Shred the Sugar: Shredded Wheat

Off with the seasonal gatherings and dragon new years feasts. February signals the revival of the sugar allergy, fitness attempts and calorie counting. We ought to pretend that our goal is to end 2012 as athlete of the year (I wish, but that should be a crazy motivation). With V-day and Lent approaching, the sugar-free quest shouldn't be a problem - as both occasions require abstinence, not celebration.

Fancy cereals (sorry, Special K with chocolate) are kicked out of the pantry, as we welcome the non deviant: Post Shredded Wheat. Original, not the Frosted one that brings shivers to your teeth.

In my quest for the low sugar cereal, I ended up with ZERO SUGAR - a jump-for-joy occasion like finding One Piece, or perhaps the Holy Grail for the more civilized readers. Not only that, a serving packs in 6g fiber, 1g of Total Fat and 170 calories.

Taste-wise, do not expect Chocolate Cheerios to start spreading chocolate goodness from your bland bowl. It's 100% wheat that's sugar-free so try to be more realistic: spiky wood chips drenched in milk. That's more like it. Keep it soggy and it'll be easier to swallow, but there's a downside to it as well as it grows in size the longer it stays drenched and untouched. Yes, kinda like the Gremlins, but with fiber.

The cereal takes getting used to, and of course there are ways to garnish the earthy flavor to make it more edible and worth feeding those under 20. With its sugar-free composition, we could afford to add a little fruit, soymilk or mochi even.

Look at the upside, this is the last cereal anyone's gonna steal from your pantry. Your investment is safe. :) 

Nuts About Soy Butter

There was a time when peanut butter was banned entry in our fridge because it triggered the rise of our adolescent bestie, the zit. Poor Peter Pan and Jif had to live a life of neglect along with the vegetables, as we favored cheese and eggs for our sandwiches.

Lately though, Peanut Butter has slowly been making its way back in our sandwiches, being protein-deprived most of the time. Lounging around the supermarket aisles and reading nutritional labels of peanut butter brands gave me a pretty clear direction on future purchases.

Actually, the peanut butter mantra is rather simple (I apologize in advance for committing treason):

•  NO to local brands, unless you want a weekly visit to the dentist (and we do admit that an annual visit is already a pain).


• As for foreign commercial brands, NO to Goober and my childhood sweetheart, Peter Pan.


• YES to Skippy Natural (the one with "no need to stir" printed).


• YES to Laura Scudder Organic Peanut Butter (love)!


• MAYBE to PB Co. Dark Chocolate and Green Tea Peanut Butter because they're new and I only bought them because they're so kawai and cheap!


• Last but not the least, NEVER to crunchy peanut butter! Damn, you make chewing such a difficult task!

[caption id="attachment_964" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter and Skippy Natural"][/caption]

By default, the calories and fat level of peanut butter are normally high, so for those seeking a "healthier" option, go for an ingredient list that shows mainly Roasted Peanuts, as is the case for organic brands like Laura Scudder.

In the supermarket though, I've found that Skippy Natural already presents the least damaging nutritional data with 190 calories, 18% Saturated Fat and 3g sugar for every 2 tablespoons. That serving isn't particularly diet-variety, so you can probably imagine that what to expect from other brands: flab or an early death.

Healthy Options, the store, provides other " nut butter" categories that are health-friendly but on the budget-averse side. Seriously, I am still in the process of saving up for the almond butter, which costs as much as a facial (see why I'm torn) so I've settled for an interesting alternative: SoyNut Butter.

I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butter has a dubious sound to its name and blue jar but with 170 calories, 8% saturated fat and 3g sugar for 2 tablespoons and without a speck of NUT, it's an adolescent's dream cream. Soybeans replace the nuts, so the protein content isn't compromised. For anti-nuts, pimply kids or soy aficionados, here's the sandwich spread we've been looking for (I'm the anti-nut, soy aficionado).

[caption id="attachment_965" align="aligncenter" width="590" caption="(Left) I.M. Healthy and (R) Skippy Natural"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_963" align="aligncenter" width="590" caption="I.M. Healthy Soy Butter, Peanut-Free!"][/caption]

Don't expect it to taste like peanut because it's soy. The soy butter resembles the texture, color and overall "feel" of peanut butter but with hints of the soy flavor.

Don't know what this "soy flavor" I'm talking about? Think soy milk or taho (for the Pinoys) and incorporate that taste with peanut butter.

Weird? Not really, my stash is half empty already.

