Healthy & Gluten-free snacking and fueling! NoGii Gluten-Free Protein Bars, Powder and Paleo Bar review....love them!

I was lucky enough to have Moms Meet send me a huge package of NoGii entire line of products, including the book, The G Free Diet and a fabulous shirt as well. I felt so spoiled opening up this package and seeing how generous and how many awesome products that were included.

Awesome sample swag pack!

NoGii is a line of certified gluten-free protein bars, protein powders, and paleo bars created by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Made from high quality and sustainably sourced premium ingredients, all products have an ideal balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates and do not contain high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, or hydrogenated oils. They're a perfect way to get a punch of protein and quick, clean fuel for an on-the-go and active lifestyle. 

The package contained a TON of protein bars, which was the first thing that I wanted to try. I love having protein bars on hand because it's a perfect way to fuel pre or post-workout, especially when short on time or leading a busy lifestyle. There were many different flavors to choose from and also a choice of high protein and super protein bars. The high protein bars range from 17 to 20 grams of protein per bar and are under 250 calories so perfect for a snack or energy boost. The super protein bars had 26 to 30 grams of protein in each single bar! Talk about a protein punch!  The super protein bars are about 400 calories a piece so on the higher end for calories. I actually usually just eat half a bar at a time to keep it around my 200-250 calorie snack goal. I definitely keep one of these bars in all my different bags (purse, diaper bag, yoga bag) and car for quick and healthier snack.

I reached for the chocolate coconut flavor (a high protein bar) first and it was AMAZING! This flavor was by far my favorite one and they didn't last too long in our house (my husband was pretty excited to give these a try too).  To be honest, all the flavors that I have tried were all great tasting and none tasted chalky or dry like some other competitors. I liked that they were chewy and weren't overly sweet to me. Having all natural ingredients (that you can actually pronounce) was a huge bonus and made me feel better about what I was eating. 

Definitely my favorite flavor! 

Also included was paleo bars. I've never seen paleo bars made by a manufacturer before (always see recipes to make your own on Pinterest). These bars are made with all natural ingredients (main ingredients are nuts, dates, honey, and fruits). They have a lower protein content compared to their other products, but they taste great and offer a lot of healthy fats and vitamins from the nuts and fruit in the bars. My favorite was the Nuts About Berries flavor. The tartness from the cherries was nicely balanced by the nuttiness. 

I also received a 2 pound jug of the vanilla Whey and Quinoa Protein Powder. I've had several different brands of protein powder in the past, but none that contained quinoa as well. Quinoa is an amino-acid rich seed that contains more protein than any other grain, and is higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates. I'm very reluctant when it comes to protein powders because I feel like most taste pretty terrible. I reluctantly added this to my strawberry banana smoothie and was pleasantly surprised as I loved the addition. It tasted great and added a smooth vanilla flavor to my smoothie. Two scoops of powder (a serving) contains 20 grams of protein, 160 calories, 5 grams of sugar and a ton of fiber (7 grams or 28% of your daily value).

Awesome in smoothies!

Even my toddler loved it!

Overall, I was really pleased with all of these products and would recommend them to anyone trying to lead a clean eating or gluten-free diet. They tasted great, the nutritional facts were on point and they provided a quick and easy source of protein. The only downside to the products that I could find was that they were a bit above my preferred price range (for example, NoGii’s High Protein Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bar retails for $2.50 to $2.99 for one 1.93oz bar). 

If you're interested in learning more about NoGii's product line be sure to visit their website at www.nogii.com and check out their Facebook page as well. 

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product. If interested in participating in review panels and other opportunities, join the Moms Meet community at greenmomsmeet.com 

Xlear Care Kit Review - Dental & Nasal Care Products with All-Natural Xylitol #momsmeet

I was selected as one of the Moms Meet Bloggers to be able to recieve a Xlear Care Kit to try and review. The Xlear Care Kit contained several different dental and nasal care products that contain xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener. According to Xlear, Xylitol has been shown to help the body's naturally cleaning process to clear away allergens, asthmatic triggers and other harmful bacteria. It is also one of the newest, easiest and tastiest ways for people to improve oral health. Research has been found that xylitol use may reduce tooth decay.

Lots of great products to try!

The dental health products that came in my Xlear Care kit were:

• Spry Toothpaste Non-Fluoride - The toothpaste has a fresh taste that left your mouth feeling clean and breath feeling fresh. The toothpaste was a bit different than other toothpaste because it didn't foam as much as others, but still provided a good clean. The toothpaste contains 1/3 xylitol which provides 20-25% of the daily dose recommended for health benefits. The xylitol also increase absorption of minerals into the enamel of teeth providing increased protection.

• Spry Oral Rinse (with awesome wood toothbrush) - I really liked this rinse because it didn't burn like other brands of mouthwash. It left my mouth feeling clean and minty. Interestingly, it uses a mix of natural flavorings and herbal extracts such as aloe vera, chamomile, and echinacea to help soothe irritated mouth tissues. The wooden toothbrush is really nifty too and my toddler definitely claimed it as his own. 

• Spry Gum - I received the peppermint flavor gum to try and it has a great. lasting flavor. I feel like the gum retained flavor better than most competitors gum varieties and was great for a midday breath freshener. 

• Spry Gems - These breath freshening "candies" are sugar free and use xylitol for sweetening, along with natural flavors. The xylitol is combined with calcium to provide an enhanced, balanced formula for increased dental health. I was able to try the peppermint and cinnamon varieties (my favorite was peppermint, but the cinnamon was great as well).

The nasal care product included in this kit was the Xlear Nasal Spray. According to Xlear, this nasal spray combines the use of saline and xylitol to alleviate congestion due to allergies, cold, flu and sinusitis. The addition of xylitol to a saline nasal spray has been shown to decrease bacterial adherence in the nose, therefore decreasing chances of irritation and infection. This spray is to be used twice a day to hydrate the sinuses and passages and to also help rinse the nasal passages of allergens and contaminants that can occasionally lead to respiratory ailments & problems. Unlike some other nasal sprays, long term use of this product doesn't lead to tissue damage.

I was only able to give this product a try a few times. I have a really hard time with nasal sprays and personally hate the sensation of them. The few times I used it were after I had been out in the garden and thought it may help clear away some allergens. I'm not entirely sure that it made a difference for me, but I didn't notice anything being worse than normal after similar conditions. My husband will likely use this, as he tends to have more nasal issues than myself.

If you're interested in these products, Xlear is offering a specials for my readers. You can now purchase the kit (valued at $65) for only $25 by using the code SAVE50. Visit Xlear to order.

Overall, I thought the products were good, but nothing really stood out. My favorites were the rinse, gum and gems for the reasons stated above. The other products didn't stand out enough for me to really pick them over lower priced competitors. I am curious to read more about xylitol and it's therapeutic use as a health care product and the health claims to see if there are any scientific studies on it.

Do you use many products containing xylitol? 

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.