LAND DAYS: VITACOST ORDER REVIEW

I am a fan of eating well but everyone knows how expensive it can be, especially for one person. A friend of mine told me about the benefits of buying healthy food online from [Vitacost] and i recently placed my first order. I kept it fairly small including four different food products just so i could see what they're shipping and handling fees were like as well as the quality of the products once i received them. Let's just say, i approve! 

I thought it would be a good idea to review the pros and cons (if any) of the food products i picked out in this blog post. If you're interested in buying any of these products or others from [Vitacost] use the link at the end of this post to receive 10$ off of your first order.

Jess.
______

1) Goji Berries (Navitas Naturals): If you haven't heard of this type of berry before, you're in for a doozey. If you read my 'Pomberry' Smoothie blog post then you'll know i'm a huge fan of berries and all of their benefits. Think of the Goji Berry as the king of berries.

• Pros: This berry is packed with antioxidants, Vitamin E and C, iron, fibre and have the highest concentration of protein compared to any other fruit. Other benefits from eating Goji Berris include an increase in metabolism and energy, anti-aging properties and boosting the immune system. 
• Cons: These berries are pretty pricey (this 16 oz bag was $18.00 CAD from Vitacost) but if you consider all their health benefits i think they're worth the price. Another thing to add is that their flavour is an acquired mild-tangy taste and might not be for everyone. Also, these berries have been known to interact with certain drugs including blood thinners and those relating to diabetes and high blood pressure.

2) Raw Honey (Y.S. Eco Bee Farms): I mentioned using this honey in my post on [Healthy Peanut Butter Freezer Fudge]. I've never been a fan of the regular honey everyone buys. I find it has a weird taste to it and i could just never use it with anything, not even in tea. I was a little hesitant with buying this raw honey but it is amazing!! I could honestly eat the whole bottle with a spoon. 

• Pros: One of the most popular sweeteners in healthy dessert recipes and is, in my opinion, the best tasting. It's also guilt free being organic, raw and 100% natural.
• Cons: Not one.

3) Flavoured Liquid Stevia (SweetLeaf): I've been using unflavoured stevia for awhile now as an alternative to refined sugar. The liquid stevia is a particular favourite of mine because it's easy to use with other liquids. I find myself using it the most in smoothies to add some sweetness since all of the ingredients i use to make them have no sugar added. Since i knew i liked and use liquid stevia, i purchased three flavours to try including vanilla creme, chocolate and peppermint. I'm looking forward to making some protein and eggnog-esque drinks with these.

• Pros: Easy to use in recipes, 300x as sweet as regular sugar therefore a little goes a long way, 100% natural sweetener. Stevia has been known to lower blood sugar and blood pressure, aid in calcium formation and had antibacterial properties.
• Cons: If you are a sugar addict, you might find that there is a different after taste but it's nothing crazy and is definitely adaptable. One other small thing to add is when i've added it to drinks i find that once you're nearing the end of the drink the sweetness is a little overwhelming. It might be ideal to mix as you're drinking it.

4) Cookie Dough Flavoured Protein Bars (Quest): If you know and love protein bars then you've most likely heard of Quest Bars. If you haven't, do some research because they're seriously the best ones out there.

• Pros: These protein bars are naturally sweetened with Stevia. I can't help but love food products with this benefit. The bars are SO chewy, tasty and are particularly delicious baked in the oven.
• Cons: I find these bars to be extremely rich with my non existent sweet tooth. I can only eat half of one at a time. They are also very expensive. They retail for about $33.00 CAD for a box of 12 but are available from Vitacost for $24.00, which is a pretty good deal.

That's it! Again, if you're interested in buying these products or any others from Vitacost follow this link for 10$ off -->  https://www.vitacostrewards.com/k4ZWZ7v