There are quite a few items – edible and non-edible – that I have started keeping around me as I get deeper and deeper into obtaining a lifestyle of optimal health (I have to mention that optimal health includes enjoying a high quality tequila or an incredible cut of steak every once in a while! Balance, my people, balance). The first thing I go to is food when I think of optimal health. Mainly because I just frickin’ like food. A lot. Knowing good and well I have to watch what I eat so I can combat the inflammation in my body and squash these damn peri-menopausal symptoms, I am always on the lookout for stuff that tastes good and satisfies my sugar cravings in a healthy way.
My latest food obsession is Shanti Bars. These Bars are completely raw, vegan, gluten-free, have no added sugar or preservatives, plant based, organic and contains no added sugar. Now that I may have made some of you think this is a bar made from tree bark, I will let you know they can be pretty sweet, with the sweetness in the Bars usually coming from dates or various berries. There are a bunch of flavors but I am stuck on 2 in particular: Boost (Coconut ) and Turmeric (Anti-Inflammatory). These have 7 grams and 17 grams of protein per bar, respectively, so these are great for athletes, yogis, weekend warriors and those who need that extra boost of protein post-workout.
Shanti Bars were founded by 2 women, Lauren and Ashanty, who mixed their kitchen skills with their athletic knowledge and developed these bars in Miami. According to them, they started this with two goals in mind: 1) create clean, raw natural foods to nourish and fuel their hard-working bodies and 2) make it delicious. My taste buds and tummy agree they have accomplished those goals.
Now, with alllllll of that said, I will be honest: Not every bar tastes good. BUT the ones I like …..yeah baby! I do recommend you try each one and see which one tastes good to you. Hey, different taste buds on different peeps. Also, each bar has a “purpose”: Power, Boost (Energy), Recharge, Longevity, Powerhouse, Recover, Vitality and Revitalize. Each purpose has a flavor so you can decide how you want to go about this taste experiment: try the bar for the purpose or the flavor. For example, if you want to increase your libido (yup, they got a bar for that), grab a Longevity bar that contains dark chocolate, chia and maca – a Peruvian herb, that has generated lots of buzz about its reputed ability to boost libido….or grab it because, as the founders of Shanti say, you want a “deep chocolate taste set in a soft and chewy brownie bar”.
The bars are a little pricier than your average bar ($2.49 compared to $.99 to $1.99) but so worth the cost, especially when you get a bar that speaks to what your body needs. My 2 favorite bars definitely speak to what my body needs.
So, who’s in to try these? Grab them at Whole Foods, Bed, Bath and Beyond/Harmon’s Beauty Supply /Christmas Tree Shops. Let me know what you think. Be open to trying something new and go for it!