Whether it's peanut butter or soy or even to-die-for almond butter, what's important is that every jar contains mainly these nuts or soybeans and less of the non essentials (like sugar, salt and other ingredient we more than 3 syllables). Even if I did look like a fool reading every jar in the grocery, I'm glad I found what I wanted: Skippy Natural and I.M Healthy Soy Butter. 

Glad to have you in my fridge. Now if only we can keep you long enough.

Let's Jamba! (Jamba Juice BGC)

Pacquiao will probably hate me, but chaos-free EDSA during his match vs Marquez was too tempting for a swift drive to Jamba Juice at Bonifacio Global City. The nation might scorn me for abandoning local pride in pursuit of fruit, but I can never ignore the whimsical reasoning of my stomach. That, and my sleepless nights over acai have got to end!

[caption id="attachment_924" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="The JJ Balloon, a better navigator than Googlemaps"][/caption]

It was a dehydrating trek to the Jamba area (it's across R.O.X. or follow the balloon) located in this pristine lot with sawdust still layering some seats. There was a country vibe to the facade, which served the fruity-Jamba image quite well, but of course inside was rather the opposite: vermillion and sweet chaos. Good thing the lines weren't that long. Skipping the Pacquiao match had its perks - reduced queuing time, which I imagine could be a real nuisance once the hordes of hungry sports fanatics decide to celebrate with mangoes, steel-cut oats and berries.

The smoothies and other drinks were prepared on-the-spot, so the constant buzz of the blenders forms the background sound for those who chose to dine inside. Skipping the aircon and going for the outdoorsy feel was another option: peace, quiet, a lot of sunlight and as already mentioned, sawdust.

Still, I'd go for country over blender music.

[caption id="attachment_925" align="aligncenter" width="768" caption="The infamous photobooth (Oh wait, is that my foot?)"][/caption]

First timers would be delighted to see their drinks poured from a hodge podge of raw materials, blended and transformed into those colorful smoothies. For those who can't get enough of photos and tagging themselves everywhere, there's the live photobooth which directly sends the photos to your email. Good thing, people were still in the lazy Sunday mood, so cam-whoring was not part of their agenda or perhaps my foot was just in the way. (Sorry, it was a long drive!)

[caption id="attachment_926" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="(L) Acai Supercharger and (R) Banana Berry"][/caption]

From reading the list of ingredients of the drinks, you could already tell how the smoothie would taste, in close approximation. When I got a sip of my Acai Supercharger, it tasted way better than I had imagined. I was expecting sour-fruity shake, but what I got was Fruit by the Foot yummy-fruity flavor that was not hampered by the soymilk's queer taste. The consistency was thick not because of the ice but because the drink was jam-packed with fruit. The same went for the Banana Berry that had that candy kind of fruity taste that brings comfort drink and nutrition in one cup.

With that voluminous serving of fruit, it's natural to expect a lot of sugar and calories in one drink. I suppose that's why they say it's equivalent to a meal or a great refresher after a work-out. Whoever said Jamba Juice is a dieter's dream still must be dreaming because with that much fruit and milk in one cup, you can't expect to just fly away with zero calories. Same goes for diabetics who ought to check out the labels before indulging in a fruit fiesta.

Jambajuice.com is rather keen on posting the nutritional content of the drinks and food served at Jamba Juice, to which I'm grateful for. Here's some trivia on our drinks plus what's listed in my next visit's to-try list:

The Acai Supercharger (16oz) is blended with acai juice, blueberries, strawberries, soymilk, raspberry sherbet, and antioxidant powerboost (equivalent to 2 fruit servings). A cup contains 260 calories, 46g sugar and 930% of the day's Vitamin C requirement.

The Banana Berry (16oz) is blended with bananas, blueberries, apple-strawberry juice, raspberry sherbet and frozen yogurt (equivalent to 2.5 fruit servings). A cup contains 270 calories, 57g sugar and 3g fiber.

The Steel-cut Oatmeal variants are very promising buys in the future because they are all under the 300 calorie level, sport at least 5g of fiber and a maximum of 25g of sugar. With bananas, apple cinnamon and blueberry & blackberry as available toppings, this is going to be another tough decision.

If in the mood for granola (but with soymilk, so very PETA-friendly), the Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits would be very, very tempting for breakfast or snacks. Available in Mango Peach, Berry and Chunky Strawberry - I can only wish that Jamba Juice will soon be blending in Quezon City! But wait, the 16oz parfait contains at least 550 calories and 55g sugar, so make sure you're super hungry when you indulge in this granola cup!

