New Research Finds Shocking Health Benefits of Chocolate

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! 

Photo credit: Judy van der Velden

The sweet, delicious treat isn't as evil as you've been told. In fact, the numerous and proven health benefits of indulging in a regular dose of chocolate are guaranteed to blow your mind.

Are The Ingredients In Your Turtle's Food Really Safe

With all the fillers, artificial ingredients like dyes that are

Image Source: Amazon.

found in so many of the pet food products we buy, it's important to ask the question "could your turtle's food be making your beloved pet turtle sick?"

When you purchase food -- whether it's for Fluffy the cat, or Pookie the dog, or Myrtle the turtle, or even for your own family -- you don't automatically question the possibility that the food contains health hazards. You shouldn't have to question something like that when it comes to buying any consumable product! But in today's world, we can't afford not to peruse the entire ingredients list on every single label, and that includes our pet's food products. It's sad, it's a shame, it's B.S. I know. 

But the sad truth is, the food we consume and that our pets consume is often not any safer than eating a box of rat poison. Yet they still sell it to us. They continue to pack it full of the artificial dyes (do they really think Myrtle the turtle notices if the pellets are dark green or pale green?), the GMO's, the fillers, and more poisonous ingredients.

And they know the negative impact these unsafe-for-consumption ingredients are for our health, and our pets' health. 

So, it's up to us to keep an eye out, to read the labels with a knowing eye. 

Because most of us pet owners care about the health of our pets. We want them to live full, healthy, happy lives. We don't want to feed them poison that is sure to send them to an early grave. 

With that said, I'm sure you can empathize with the anger and frustration I felt when I read the ingredients of my turtle's can of food only to find loads of artificial coloring, and other fillers and possibly not-so-healthy ingredients, but what baffles me is why these manufacturers think they need to make pet food colorful? The turtles, dogs, and cats don't care. Plus, the dyes in food have been very well touted for their negative and possibly negative effects on our health, so why would we toss them in there? For what reason? I know my turtle doesn't prefer one color over the other when it comes to his food, and chances are, he may not even see the colors!

So, why does ReptoMin include "artficial colors: blue 2 lake, yellow 6 lake," and even the very harmful preservative ethoxyquin (which is also a pesticide and has been under investigation by the FDA due the possibility of it causing blood and liver problems.  Dog Food Advisor.com has already warned against it as a possibly toxic ingredient in dog food) in their turtle food pellets?

Here's what we know about those artificial colors, according to the FDA themselves:
Blue 2: linked to brain tumors in mice
Green 3: linked to bladder cancer back in 1981
Yellow 6: associated with cancer of the adrenal glands and kidneys as well as possible allergic reactions 

 

So why, would we carelessly toss these ingredients, which may have the potential to create extremely horrendous health problems into the pet food? That's the question I have for these commercial food manufacturers like ReptoMin and many dog food manufacturers. Why? 

 

This is exactly why Myrtle the turtle only gets Wardley turtle pellets, when I do feed him commercial foods.The Wardley brand of turtle food does not contain artificial colors.

No Bake 3 Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Bars!

Update: This peanut butter bar recipe post has received so much attention in the last weeks that I've been getting emails galore from many of you who've taken the time to share your outcome with me.

I just finished reading an email from a lovely reader named Missy saying that she made these as a last minute snack to stash in her husband's lunch box, who works as a driver for Titan because he's often on the road for long periods of time and has been trying to substitute his frequent junk food-snacking with something a bit healthier.

Missy said when he called her for their nightly "good-night call," he was raving about the new snack in his box, saying that he  could eat them all day long, "'specially since they don't make me tired" like the greasy chips and fried foods he's accustomed to.

"I'm so thrilled to have finally found a healthier snack that'll hopefully keep him from this road to diabetes. Hubby is leaving out again in the morning and has already asked when I'll be making more of the bars."

It warmed my heart to read such a positive story about something as simple as these peanut butter bars. "This time, I'll have to save myself a couple, and I'm not even a fan of peanut butter!" Missy said in her email to me. 

 I want to thank all of you (and you, Missy!) for your kind words, for sharing my post and most of all, for sharing your stories with me, like my friend Missy has. 

They really make my day.

 I will be responding to each email individually, but please be patient as I try to get each of you.

