Tag Archives: Product Reviews

Freekeh is an Ancient Grain With Serious Health Benefits

We love reviewing new products at Diets In Review, especially ones that we’ve never heard of before. It’s like getting to take a sneak peek at the newest products hitting the market and we get to tell you all about them first. Our most recent product review? Freekeh, which is roasted green wheat.

If you’re trying to imagine what roasted green wheat tastes like, think of a mix between rice in appearance and flavor and wheat berries in texture. It cooks up just like rice but has a slightly chewier feel. (more…)

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Dana

The Flex Belt Not Recommended for Fat Loss, but May Enhance Abs

Something I saw on TV a couple months ago caught my attention. It’s called the Flex Belt. It’s made to tone, strengthen and firm your abdominals. As I watched the commercial, I was thinking it had to be too good to be true, but if I had access to try it out, I totally would. So I did.

The day the Flex Belt came in the mail, I was actually pretty excited (which was surprising due to the lack of faith I had in it). One of the first things I did when I got home was put it on the charger. I read the directions, went through the different programs available, and started my abdominal workout as soon as the magic machine was ready. At the first moment I felt its contractions, I bursted with laughter. I really didn’t know what to think of it. I couldn’t tell if it was tickling me or if I just wasn’t used to it (probably a little of both).

I began experimenting with its different levels and programs. I was actually amazed by the intensity levels it can rise to. The Flex Belt truly was working out my abs! Now, it wasn’t the same type of workout that I would get doing the ab machines at the gym, but I could definitely feel my muscles at work without me having to worry about making sure I put in the effort myself. (more…)

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Danielle

We Love Gold Bond Friction Defense

One of the most irritating issues of running can be what happens when those clothes swish back and forth for hours on end. Of course, I’m talking about chafing. A painful and irritating side effect that many runners deal with. Thankfully, there are options for managing this nonsense, really effective options.

A tried and mostly-true method has always been to use petroleum jelly on your trouble spots. It tends to keep irritation away for many miles. Only slight down side? It’s messy, greasy and oily, and may even stain your clothes. One of the more recent products to help with chafing is Gold Bond’s Friction Defense. It looks like a stick of deodorant, but it’s not meant to keep you smelling fresh. Instead it will keep skin free from painful chafing.

Whether men need to avoid bloody nipples, or ladies need to get relief from a snug jog bra, the key to fighting chafing is to reduce the friction. Several of us put the Gold Bond to the test this summer to see if it stacks up against other similar products. (more…)

Posted on September 13, 2023 by Lacy

Suzy Sirloin Ships Quality, Natural Meats to Your Doorstep

One of the main reasons I try and eat mostly vegetarian is that I find it difficult to find natural meats free of hormones and antibiotics at my local grocery stores. In fact, upon visiting the meat counter at a nearby market, I asked where their grass-fed meat selection was. I was given a baffled look in return and the answer, “We don’t have any of that.” Naturally, my solution was to stick to grains, beans and dairy for protein instead.

It’s not that I don’t like meat, because I certainly do. If quality, naturally-raised meat was more readily available in my city, I might consider eating it more often.

Lucky for me, Suzy Sirloin – a producer of natural meats in New York – recently reached out to Diets In Review and offered to send a sample of their hormone- and antibiotic-free beef. We of course jumped at the chance and just a few days after my shipment arrived, I got right to sampling my Suzy Sirloin meats. (more…)

Posted on August 27, 2023 by Dana

Kashi’s New Steam Meals Make a Healthier Dinner for One

Kashi has just launched a new product line. Instead of adding a new breakfast cereal or another on-the-go granola bar, they’ve added a whole new line of easy-to-prepare steam meals. The bags come microwave-ready so all you have to do is find it in the freezer aisle, throw it in the microwave, and serve.

These steam meals come in four different flavors, each containing an average of 35 grams of whole grains, 17 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and only 9 grams of fat. Different flavors vary. Each are the same in that there are no artificial ingredients and they’re all minimally processed. The bags come in a single-serving size making it easy for you to not over indulge, however, multiple bags will need to be bought if you plan on serving the whole family. Listed below are the four different flavors currently available.

Sesame Chicken

This meal contains natural white and grilled chicken, 7 whole grain sesame pilaf, carrots, edamame, red peppers, and roasted green beans. It’s all topped off with a spicy citrus sesame sauce that seems to be not too heavy nor not too light. The nutritional facts are 35 grams of whole grains, 17 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of fat (guideline is 3.5 grams or less). The meal has 300 calories, which is inline with nutrition guidelines for a meal like this. It does slightly exceed the 600 milligrams or less guidelines for sodium. (more…)

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Danielle

Wholly Guacamole Salsas Are Both Healthy and Irresistible

On the wake of my birthday week, I’m still eating like a queen. Sunday kicked off an all-day meal fest that started with breakfast and ended with an full-on taco bar at our place. The taco theme was my request as I love absolutely adore Mexican food.

