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Matt Rasmussen
onJune 23, 2016

Run Oregon Test Kitchen: Mamma Chia Organic Chia & Greens Beverages and Chia Squeezes

3 min read

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Run Oregon sometimes receives products to review. In this post, Run Oregon provides some initial impressions on some snacks and beverages sent by Mamma Chia.
Company:  Mamma Chia
Products:

Price:

Company Description (from their website):The Mamma Chia Mission is to share the magic of chia and lead in its renaissance. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality organic chia-based foods and beverages that provide vitality, energy and strength. Mamma Chia is a conscious and sustainable company that honors and uplifts both the soul of humanity and the soul of the planet.

Product Description (Beverages):
  • Organic Greens
  • 2500mg Omega-3s
  • 7g of Fiber
  • 95mg Calcium
  • 4g Complete Protein
  • Organic and Non-GMO
  • Gluten-Free and Vegan
  • Kosher
Product Description (Squeeze):
  • Chia + Fruit + Vegetables
  • 1200mg Omega-3s
  • Good Source of Fiber
  • 70-80 Calorie Pouch
  • Gluten Free and Vegan
  • Organic and Non-GMO
  • No Need for Refrigeration
UntitledImpressions:
Chia & Greens Beverages:

I am starting to come around to diversifying my healthy beverage intake. For the past  few months, my weekend breakfast has been my own simple green smoothie – Chocolate Coconut Water, 1/2 avocado, banana, and kale. It’s surprisingly good. However, I need to take a break every few weeks to avoid getting sick of it. Diversity is good, and the new Chia and Greens beverages are definitely diverse and unique.

I have tried Mamma Chia beverages in the past, though they were the fruity variety. My wife makes a face whenever she sees the gel-like consistency, but I really enjoy it. The Chia and Greens version have the same look, though with a shift from fruit to more vegetable and greens. When reviewing food or beverages, I always like to preface things by saying that taste palates obviously vary greatly between people. Just because I enjoy (or don’t enjoy) a food product, it doesn’t mean you as readers are going to agree. I always encourage giving things a try though before making up your own mind.

I am hypothesizing that if you are familiar and comfortable with vegetable and greens-based drinks, then you will enjoy these. The flavor profiles are very unique (ginger and lemongrass, beet and ginger, cayenne and lemon, kale and mint), so if you aren’t a very adventurous person you may want to sample one before diving in headfirst. I consider myself an open-minded food sampler, so was happy to try these.

A beet and ginger combination doesn’t sound the most appealing, but this one  (combined with wheatgrass, kale, barley grass, spinach, spirulina, and broccoli) was really delicious. It was sweeter than I expected and had a fruity taste. The kale and mint variety was also way better than I anticipated. It had a sweet tinge to it as well, that was vaguely reminiscent of a veggie mojito. Even the cayenne and lemon was a solid combo. I kind of thought it tasted like a lemonade with a mini kick. The ginger and lemongrass was fine, but didn’t really hit my palate as much as some of the other flavors.

Overall, I ended up liking these far more than I expected.

Chia Squeeze:

We have a lot of squeeze pouches in our house – all of which are travel applesauce containers for my young kiddos. While I have seen the Chia Squeezes before, I have never really ventured into their pouches. The verdict? I absolutely loved it. I enjoyed it as a runners snack – a tasty boost before or after a race. At only 70 calories, it provides a little kick with little to fear. I did not feel the rush of energy after eating this that I felt with energy gels, but I did feel fuller faster and longer than other “less than 100 calorie” snacks. This product also has no caffeine and tasted great refrigerated or not. I found I preferred them coming out of the fridge, though this isn’t necessary.

Of all the flavors listed above, Cherry Beet probably would have been my last choice. While I love cherries and beets independently, I anticipated that a combination of the two would not sit well. I was wrong – and my 4-year-old confirmed. The combo is a (surprisingly?) tasty one. It is not overpoweringly sweet, but enough sweetness to make it taste like a fruit snack and not a veggie snack. And if anyone needed a vote of confidence in trying these – my 4-year-old ate 3/4 of the packs I received and we had to order more as a result. If a picky kiddo is OK with it, then you can be too!

Matt Rasmussen
onJune 23, 2016
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