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:
- Mamma Chia Organic Chia & Greens Beverages
- Chia Squeezes
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
Impressions: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!
Like this:
Like Loading...
About Author
Matt Rasmussen lives in Keizer, Ore. with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys watching hockey, going to as many breweries (618) and wineries (152) as he can, and all things Canada (he was born there). Matt was raised as a baseball player and officially transitioned over to running in 2010.
