Marine Life: Sea Animals Are Not Named For Their Flavor

Sometimes I wonder if there is any kind of marine life that isn’t eaten, and maybe considered a delicacy, somewhere in the world. Even coral is ground up and marketed as a calcium supplement and cancer cure, although the Food and Drug Administration warns us not to believe the hype.

Coral aside, many of the animals at the reef look and sound pretty tasty. Jellyfish implies sweet, while purple-striped jelly suggests extra sweet goodness.

I don’t eat pigs, but might be willing to try porkfish sausage. How about a hogfish bacon, lettuce sea slug and tomtate sandwich? Is that kosher?
Sea cucumber sounded like something that belongs in a salad, until I found out it comes in chocolate chip and cookie dough varieties. Maybe we will never find them in a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, but they must taste better than their cousin, the donkey dung sea cucumber. I mean, they just have to, right?

The candy basslet looks just like those little striped sucking candies my grandmother used to keep in her purse. Instead of a fishbowl, keep them in a candy dish on your coffee table, and watch your guests’ surprised faces when they reach for one. The peppermint basslet looks like it should be decorating my Christmas tree, or maybe a Christmas tree worm.

An orange icing sponge might be a tasty treat. Just add “cake” at the end, and it’s a dessert. I can wash it down with some tea and honeycomb cowfish.

Come to think of it, even coral calcium might not be so hard to swallow if it came from soft mushroom coral. I like mushrooms.

For more information on Whale Tails Tortilla Chips, which don't taste anything like the tails of actual whales, contact us.

The Keys to Healthy Vending Machine Snacking

Vending machines aren't the first thing that people think of when someone says health food, but just because you're headed to the breakroom for a mid-afternoon snack doesn't mean you can't beat the munchies and nourish your body at the same time.

The key to a healthy vending machine experience is forethought. Try to find something that is low (or moderate) in calorie count, but still filling.
Here are a few tips to keep your trip to the vending machine from being a diet disaster.

Fiber keeps you full, and can help to keep the glycemic index down to boot, so look for whole grain options.

Protein is another gut-pleaser. Like fiber, it will keep you full longer, so you can avoid additional trips to the vending machine, or worse, a quick stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home. Look for seeds and nuts for a quick protein boost in a low-cholesterol package.

Beware of empty calories. Sugar-laden candy and processed baked goods can leave you hungry for more even after you've consumed as much as 300 calories! No nutritional value here. Look for something that not only has some fiber to keep you full, but also a dose of the good stuff. How about our organic blue corn ships infused with chia? They're packed with omega-3, essential amino acits, and calcium. There's nothing empty about this snack!

Avoid sodium traps. Processed foods account for most o f our sodium consumption. Skip the salty potato chips and the leathery, sodium-riddled beef jerkey. Fortunately, the gourmet Hawaiian sea salt that we use on our chips is astonishingly low in sodium content.

Bottom line: take just a minute to consider your options when you're standing in front of the vending machine. With the right snack choice, the afternoon craving can be conquered!

Have a healthy vending machine story? Let us know all about it.

The Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are not just for chia pets anymore. This ancient Mayan seed is the new super food, and a key ingredient in our Blue Tor"chia" Chips. So what are the benefits of chia seeds? These tiny seeds pack a big nutritional punch. Here are some of the ways they work their health magic:

Add healthy Omega-3 oil to your diet

Chia seeds are the richest plant-source of this healthy oil. We love the ocean, and everything that lives in it. Chia seeds are a way to get this essential oil without harming any of the ocean's residents. In fact, chia seeds contain even more Omega-3 than salmon. This oil is important in maintaining heart and cholesterol health, and has even been targeted as a weight-loss helper.

Feel more energized all day long

Chia is also one of nature's highest plant-based sources of complete protein. Usually protein from other plant-based sources is incomplete, meaning you have to balance it with protein from other sources to get the full effect. But with chia seeds, it's protein is complete enough to give you steady energy all day long.

Get the calcium and fiber your body needs

Many Americans do not get enough calcium. Chia seeds deliver up to five times more calcium than milk! