Bear Naked: Ideal choices for fueling your active lifestyle
Posted March 5th, 2007 at 10:30 AM by Paul Petersen
Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating
Runners like myself are constantly searching for foods that can both fuel our bodies for optimal performance and yet also satisfy our cravings and hyperactive metabolisms.
Unfortunately, the plethora of high-end and natural food choices in today’s marketplace often fail to meet those criteria by being tasteless and/or prohibitively expensive. However, one emerging player that seems to have finally gotten it right is neophyte brand Bear Naked.
Whether you’re looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, are vegetarian or vegan, prefer organic, or are just plain hungry - Bear Naked is likely to offer something that will fit your fancy and power your workouts.
Bear Naked, a hip, home-grown business based out of Norwalk, CT, produces three primary food products: granola, low-sugar cereal, and organic hot cereal.
Their granola line features “Fruit and Nut”, “Peak Protein”, “Banana Nut”, “Apple Cinnamon”, as well as, the new and intriguing “Blueberry Walnut” and “Peanut Butter and Jelly”. The low-sugar cereals come in “Triple Berry Crunch” and “Vanilla Almond Crunch”, while the organic hot cereal is available in “Medley” and “Rolled Oats”.
Although differing in flavor, all of the Bear Naked products embody one, essential attribute: high-quality nutrition to super-charge your performance.
The granolas and cereals are free of trans fat, cholesterol, high fructose corn syrup, and refined sugar. They are comprised of real whole grains and are hand-crafted in small batches; placing an emphasis on quality by abstaining from assembly-line manufacturing. The hot cereal is 100% organic and, along with the cold cereal, are vegan-friendly. The entire product line is also all-natural and appropriate for vegetarians.
These attributes were extremely appealing to me as an endurance athlete who understands the importance of proper nutrition. Processed, sugary foods are known to increase inflammation, and are simply a less efficient fuel mechanism for athletes.
A key fringe benefit to eating natural, unprocessed foods is that they empower you to choose an appropriate amount and quality of sugar. This allows health-conscious runners to watch their calories (unlike most granolas and many cereals that contain a deceiving amount of unnecessary calories), but still obtain a very fulfilling and nourishing meal or snack.
Personally, I love any hot cereal because of the taste, high fiber, low sugar, and other whole-grain benefits. I decided to temporarily retire my store-brand oatmeal, and give the Bear Naked organic hot cereal (Medley flavor) a whirl. Bear Naked boasts that their ingredients are “Bearly Processed and Utterly Naked … that you can actually pronounce“.
Well, I’ll see about that! Let’s see … ingredients: whole grain oats, rye, sunflower seeds, barley, and whole grain flax. All organic and I can pronounce all of them (as opposed to most processed foods that contain ingredients that seem more appropriate for chemistry experiments).
All of these ingredients offer significant health benefits:
- Flax is an excellent anti-inflammatory, offering essential fatty acids like omega-3’s
- Sunflower seeds contain high-quality plant protein
- The other grains provide power-packed, complex carbs and fiber to keep you satisfied.
Oh, and it tastes pretty darn good too! I especially loved the sunflower seeds. To give the hot cereal a little extra boost of sweetness over the whole grains, I enjoyed adding about a teaspoon or so of brown sugar and honey (I’ll take those sugars any day over high-fructose corn syrup!). Once berries come into season, I look forward to adding strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for different types of natural, energy-boosting sweetness! In the mean-time, have fun experimenting with bananas, peanut-butter and other whole-some items.
Another reason I like hot cereal is for the “stick to your ribs” feeling of a hearty (and yet healthy) breakfast. Like many runners, my metabolism is ”through the roof”, and I need something that will carry my hobbit-like appetite until at least my mid-morning snack! Although hash browns, eggs, and sausage sure taste good, they contain far too many fat-based calories and often leave me dragging and feeling greasy for the rest of the morning (feelings that are definitely not conducive to running).
I also noticed that the Bear Naked hot cereal was more robust and filling than my tried-and-true generic oatmeal and that I needed a smaller amount of the Bear Naked product to feel full than with other cereals. The hot cereals are also very affordable (unlike many high-end organic products); costing only $4.99 for a 30oz. supply.
However, even with a hearty breakfast (and especially with that darn metabolism), active individuals like myself require an ample amount of snacks throughout the day to stay energized. Like an exercise-addicted cow, I “graze” from dawn to dusk. Although counterintuitive, this type of consistent eating (in moderation), will actually keep you leaner and prevent unnecessary binging.
Bear Naked’s granola pouches are a phenomenal option for this type diet. These little granola packs are small, light (2 oz.), and re-sealable; making them wonderful travel companions for people at work, at play … or “on the run.”
Since they are re-sealable, they also serve as a good food companion on longer road runs, trail adventures, and even races. The packets are very convenient and will fit easily into most running hydration and fuel packs. For example, I had no problem storing one into my 2-bottle Fuel Belt. Another positive of the resealable packs is that I did not feel obligated to eat the entire contents in one sitting. This is an especially nice feature for folks watching their caloric intake and eating patterns.
Bear Naked granola was voted “Best-Tasting Granola in the Country” by Men’s Health (Mar. 2005) and Organic Style (Nov. 2004). I found the granola to be quite tasty myself, particularly the “Fruit and Nut” flavor. Other reviewers have high accolades for the new “Peanut Butter and Jelly” flavor. The granola is also available in a 12oz. bag (4.99) and a 30oz. “Big Bag” ($9.99); both of which represent a comparatively, solid economic value.
Overall, The Final Sprint’s team and I were extremely impressed with and would highly recommend Bear Naked’s variety of nutritious, moderately priced, convenient and delicious cereals and granolas
Check out the Bear Naked website for more information about their product line, nutrtion facts, and to locate stores in your area that carry their products.
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Tags: all natural, anti oxidant, Bear naked, bear naked granola, breakfast, caloric intake, cereal, complex carbohydrates, fiber, food options, granola, health, health food, hot cereal, low sugar cereal, marathon diet, nutrition, oatmeal, optimal nutrition, organic, trail running, vegan, vegetarian
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