4 year old was having a little fit and "needed" the juice. Not a good plan.
Ali
I've been tempted to try this lately, so thanks for the warning! Naina's comments made me smile, as they hit a familiar note. Too bad it's so difficult to eat well when we're on the road, especially when hungry. At least you got something green! Sometimes I'll get a banana to hold me over, but other times it's too easy to grab...well I'd better not say LOL!
ReplyDeleteAbout green drinks, I'm finally used to the color and am thinking about taking the "next step" with my smoothies. So far I only add spinach and green powder to my fruit/soy yogurt/almond milk mix. Keeping in mind that I don't have a Vitamix or equivalent, what do you suggest that I try next (to up the nutrition)? Do collard greens and kale make the drink much more bitter?
Oh I just hate it when that happens. I always try to keep my purse stocked with at least 1 granola bar. It may be smashed up, beaten up, but it sure is terrific in a pinch!
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about grabbing food when you aren't home. It is really difficult. I made a bunch of little bags of trail mix yesterday so that I could just grab them as I go out the door.
On the smoothies I would suggest starting with one kale or collard leaf and tasting it. Also I would cut it up first since you don't have a Vitamix to make certain it gets completely pureed. How much "flavor" they add is a function of the proportion of greens to fruit. I also sometimes add dandelion greens to my smoothies. But they are also bitter.
Do you add ground flax or sesame seeds to your smoothies? Hulled hemps seeds are good. Sometimes I add a brazil nut for the selenium.
I also like the flavor of lemon and fresh ginger in mine. It seems to make them taste "brighter".
I hope that helped. :-)
Ali
Heather,
ReplyDeleteI was so annoyed with myself as soon as I tasted it. It was a sugar rush, for me. But I now have a bunch of little bags with trail mix that I can toss into my purse as I run out the door. Your granola bars are a good idea.
talk to you soon,
Ali
I know just what you mean, and I try to keep something like nuts or dried fruit with me for a quick snack when I am out too long.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteI spent a little while yesterday whipping together a little healthy trail mix and packing it in small bags for my purse. Now I just need to remember to grab them as I head out. LOL
Ali
Alicia, I know what you mean, it doesn't do us any good when it's at home sitting on the counter, lol.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know I am not the only one that does things like that. Sometimes I can be a ditz. ;-)
Ali
Would you mind sharing the ingredients in your trail mix? Just wondering if there's anything "unusual" or less fatty than nuts and seeds. Oh that reminds me that you eat roasted edamame--have you posted a recipe for that?
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteYou know my habits well, LOL. Yes I used roasted edamame, walnuts, raw pumpkin seeds and some dried fruit. The fruit helps to make the mixture more "wet". The dry roasted edamame are very "dry". I always need a liquid with them. My mixes tend to me half edamame and then half everything else. I just toss it in a big bowl until it looks right to me. I did post a trail mix recipe months ago that is very similar. I don't typically measure.
Ali
I LOVED this thick green drink! The strongest flavor in it is kiwi. I was fascinated that it also contains broccoli, but since it's only 100mg, how much is that? 1/2 a spear?
ReplyDeleteI been drinking this everyday for the last 2 1/2 weeks and noticed they recently changed the Flavor of the green machine for the (good till july) flavor batch. It's taste great before but with this new taste... Most likey will discontinue buying the drink, it just taste like it's over due now, I bought another one just to see if it was that bottle alone, but the tastes was still odd...
ReplyDelete