Monday, May 18, 2009

Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks

Fruit snacks aren't just for kids!! (Even if they're shaped like little bunnies...) And for those of us interested in staying healthy but wanting a snack with a burst of flavor, this is the perfect thing!

These fruit snacks are sweetened with white grape juice and it really does taste that way - no artificial ingredients and no therefore no artificial flavor! Also, the consistency of these bunnies is different than other fruit snacks. Instead of being incredibly chewy and sticking to your teeth, it is softer and juicier. There are two kinds to choose from: Berry Patch and Tropical Treat. One pouch is only 70 calories.

I keep a pouch in my purse when I need a tiny pick me up in the afternoon with no guilt!

How do products fortified with calcium compare to calcium from dairy?

Do you ever wonder how the calcium intake from dairy alternatives compare to that of natural dairy? I found this article from a blog that I follow (The Nutrition Data Blog) and thought that I would share. The overall moral of the story: Studies in general suggest that the body is more likely to intake nutrients from whole, natural foods rather than supplements or fortified products. If you don't eat or drink dairy, focus on vegetables and nuts which naturally contain calcium.

Dairy vs. Calcium Supplements for bone health

MPj04276330000[1] You've heard plenty about this already: Most Americans don't get anywhere close the recommended amount of calcium, especially after early childhood. And as sweetened beverages like sodas, bottled tea, juice and sports drinks edge out milk as our beverages of choice, the gap widens.

For parents, middle-aged women, and others with "calcium guilt," there are a host of calcium-fortified products that seem as if they might be part of the solution. You can get a dose of added calcium with your orange juice, another by choosing one of the new calcium-fortified cereals, breads, or pastas. Or, pop a couple of pills and you're good to go.

Not so fast, say researchers from Purdue University. They fed two groups of rats diets containing the same amount of calcium. But one group got their calcium from dairy products and the other in the form of calcium carbonate supplements. The study was funded (but not conducted by) the National Dairy Council, who must have been thrilled to learn that the milk-fed rats ended up with stronger bones than the rats who took calcium supplements.

An aside on industry-funded research: Just because the results are agreeable to the funding agency doesn't necessarily mean that the study was flawed. Although its not a perfect system, there are independent review boards that approve study designs for objectivity. And, to be fair, industry spends lots of money on studies that DON'T deliver the results they hoped for. Nonetheless, it's important know who funds research, which is why I note it here.

In any case, this study seems to reinforce something that we've talked about many times in the past: nutrients seem to be safer and more beneficial when they are consumed as they naturally occur--in foods rather than as supplements. And this is not the first study to note that the calcium in dairy products is quite well-absorbed.

For my vegan friends and others who eschew dairy products: This does not mean that those who don't consume dairy products are doomed to diseases of calcium deficiency. Vegetables can provide plenty of calcium, although it is not as well-absorbed as the sources in dairy. However, those who do not eat meat may also NEED less calcium to maintain healthy bones because they tend to consume less protein. (Higher protein diets increase calcium needs.)