 Lately, as my exercise routine has enhanced (and hopefully, so has my muscle mass!), it seems my hunger has skyrocketed. I've been finding myself craving a little something long before dinner time, and some days, even after dinner! I haven't been staying as "full" lately as I used to, and am having sugar cravings galore.

Therefore, I decided to create a "snack" that I could eat throughout the day that's both filling and somewhat healthy.

I'm cheap. I'm easy. And I'm quick.

So I wanted a recipe to match.

I don't like to cook, I don't have much spare time on my hands to cook anything that takes longer than 10-20 minutes. I needed something that ...
1. Required little to no cooking.
2. Could pack quite a filling punch for me and my seemingly bottomless pit gut,
3. Something that required ingredients I already had on hand (what can I say, I was hungry!)
4. Something that wouldn't be too harsh on my health, and optional, but hopefully, something that I could probably make a large batch of and eat on a regular basis, whenever the breakthrough hunger or cravings strike.

I typically crave chocolate and cakes and all things sugary, but desperately want to eat healthy. So, I went in search for the quickest, tastiest, somewhat healthiest recipe I could find that only required a few ingredients, and ingredients I had on hand (which wasn't many!)

I found this very basic recipe: 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Bars --  found on Spark People, and submitted by user LEXRAP -- and I tweaked the hell out of it until it was just what I needed. 

Let me just say, I absolutely adore these peanut butter bars. They are the perfect filling snack to not only curb my hunger and cravings, but keep me from feeling too run down while working. The omegas and protein-filled ingredients I've added make these bars great for some mid-day pep. I can eat them at all hours of the day and night, and find myself excited to eat them every time I make a new batch. And the best part, these are a total success for keeping my bouts of hunger away, day or night.

Makes 20 bars

- 1 Cup of Peanut Butter
- 3 Cups of Oats I used instant oats because it's what I had on hand.
- 1/2 Cup of Honey. If you don't have honey on hand (I ran out after making these bars 3 times in one week), then you can substitute with 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

There's your 3 ingredients to make the no-bake peanut butter bars!

What I start off with: Oats + the peanut butter in measuring cup. Small bowl of Multi-Grain Cheerio's in a side-bowl. The Cheerio's will be crushed and later added to the mix (but you don't have to crush them, or even add them for that matter.)  

 **All the ingredients are mixed together, in no specific order. I simply heat the peanut butter with the honey, or the honey-alternative (brown sugar + milk)**

Here's my healthy additions or "tweaks" as optionals:

From left: Hemp Pro powder, Cheerio's, Peanut butter+brown sugar, milk (in Check Into Cash cup. LOL), Oats & Mila/Chia seeds

And again, so you really get the idea.

Super Close-Up of Mila + Oats

-(Optional) Hemp protein, or hemp fiber or hemp seeds. I've used all. The seeds are delicious, and they give the bars more texture.  

Adding the Hemp powder

 

-(Optional) Chia or Mila Seeds. I use Mila right now since they're small bits so they don't stick in my teeth as badly as chia, and because that's what I had on hand, but Chia seeds are just as well.

-(Optional) Cereal. Crushed up, or whole. I used old Cheerios (the kind with the 3 different flavors, including wholegrain) that just happened to be sitting around for the last month because I wanted to make a snack that was as filling (and healthy) as possible. The Mila/Chia seeds, hemp and cereal make this a more filling snack than it would've otherwise been without them. 


I chose to crush my Cheerios into smaller bits. I just prefer it that way, but you can just toss in the whole bits of cereal if you prefer. I simply place about 1/2  cup of Cheerios in a bag, then use whatever is close by to crush them into smaller bits before tossing them into the mixture and stirring things up. 

Inside the bag -- the freshly crushed Cheerios, which made for the perfect little bitty crunch and added texture!

Melt the peanut butter and honey just until smooth, either in the microwave or stove top. Give the two ingredients a stir, then fold in the oats (and crushed or whole cereal pieces). Mix ingredients together.

So golden, chewy and delicious!

Hemp Food (Review for Manitoba Harvest)

 Lately, hemp has hit the market and will quickly become the newest health food trend. As someone with a passion for trying new healthy foods, and someone who's always up-to-date with the latest health food trends, I had to jump on the hemp food bandwagon. Special thanks to Manitoba Harvest for allowing me the opportunity to sample theirs -- a non-GMO hemp foods, which include Hemp Hearts (which are raw, shelled hemp seeds) and their variety of Hemp Protein powders.

I'm not kidding when I say hemp foods are a serious health food.  For instance, did you know that hemp has such a high nutritional value that it could be considered a super-food?

Here I'll be reviewing the samples I've been trying from Manitoba Harvest. I'll detail all of hemp's amazing health benefits, it's nutritional profile, ways to consume it, and even how it tastes (per my tongue's opinion.) Also in this review will be a comparison of hemp and other popular seeds such as chia to see which has the most bang for its buck.

So stick around and grab a bowl of your favorite snack food. Your stomach will thank you later, I promise. If you think you can handle reading about food without having something on-hand and ready to pack in, then more power to you, but don't say I didn't warn ya!

Let's start off with some specs on hemp seeds

- Hemp seeds do not contain THC like marijuana does.

- Hearty healthy.

Hemp Hearts

Aside from their interesting and satisfying flavor, hemp hearts (raw, shelled hemp seeds) contain 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omegas (hemp contains both omega-3's and omega 6's.)

About Manitoba Harvest (Company Info)

Manitoba Harvest has a "natural" version of Hemp Hearts and an organic one. Keep in mind the sample I was sent is the natural Hemp Hearts. All Manitoba Harvest products are Non-GMO Project Verified, and Manitoba Harvest is a "Certified B Corporation." Click the icon below to view their report.

 Other qualifications of Manitoba Harvest (you can click each icon to read about them)

Kosher Certificate

Health and other Benefits:

- Hemp is an amazing source of protein, fiber, omegas and essential fatty acids.

- Immune system health

- Improved and shinier skin, nails and hair.

- Hemp contains the "good bacteria" that's necessary for healthy digestion.

- Hemp contains chlorophyll, which helps the body maintain pH balance.

-Hemp contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

- May improve kidney function.

- Contributes to a healthy immune system.

-Can improve fatigue.

Taste

Hemp Hearts, just like Manitoba Harvest says, have a very nutty flavor. Very nutty, slightly grassy.  That is the best way to describe them. The texture is somewhat like that of a cashew, but softer, although I have bitten some rigid hull bits after tossing in a handful and crunching down. They're slick, somewhat waxy, creamy, and chewy. They take on a slight sticky-ness while being chewed.  The flavor of hemp seeds are kind of like that of a peanut, but with a stronger nutti-ness and a tiny hint of grass. The flavor is surprisingly really tasty with an extremely fresh taste to them. In fact, I like these Hemp Hearts so much that I prefer eating them alone, not mixing them in foods and drinks!

 I sometimes like to do what I call the "kid test" when I'm trying a healthy food that I'll be reviewing later. The "kid test" is where I get my nieces and nephews to try the food and get their opinion so that I can report back in my review giving you folks an idea of how kids might take to the food product.

The kid test on the Hemp Hearts? Passed! My 5 year old niece who's the most picky eater I know and isn't fond of new foods responded really well to the Hemp Hearts! After pouring her a handful to eat (straight from her palm), she came back asking for more! 

As for the teenagers, I think these will pass for most of those too. Pretty much as long as the kid likes nuts, they'll like these. My 16 year old nephew was fond of them in yogurt. 
 

Hemp Hearts Vs Chia and Flax Seeds:

Something I learned from Manitoba Harvest that I didn't know before is that a serving (30 grams) of Hemp Hearts contain more omegas and proteins yet less carbs than a same serving of chia and flax.

Hemp appears to trump even whey powder. It's more easily digested than whey, it may contain more nutrition than whey, and require less hemp to consume than whey in order to get the nutrition.

To learn more about Hemp Hearts, check out this interesting infographic by Manitoba Harvest:

Other possible effects of eating hemp seeds:

-Some people notice a reduction in "junk food" cravings. This is something I hope to experience as I continue to eat Manitoba Harvest's hemp foods.

How to Use:

 One serving = 2 tablespoons (30 grams)

Manitoba Harvest recommends about 1-2 servings of Hemp Hearts a day.

Hemp Protein Powders 

Firstly, I'd like to start with some facts/information about hemp protein.

Hemp protein comes from the hemp seed and contains essential fatty acids, and all essential amino acids -- 20 amino acids total. Aside from the amazing source of EFA's and amino acids, hemp seed protein also contains fiber.

-Hemp is a complete, plant-based protein.