The running joke around the office this week has been that, while my taco bar birthday party has come and gone, the leftovers have supplied my lunch all week long. Monday: Taco salad with beef. Tuesday: Taco salad with refried beans. You get the idea. “Tacos for lunch again today! What a surprise!” (more…)

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Dana

OurSkinny Bars and Shakes are a Delicious Way to Lose Weight

When it comes to diet food, the options are practically endless. And while this may seem like a good thing to some, to others, too many options is flat-out daunting. Searching the shelves for wholesome, healthy bars and protein shakes can prove to be a rigorous task that rarely yields positive results.

But fortunately for you, we get to test these products out so you don’t have to. And because we always give our honest opinion about their taste, cost and nutritional value, you’ll quickly know whether they’re worth your time and hard-earned money.

Last week, we were happy to receive a shipment of OurSkinny weight loss shakes and protein bars. And while we’re typically weary of ‘diet food’ since whole, fresh foods are always a healthier choice, there can be a place for convenience foods in a person’s diet if it’s a quality, nutritious product. (more…)

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Dana

Talenti Gelato Hits the Sweet Spot with Quality Ingredients and Flavors

With temperatures reaching as high as 108 degrees here in Kansas this week, we were one happy crew when an ice-cold shipment of gelato and sorbet from Talenti showed up on our doorstep. The company, which started as a single gelato location and now sells to most major retailers, generously offered to send us a sampling of their delicious products. And being the sweets-loving group that we are, we said ‘yes!’ without thinking twice.

For those unfamiliar with gelato, it’s very similar to ice cream except there’s less air incorporated during the mixing process, which gives it a more dense rather than fluffy texture. And it also contains less cream and more milk than typical ice cream, so most flavors contain up to 1/3 less fat. (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Dana

Ditching Dairy? See Our Side-by-Side Comparison of Popular Milk Substitutes

Allergies, sensitivities, and avoidance of animal products are some of the most common reasons that people choose alternatives to the traditional cow’s milk. While raw milk and goat’s milk are growing in popularity, they do not eliminate the majority of problems with allergies, sensitivities, and avoidance of animal products. Courtney Hardy shared, “I started drinking non-cows milk after a series of allergy shots where I found out I was allergic to cottonseed. I am not allergic to dairy nor am I lactose intolerant, but since dairy cows are fed a grain mixed with cottonseed it comes through their milk.”

I stopped drinking cows milk when I was fairly young; I just didn’t enjoy it at all. I still used it for cooking, until I decided to limit the dairy in my diet to see if my allergies and sinus issues could be resolved. Recently, I have been comparing milk substitutes to determine what would work best for my family. Real Food University provides a very handy comparison chart that compiles and compares the nutritional information in an eight ounce serving. An eight ounce serving of whole milk contains 146 calories, 8 grams of fat, 13 grams of sugars, 8 grams of protein, 28% calcium, and 0% iron.

Soy

I did not consider soy milk because soy is a growing allergen. It’s been suspected that more and more people are showing allergies to soy as a result of the increase in genetically modified soy. I have read that soy can inhibit the absorption of protein which may persuade others to avoid soy milk as well. An eight ounce serving of soy milk contains 105 calories, 4 grams of fat, 9 grams of sugars, 30% calcium, and 6% iron. (more…)

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

Get Paid for Working Out with Earndit

Finally, my kind of exercising. Instead of rewarding myself with an ice cream that will cancel out any calories I’ve just burned, Earndit rewards its users with free stuff!

Earndit works in tandem with fitness trackers to gauge how much physical activity you’ve done, convert that to points, and then let you redeem those points for rewards. The rewards aren’t half bad, either: a $35 gift card to women’s workout clothing shop Body Rock Sport, a $15 gift card to Peeled Snacks, or a $50 gift card to the men’s clothing line Bonobos are among the choices. Or, for philanthropists, get rewarded with charity gifts that allow you to purchase a polio vaccine for a child in India or send a care package to U.S. troops. However, the prizes are mostly fitness related, like workout apparel, healthy snacks, and supplements. (more…)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by SarahS

Healthy Surprise Delivers a Bounty of Vegan Snacks Each Month

Healthy Surprise is a company that ships out gluten-free, vegan, and raw snacks to the door steps of their subscribers. Founder Joe Winke stumbled upon the idea of sending healthy snacks to people after a friend sent him healthy food in the mail for his birthday. Who knew that making an assortment of healthy snacks and putting them in boxes would be a hit?

The snacks range from nuts to granola bars and cookies. You can find them in larger grocery stores or at your local health food store, and certainly online.

Joe and other “snackologists” try all of the snack items before they are placed in the boxes. Since people are particularly fond of kale, Healthy Surprise tries to send kale snacks every month in the boxes, but the rotation of different snack items changes monthly because they want subscribers to receive a healthy surprise each month! (more…)

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Samantha