With pretzels and California flatbreads, there really ought to be a next time. I haven't even started with the breakfast snacks, the boosts and shots and my all-time favorite matcha!

[caption id="attachment_930" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="Blending Soon in... QC? I wish."][/caption]

Here's to a new alternative to milk teas and fraps!

My grandmother might call it a  fruitshake shop wrapped in organic sophistication, but then, our blender's broken so someone ought to make my smoothie.

Seriously though, Jamba Juice ought to blend soon somewhere up North. If you're having trouble finding a spot, you can always use our house!

Bob's Red Mill: Grainy Goodness

Whole grains and muesli are uncommon breakfast choices in the Philippines where fried rice, fried egg and fried beef rule the tables, menus and everyone's wish list. Lately the cereal market has been booming, owning an entire aisle in supermarkets which is a great improvement, compared to yesteryear when I practically had to kneel to get a sight of a cereal box. Catered mainly to kids though, the market is fraught with cartoon characters, free toys and sugar.

Where'd the whole grains go? Most of you don't but I do.

Meandering through S&R, I came across these 2 whole grain cereals that were promising in their see-through bags and well, were definitely inexpensive! Okay, I admit it was the cheap part that caught my attention.

Meet Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal and Old Country Style Muesli. 

Do not be fooled by the 10 Grain Hot Cereal's mini pellets that might resemble poultry feed. Let's just refer to them as crushed oats - sounds better, right? The entire mix is composed mainly of Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Rye, Whole Grain Triticale, Whole Grain Oats, Oat Bran, and loads more of Whole Grain ingredients, including heart friendly Flaxseed. There is definitely no whole wheat deprivation in this package and thus the underlying feature we all love: rich in fiber! A serving boasts of 5g of fiber (25% daily value) that surely tops the fiber content of boxed cereals. A serving (1/4 cup dry) also imparts only 140 calories, 1g Total Fat and no sugar. 

Don't expect the porridge to taste like chocolate pudding though. It took me several attempts to microwave it properly to achieve a smoother blend and at times, mixed it with banana and soy milk to greatly improve the texture and flavor.

And this brings me to Old Country Style Muesli. Again, another whole wheat bonanza with Whole Grain Wheat, Date Crumbles, Sunflower seeds, Raisins Whole Grain Rye and Whole Grain Barley topping the ingredient list. A serving (1/4 cup) provides 5g of sugar, inevitably contributed by the dried fruits. It's so good and heartwarming though, it beats other muesli brands with its nutritional content: 110 calories, 3g Total Fat and 4g Fiber. 

There is of course a reason why they were bought and featured at the same time: I mix the two cereals for breakfast! Thus, sugar is limited, the flavor is shared and I get the perfect texture - a combination of almond crunch, fruity smoothness, a bit of chewy from the flaxseed and tender bites from the oats. This comforting meal does not even call for milk, banana or my favorite cinnamon. It tastes great on its own and with the Omega-3 and Fiber filling every meal, it makes the perfect breakfast.

Oh, and dinner too, if you're as weird as me.

Late July Organic Multigrain Chips

Healthy Options is infamous for selling organic food items, some of which do not cater to everyone's taste buds. I've had my share of chips and sauces that did not warrant any repeat purchase. Whoever said organic was synonymous to delectable anyway? Most of us have associated "going green" to "lowering one's food expectations", but that should not be the case.

Good thing this addiction to Healthy Options can be uncontrollable at times. Randomly snatching a bag of chips that suggested Latin American food fiesta, it was hard not to buy Late July Organic Multigrain Chips, Sea Salt Flavor.

Don't expect to memorize the lengthy name in one sitting, but do keep in mind its fabulous Nutritional facts per serving (13 chips): 120 calories, 2% saturated fat, 70mg sodium, 8% fiber and 0g sugar. With that much grains packed in a hefty chip, one serving already accounts for a satisfying snack. No kidding, you'd spend some time munching on a chip that you'll be full in no time. As for the taste, the sea salt is adequately sprinkled and brings out the heartwarming multigrain-oaty taste I've learned to love.

A sigh of relief for this Healthy Options jackpot! Finally found a less sinful alternative to Sun Chips and Nova!

Learn the Math

We've decided to list the acceptable threshold (synonym for limit, maximum) for every unit or nutrient, to filter the bad blood from the junkie universe and to commend the nutrition keepers. Stay within the radar and get to enjoy your snacks, guilt-free! Go overboard and get ready to roll down the hill of nutrition and healthy arteries.