Hemp protein helps the body repair and regenerate, and if you didn't already know it, essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) have a huge impact on our health on so many different levels that it'd take an entire post just to cover them. To name a few though, EFA's are important for our brain health, cardiovascular health, nervous, immune and reproductive system. They help repair and cell membranes and help regulate heart rate, fertility, blood clotting, inflammation and more.

Note the recipe found on the back of the sample packets. The Hemp Pro 70 has an "Orange Vitality" recipe, which only requires orange juice and the rest is Manitoba Harvest products, including the packet of Hemp Pro 70. So this could easily just be added alone to some orange (or other) fruit juice.

The Hemp Protein powders, as well as the Hemp Hearts can be added to many different dishes including yogurt, cereals, oatmeal (which is really good, in my opinion), smoothies, other beverages, and even on salads.

To learn which of Manitoba Harvests' protein products best fit your specific needs, go here. 

Hemp Pro 70

HempPro 70 - Contains 20 grams of protein per 30 gram serving. 

It's water soluble and happens to be one of the higher protein-containing options.

Can be used in smoothies or shakes and if you're like me, a whole bunch of other foods too like yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, salads, etc. Since the powder has such subtle flavor to it, it can be added to so many different dishes that I've been able to try it on new food every day for the last 5 days. Yet to find a dish I disliked with the powder in it. Most of the time, I don't ever even taste it in the foods I eat.

Note: All Hemp Pro powders are raw, cold-milled hemp protein powder. The Hemp Pro Fiber is USDA Organic.

Hemp Pro 50: 

HempPro 50 - a raw, cold-milled, wholefood hemp protein powder. Contains 15 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per 30 gram serving.

Hemp Pro Fiber:

HempPro Fibre - Contains 13 grams of fiber per 30 gram serving, over half the daily recommended intake of fiber. USDA Organic!

Notice the recipe on the back of the sample packet of Hemp Pro Fiber --  "Tropical Smoothie Paradise," which includes pineapple, coconut milk, and the rest are Manitoba Harvest products, including the Hemp Pro Fiber. Pretty simple, even for someone like me. 

The Hemp Pro Fiber can be mixed  into a smoothie, or even for baking and desserts such as muffins and bread. Checkout Manitoba Harvests'  recipe section to find different ways to use the powdered stuff. 

Taste & Ways to Consume: 

As for the Hemp Pro powders, the taste obviously isn't going to be eat-from-the-pack delicious for most people, but I actually don't mind it at all. As someone who's been taking her wheatgrass powder by the scoop (dry, with nothing else but a swig of water), I find the Hemp Pro powders totally tolerable to eat straight from the pack, if you're on the go.

If I don't have a drink on hand or time to grab one, I'll just pour the Hemp Pro powders into my mouth. The powders are so fine and mild tasting that it goes down easily, much easier than wheatgrass, actually.

 The taste of the powders is very subtle. It has somewhat of a sweetness to it, which is helpful. It's not strong at all
and it's extremely hard to pin-point an exact flavor or similar food/taste/flavor to really describe this stuff since it really has a taste of its very own and doesn't resemble much of anything.

The Hemp Pro Fiber is far more earthy tasting than the other protein powders. Totally tolerable, if not kind of tasty, but it does differ from the slight sweetness and less earthy taste of the others.

Like I said, it has a similarity to wheatgrass powder, but mostly just because they're both a fine powder that has a somewhat grassy taste, but the Hemp Protein powders aren't nearly as grassy tasting as wheatgrass. On the other hand, they aren't very nutty in flavor like the Hemp Hearts. 

As far as taste in a drink goes, the powder is rarely very noticeable in a drink. I sometimes feel it in my mouth, but rarely taste it in yogurt or shakes. When I say "feel it," I just mean that when I don't bother to really mix well, I sometimes get a clump in my mouth, but nothing that isn't easily tolerated. 

The powders seem to mix pretty well in beverages. There isn't a lot of clumping or settling of the powder. Shakes and thicker beverages like  smoothies allow for even better mixing and hiding, if you like to pretend there's no protein powder within your tasty beverage.

How to Use:
Simply scoop 4 tablespoons (30 grams) of Hemp Pro powders into your drinks, smoothies, foods, etc. Or go my route and simply dump a few mouthfuls straight onto your tongue and follow with a drink of water. This is a super easy way to take the powder in a hurry, or on-the-go.

  

 Manitoba Harvest also has a free e-book download called "7 Days of Free Smoothies," if you'd like to get some smoothie ideas and find new ways to indulge in hemp smoothies. You have to subscribe to their Hemp eNews via email to get it. There will be a pop-up as soon as you land on their site allowing you the option to enter your e-mail in order to subscribe and receive this e-book.

Aside from their e-book, Manitoba Harvest also has a page full of recipes that you can use for inspiration and ideas. I actually loved the huge variety of awesome different recipes they had listed, especially the breakfast foods. All the recipes go great with their Hemp Hearts. Some of my favorite recipes listed on Manitoba Harvest's recipe page are the "mid-day pick-me-ups section." 

which include recipes where you can make your own hemp bars with fruits mixed in and granola and trail mixes all of which look delicious.

I love their granola bars recipes that are easy and pretty quick to make, and they don't require a whole lot of ingredients that you wouldn't typically have on hand already, or have to search hard to find. Most of the ingredients are either in my house already or can be found at virtually any store near me.

Most of their recipes are versatile and allow you to tweak them to your preferences. The soups are next on my list to try, and of course, soup is always versatile so you can add or subtract whatever ingredients you like pretty much.

Results:
 
 While noticeable results from using most any product like hemp protein aren't always... well, very noticeable, I have to admit, compared to other products I've used like Mila seeds and chia seeds, and even my daily scoop of wheatgrass, Manitoba Harvests' hemp food products definitely seem to have the upper hand. In fact, despite the ubiquitous claims we often read about wheatgrass having impeccable benefits for not only our entire health in general, but also for the digestive system, I actually hardly ever noticed anything as far as how I feel, my digestive stuff, etc while using wheatgrass. I've been using wheatgrass on an almost daily basis for a year or more now and only rarely did I ever experience any change at all digestive-wise. Never did my IBS change due to the use of only  wheatgrass products, either. Wheatgrass is often said to have super positive benefits on IBS and similar health issues, but for me, it hasn't touched it.

Aside from that, I've always held onto the hope that wheatgrass does have the many health benefits, long-term that we all have read about, so I continue to use it. I like wheatgrass if it does in fact do all those amazing things for our bodies, but I can't honestly say it's had a noticeable impact in the way I feel or how my stomach & digestive system react to it. Perhaps in the very beginning of using wheatrgass products I experienced changes, but no longer.

That aside, the same boring stuff can be said for my experiences with chia seeds. Never have I noticed any change that I could physically feel or see and nothing in the way of digestive system issues and IBS. Unlike with wheatgrass though, I don't believe I have much reason to continue using chia seeds since finding out that the hemp foods contain so much more of the healthy "stuff" (omegas). 

If you recall earlier in this review, Manitoba Harvest showed us the difference in how much omegas are present in their hemp foods compared to other foods like chia seeds. It simply makes more sense to me to use hemp (and less of it to get the nice amounts of omegas). You would have to take more of the other products just to get the same amounts of omegas you get in a serving of the Manitoba Harvest hemp foods, so for now, I am too impressed not to go with hemp!

Pricing:

At the time of this writing, the Hemp Hearts come in at a little over $1 an ounce, and the Hemp Pro powder (70) is $24.99 for the smallest available pack, which is 11 ounces. The various powder prices vary depending.

Update:

So far, I've eaten the Hemp Hearts and the Hemp Protein powders for around 4-6 days
 and while I haven't experienced any change in how I feel or anything, I have had pretty rough stomach cramping every single day until today, and I figured out why. Hemp protein has a side effect of stomach cramping and digestive problems for some people. I didn't even put it together until my significant other mentioned that he heard plant based protein was actually hard to digest for some people. When he said that, it kind of clicked that the only change in my diet or life I've had over the last week is using the hemp, and since I woke up today and the cramping was gone for the first time, I thought it must be the hemp. Then I came home and looked into that being a side effect and found an article on LiveStrong which mentions stomach cramping and digestive problems being a side effect of hemp protein, so I'm pretty sure that was the cause. I thought I'd add an update letting you all know that if you tend to have a sensitive digestive system, or have IBS or related issues like I do, you'll want to start very small with hemp.

The problem for me was that I was downing an entire sample pack a day, and I think that's just a tiny bit too much on my stomach/digestive system.

Just a tip for folks like me with these stomach/digestive issues that you might want to consider starting off easy so you don't end up with problems or cramping like me. Things that are supposed to be beneficial for the digestive system, for some reason, can often also cause irritation to those of us with problems like IBS, so it's a nuisance, but from now on, I'll just be sure I don't consume so much of the hemp and take it from there. I feel like the benefits are too great to just not take it at all, so I'll just go slow with it and find the right "dose" for me. Then I will report back on that for those of you who want to follow along.

Update #2:
It's been 4 days since I posted the above update regarding the stomach cramps I was getting from adding too much hemp into my diet too rapidly. I've been experimenting with small doses, gradually since then and have found that a bit less than half a packet of Hemp Pro seems to be a pretty good amount for me without causing any stomach/digestive side effects at all. So about 2 tablespoons of the powder every day and I do really well, no stomach cramping. I honestly don't know what I was thinking taking so much in one day anyways like I was. So, for those of you who might also have digestive issues (like IBS) of your own, you might want to try one tablespoon a day for a few days, then go up to two when you feel comfortable. If you're able to handle the 1-2 tablespoons just fine for 3-4 days, then it's probably safe to up it one more tablespoon.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Shake The Crave Review & Free Sample Offer

Updated on 7/29/2014 (update at very bottom)

   

Shake the Crave is a healthy, filling shake that taste like dessert, and is intended to fill and curb cravings. Not only that, but Shake the Crave is supposed to help boost energy levels (since the glucose converts into ATP, which gives you energy) and may also provide some mental clarity to some folks.

Shake the Crave is a powdered drink mix made from 100% pure ingredients that you add to a glass of milk, designed by one of my favorite companies for health and skincare products -- Trusted Health Products, whom I've reviewed for in the past. Shake the Crave, with only 0.5 grams of fat is designed to fill you up, boost energy and help you feel full longer. Plus, it's only 120 calories and a pure, delicious experience.

Since Shake the Crave comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors. You get 1.16 pounds of Shake the Crave powder per container, which is 15 servings per container. They each come with a handy scooper inside for easily measuring out your portions. One serving is just one scoop, so it's a quick process.

 I love Shake the Craving because it helps satisfy my seemingly never ending, annoying craving for sweets, even though it only contains 20 grams of sugar. 

I much prefer healthy versions of sweets, and this totally does the trick.  An added bonus is the natural sugar in Shake the Crave converts to glucose, which fuels ATP production in the body, giving you energy mentally and physically. Just what I like -- good, clear thinking and plenty of energy to not only use my brain as well as I can (my job requires a lot of brain use!), but also be active and feel good throughout the day and while doing physical activity.

  

      My Thoughts after trying Shake the Crave:
I have a nearly intolerable craving for sweets, and always have. So, upon trying Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor, I was surprised at how satisfying the taste is. I'd have never been able to tell, on taste alone that this shake is any kind of healthy product meant to curb cravings and not some sugar-filled drink.

 Taste (Chocolate Version)

The chocolate Shake the Crave tastes resembles a cup of cold hot chocolate, but better. If you've ever had a cup of cold chocolate (instead of hot) then you can easily imagine the taste of Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor.  There are some nuances, of course between this healthy shake and your typical hot chocolate. For instance, there's a subtle minty-ness to it, which is refreshing.

I don't know about you, but I've always added at least 2 packets of cocoa powder to my mug of hot chocolate because if I didn't, it  always tasted watered down. 

Shake the Crave chocolate, on the other hand is surprisingly very flavorful. It's thicker than your typical hot chocolate. While probably not quite as sweet as a cup of sugary hot chocolate, it's still plenty sweet enough. When tasting just the powder, I detected something a bit savory or salty, and expected the shake to be very dull, unsweet and either with that icky vitamin-y taste that most shakes have, or too watery.

Let's just say the the chocolate shake is delicious enough that I left the brownie I had in my plate untouched. The chocolate shake was enjoyable enough that I preferred it over the brownie I'd been looking forward to all day.

Taste (Vanilla flavor)

The vanilla Shake the Crave was far more delicious than I expected since I typically prefer chocolate or strawberry flavors when it comes to shakes and ice cream. But, with the real vanilla flavor to it, I enjoyed the vanilla about as much as the chocolate.  There's just nothing quite like the sweet, yummy flavor of real vanilla, especially if it's a shake or ice cream. If you love real vanilla ice cream, then you'll no doubt love Shake the Crave in that flavor. It contains real vanilla bean, which is noticeable due to the tiny black specs in it. Once I saw those specs, I just knew it was the real deal. 

