by Lissie Lyles |
Kind Bars, conceived in 2003 by Daniel Lubetzky, a social entrepreneur that TIME Magazine recognized in 2009 among “25 Responsibility Pioneers,” was made with the intention of being an elusive snack that is wholesome, convenient, tasty and healthy, all in the same bite. To top it off, five percent of proceeds from the sale of “Kind Bars” are donated to Peace Works, a “not-only-for-profit company that fosters economic cooperation among neighbors striving to co-exist in conflict regions worldwide,” as stated on the Kind Bar website. Peace Works sets out to bring neighbors in conflict regions to work together and shatter cultural stereotypes that dehumanize people. Peace Works launched several award-winning healthy food products and its joint ventures continue to bring people together today.
A healthy snack that is kind to both the body and the community at large is a tall order to say the least. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients in Kind Bar’s “Sesame Peanut with Chocolate” bar to see how kind it truly is.
Peanuts: Rich in nutrients, providing over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients. They are a good source of niacin, folate, fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, manganese and phosphorus. They also are naturally free of trans-fats and sodium, and contain about 25% protein (a higher proportion than in any true nut).
Milk Chocolate: contains the following:
Sugar: That infamous sweetener we all know and love. Excessive consumption of sugar is associated with increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, obesity and tooth decay.
Palm Kernel Oil: Edible plant oil that is derived from the kernel of the oil palm, Elaeis Guineensis, and extracted from the pulp of the oil palm. Palm kernel oil is more saturated than palm oil and comparable to coconut oil. It is high in saturated fatty acids, about 80 percent. Like all vegetable oils, this palm-derived oil does not contain cholesterol (found in unrefined animal fats), although saturated fat intake increases both LDL and HDL cholesterol. Palm kernel oil is a common cooking ingredient; its increasing use in the commercial food industry throughout the world is buoyed by its lower cost, the high oxidative stability (saturation) of the refined product when used for frying and its lack of cholesterol and trans-fatty acids, both viewed as being heart-healthy attributes.
Skim Milk Powder: a manufactured dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it; milk powder has a far longer shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be refrigerated, due to its low moisture content. Milk powders contain all 20 standard amino acids and are high in soluble vitamins and minerals. Commercial milk powders are reported to contain oxysterols (oxidized cholesterol) in higher amounts than in fresh milk. The oxysterol free radicals are suspect of being initiators of atherosclerotic plaques (plaque that builds up on the walls of the arteries, contributing to heart disease).
Cocoa powder: also known as cocoa solids: the low-fat component of chocolate. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder, cocoa, and cacao. In contrast, the fatty component of chocolate is cocoa butter. The separation of the two components may be accomplished by a press, or by the Broma Process. The resulting powder, sold as natural cocoa powder, is more reddish than the traditional “chocolate” color, and has a relatively low PH, causing a sour, acidic taste. Cocoa solids are what lend a chocolate bar its characteristic flavor and color. Cocoa solids are what contain most of the antioxidants associated with chocolate. Accordingly, health professionals recommend consuming chocolate in forms that are high in cocoa solids while low in cocoa butter.
Also contains:
Sesame seeds: The seeds are exceptionally rich in iron, magnesium, manganese, copper and calcium (90 mg per tablespoon for unshelled seeds, 10 mg for hulled), and contain vitamins B-1 and E. They contain lignans, including unique content of sesamin, which are phytoestrogens with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.
Honey: a sweet food made by honey bees using nectar from flowers. Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. With respect to carbohydrates, honey is mainly fructose (about 38.5 percent) and glucose (about 31.0 percent). Honey’s remaining carbohydrates include maltose, sucrose and other complex carbohydrates. Honey contains trace amounts of several vitamins and minerals. As with all nutritive sweeteners, honey is mostly sugars and is not a significant source of vitamins or minerals. Honey also contains tiny amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, but the specific composition of any batch of honey depends on the flowers available to the bees that produced the honey.
Glucose: occurs naturally in human blood sugar. Is usually derived from grape or corn sugars and used as a sweetener. It is traditionally used to sweeten processed foods, such as sandwich meats and sausages. It is often used as an extender in maple syrups. It has no known toxicity.
Puffed rice: usually made by steam heating rice kernels under high pressure, though the method of manufacture varies widely.
Chicory fiber: Chicory plant (Cichorium intybus) is a bushy herb that is native to Europe, North America and Australia. This plant was used by humans for a very long time, for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Chicory root fiber is nothing other than inulin, which has various health benefits. Unlike other types of dietary fiber, chicory root fiber promotes the health and growth of the gut flora (beneficial bacteria in the intestine). It is said to be beneficial in promoting digestion, preventing constipation, to lower high blood sugar levels, etc. It is also said to be beneficial in reducing fat levels in the body and so is also used for achieving weight loss. Dietary supplements and foods with chicory root fiber claim to be free of side effects, however chicory root extract may cause drug interactions, allergies and skin problems. Some reports suggest that this extract may cause abortion too. So, there are many apprehensions regarding chicory root fiber and pregnancy. It would be best to avoid products with chicory during a pregnancy. It is also suggested that products with chicory root fiber may cause flatulence.
Soy Lecithin: Natural antioxidant and emollient composed of units of choline, phosphoric acid, fatty acids and glycerin. It is generally isolated from soybeans. It is used as an emulsifier and spreading agent and is non-toxic.
References:
- Winter, Ruth, A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives, third edition, Crown Publishers, New York, 1989
- www.wikepedia.org
- www.buzzle.com/articles/chicory-root-extract-side-effects.html
- www.kindsnacks.com/
