Alternative Energy Sources 2: Mamma Chia, Honey Stinger, Perky Fruit Bodies, and Perky Jerky Review

I'm back!  Sorry for the long break... we took a nice family road trip to DC, and then playing catch up at work.  Anyway, back at it with some new reviews for you all!

So, if you've read some of my race reports, you know that I LOVE ultra distance aid stations... I often say I run to eat! And yes, I often waver from my relatively clean eating to down whatever sounds good... be it bacon, twinkies, Coke...  I know.   But honestly, while I do partake in these treats, they don't constitute a major part of my fueling program...   they just make it fun, and I'll grab it if I crave it.

However, most of the time I am looking for good clean fuel that works for me, such as Electro-Bites, gels, Tailwind, and real food like dates, sweet potatoes, jerky etc.  So, I am always on the look out for tasty fuel sources that work well for me.   So, in this review I'm giving you a quick recap of some great stuff from Mamma Chia, Honey Stinger, Perky Fruit Bodies, and Perky Jerky!

Ok... first up is Mamma Chia!  Now, I have tried the Squeeze packs from Mamma Chia in the past, and I carry them often with me when running.  I really like them, so when the folks at Mamma Chia asked me if I'd like to try out some new products, I was excited to see what was new.

As you can see, the hooked me up!!  Now, there are 6 very cool flavors of the Chia Squeeze, but I really wanted to try the Cherry Beet.  I love Cherry, and I've been working beets into my runs as well for the vascular benefits, so this seemed like a great combo!  I did go through these during the 24 Hours of Palmer Lake, and they were awesome! Great flavor, and they pack an energy punch that is smooth and sustained, and without any GI issues... #winning!  Plus they are really easy to carry and consume on the run.

As for the other products, the Vitality Bars were really good. Crunchy and sweet, but not overly so.  Actually, I only got to eat one as my family absconded with the others, but they reported back to me that they were awesome!  GF, organic, and non-gmo and around 150 cal a bar... perfect ultra fuel.

Finally, I sampled a selection of the Chia and Greens beverages...   honestly, I wasn't too sure what to think..

And.. you can see Chips concerned look before I downed the Cayenne & Lemon :-).  But wow, each of these were so refreshing, and the cayenne was mellow and understated in this one.  I also tried the Ginger/Lemon grass, and Beet/Ginger.  They were all very tasty, and super refreshing, especially ice cold.  I downed a few of these as recovery drinks and really enjoyed them, even with all the greens and "super" foods in them :-).  My wife tried the Kale/Mint and gave it two thumbs up as well.

Anyway... kudos to Mamma Chia for making some terrific fuel for your body... If you want particulars about ingredients/nutrition etc, check them out at http://www.mammachia.com/ ... never underestimate the power of the chia seed!

Next up.. Honey Stinger!  Ok, So these products are not new to me.   I did a review a while back on a variety of their chews, bars, and waffles HERE.  I do like their products as they are organic, and they use pretty good ingredients.  I LOVED the Waffles... but, they were not gluten-free, so I avoided them.  But wow.. so yummy.

So.. needless to say, I lost my mind when I saw they had released gluten-free waffles!! Glutards rejoice!!   As you can see the new Waffles come in three great flavors, ALL of which were amazing, but I personally love the Salted Caramel Waffle... so good!

And, as you can see.. not a bad ingredient list.  140 tasty calories in an easy to carry pouch...  I just put a box of these on my wish list :-)

Ok... now on to something a little different.  Perky Fruit Bodies!  Wait a minute.. that just looks like a fruit roll up!   And yes, that is basically what it is, but unlike some of the Frankenstein fruit roll ups I see kids eating these days (not ours!), this roll of goodness is natural, raw, organic, vegan, gluten-free, paleo, kosher, and includes super food ingredients...  phew, yeah.

Out of these three flavors, I enjoyed the Cacao Banana Coconut the best, but they were all good.. and ranged from 80-130 calories.  Maybe not the easiest to eat on a run (unless you unwrap ahead of time), but my family enjoyed them as a healthy snack. Not too sweet..  a little sticky, but overall easy to eat and tasty! I believe they are available via subscription now, but you can check out the details here: http://www.perkyfruitbodies.com/#about

Ok.. last, but certainly not least...  Perky Jerky!  I know.. perky perky perky... :-)    I do love to carry some protein with me to offset sweet fuels like the ones I've covered so far.  And Perky Jerky has some good stuff!

I sampled both turkey and beef flavors, and they were all amazing.  I like my jerky to still be a little soft and moist, but still chewy.  Not like the cardboard jerky we used to eat as kids.  And of course, Perky Jerky products are gluten-free, and have no nitrites, preservatives, or msg.  Out of these flavors, I think I liked the Sweet & Spicy the best... but they were all good, and of course easy to carry on a run, and a welcomed hearty snack on a long run.

The best news?  I found that Costco carries the turkey jerky now!  Excellent value and highly recommended...

Phew.... once again, a long write up.  I think I need a snack now... all this writing about yummy fuels has got me hungry :-).







As always, comments, questions, jeering etc are always welcomed.. here or on my Facebook Page.

Happy trails!!

Jeff
barefootinclined@gmail.com
http://barefootinclined.com

http://humanpotentialrunning.com/