Like the chocolate, the vanilla is plenty sweet without any funky taste to it as you might expect with a healthy version of a shake. You won't ever be able to tell it isn't a typical shake, even though it isn't loaded with sugar. 

My results with the vanilla Shake the Crave seemed just a tiny bit different than when I'd tried the chocolate a day before. I was extra hungry on the day I used vanilla, so my hunger did not stay away for longer than a good hour before I gave in and finally ate. It did, however take care of my sweet-tooth, which normally lasts long after I've eaten sugar laden foods, so this is really wonderful.

 

 Does it Keep My Cravings Away? I'm feeling like Shake the Crave might actually be the one. If it can satisfy my sweet tooth and keep the craving for more and more sweets at bay, then that could be life-changing for me.
We all know that one of the dirtiest things about processed sugar is that instead of fully satisfying us after one candy bar, it makes us crave more. That's upsetting to me because I want to enjoy something I love so much without it biting me in the rear like that. It almost feels like a dirty trick.
In my photo of the chocolate, I didn't even add the entire packet of Shake the Crave and before I could even blend the drink and take a photo, I had drank the once full glass close to half way down. I actually ended up refilling the glass to with a little milk and added in the rest of what was left in the packet to finish, after I took the photo. I was just taste-testing when I had to stop myself before I drank the entire glass.

Does it Make me Feel Full?Yes, but not so full that I feel like I'll pop. That's a good thing, though because if it did make you too full, the purpose would be defeated. You wouldn't want to move!
 I drank my first Shake the Crave, on a completely empty stomach, around dinner time. Since I knew I'd be feeling my hungriest, I thought it'd be a perfect time to put the shake to the test big time. I did end up letting my dinner sit for 3 hours, so the shake was great for filling me up. After a few hours, I had a very small portion of my dinner and didn't feel hungry again for another long while.
While the shake caused my appetite to subside pretty much entirely for a few hours, I think it could vary depending on the person. For someone who's used to eating a whole lot more than me, one shake might not keep actual hunger away for as long as it does me. It should definitely give the feeling of fullness and satisfaction, though.
One more thing I want to make note of in this section is that when I tried a hunger-curbing, weight loss shake in the past, it would give me a bloating sensation, which did keep me from scarfing down food, but once I felt hungry again, it seemed I was eating far more than I would've! It seemed to always have that effect on me, even if I had a meal before hand. Once the hunger came back, it was intense. That caused me to eat larger portions than what I normally would because I felt so starved.
After trying Shake the Crave, it seems when I find myself feeling hungry again, I hardly eat a full meal at one sitting. It may be that the shake is still lingering in my stomach after so long, and it's just taking a lot less food to fill me up. So it took 3 separate settings (within a 4 hour period) for me to finish my entire dinner. 

 

As for any added mental clarity or energy, I'm not 100% sure I had any changes there. Upon more frequent use, I would be able to better note the changes happening. Trusted Health Products does make mention of it taking longer for some people to notice results in how they feel and their energy or mental clarity levels. 

 
Directions:As you may see in my photos of the packets of Shake the Crave and the instructional paper, the directions say to add the powdered shake to 8 fl oz. of milk and blend on low  for 20 seconds, then 3 more seconds on high. Let sit for 1 minute and blend again, on low for 5 seconds and pour into glass. Then let it sit 1 more minute so ingredients can "rehydrate." Then, you finally get to drink it.
I'll admit, I didn't have time to do all that blending and sitting the first time I tried Shake the Crave, and I was so eager to taste it that I didn't wait. For the sake of doing it properly since I am reviewing Shake the Crave, I did follow instructions to a T the second time, when trying the vanilla flavor.
I can see why blending is useful since as you may notice in my photos, the powder doesn't mix in so well, but I sure didn't mind! It tasted fantastic and I just stirred with a straw.

Added Pros and Benefits of Shake the Crave:

⦁    Contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, preservatives, or isolated/synthetic vitamins.

• Good source of protein and calcium 
• Contains fiber and trace minerals, which explains why some people feel so great after using the shakes! Replacing the trace minerals that most of us are deficient in can change everything.

⦁    No gluten, soy, egg, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, fillers or binders.

• Contains organic, non-fat dry milk from naturally raised cows 

(major kudos to Trusted Health Products for these factors!)

 Shake the Crave (Chocolate) Ingredients:Organic, unrefined cane sugar, organic non-fat dry milk, organic cocoa powder, organic coconut powder,  Electrolyte Blend (Potassium Citrate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Sulfate, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride).

Shake the Crave (Vanilla) Ingredients:

Organic non-fat, dry milk, organic, unrefined cane sugar, organic coconut powder, organic ground vanilla bean, electrolytes from mineral salts (Potassium Citrate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Sulfate, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride).

Something I adore about Trusted Health Products is that they have a lot of educational information about their products and more. For example, Shake the Crave has its own information including an article on "why diets don't work," which is useful because you can learn how to take care of yourself. The article mentions how diets are basically deprivation, usually and that is why they fail and why you tend to feel guilty or as if you've "cheated" when you indulge. I personally have never been a believer in depriving yourself of something you really love and enjoy eating, so I tend to prefer a moderation approach. Trusted Health Products says this is how dieting goes and why it fails: Motivation > Deprivation > Craving, Indulgence Guilt and Loss of Motivation.

The article talks about how diet foods tend to be filled with ingredients that aren't giving your body the nutrients it needs, which is where their product Shake the Crave comes in. It contains 100% pure ingredients, is so satisfying and you can enjoy your indulgence without going through the guilt cycle, which actually makes it even harder for you to lose weight (seriously, think Law of Attraction.)

* Try Shake the Crave vanilla and chocolate shake mix! For a limited time, the manufacturer is willing to offer my readers 2 free sample packets of Shake the Crave vanilla or chocolate shake mix. They said they would love to have readers try out Shake the Crave and agreed to send the 2 sample packets if our readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge of $4.95. This is a one-time only offer. Click here to get your 2 FREE sample packets now! (PLEASE NOTE: There's no shipping and handling charge for product reviewers. This  offer  is for any product review  reader that would like to try the product.) 

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Visit the Shake the Crave website

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UPDATE (7/29/2014):

Since I loved everything about Shake the Crave so much that I could actually see myself benefiting greatly from the product, I've decided to go through with a 90 day challenge using Trusted Health Products' instructions, suggestions and their Shake the Crave product. 

Since today is only my first day, officially, of the challenge, I don't have any major results to post about, but I wanted to let my readers know that ya'll can stay tuned to see my regular updates on the program. 

Since Shake the Crave comes with a sort of "plan" to help you succeed, I've decided to follow that plan as closely as I can, which means I'll be making some minor changes to my lifestyle. I already exercise on a regular basis, including strength training, and I typically eat a pretty healthy diet, although I'm certainly no stranger to fast food. That's really the only part of my diet that isn't healthy. I tend to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and of course I take many nutritionally supplements to keep myself in good health.

So, these changes shouldn't be too major for me. I'll probably pick up a bit more exercise and instead of having fast food when time doesn't allow for real food, I'll instead opt for Shake The Crave, which is what I've done tonight, actually.

I  hope you guys are excited as I am about this new journey! I'm hoping to tone things up a lot and gain more muscle, and be all around healthier. I also am hoping to use Shake the Crave to work my way out of this sweet tooth I engage so often. So far, it's working well.

As of tonight, the only update I have is that I think these taste better and better each time I have one. Secondly, I've had a few halved, mini red potatoes and a very tiny portion of steak tonight. I then had Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor and can tell I'll be full for a very long time to come. 

I'm looking forward to it! I hope you guys will follow me through this journey & if any of you take on a challenge like this one, please share. We can discuss our journies together. 

Update #2:

I've noticed I've been waking up feeling energetic rather than like passing back out the past couple of days. It wasn't until tonight that I went over in my head the changes I may have made to cause this. I believe I'm seeing the results that Shake the Crave can have -- a sense of well-being and more energy. It's been a long time since I've woke up with a clear head and felt instantly like starting my day as soon as I wake, so this is a great effect that I'm loving! I hope this continues to happen for me. Thought I'd include that in my update. 

Update (Tip for Added Satiety)
I've started adding 1-2 tablespoons of uncooked oatmeal to the shakes when I feel like I need a bit more to really feel "full." It's been incredibly useful, and staves off hunger way better. It also helps me to eat less when I have some right before a meal.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.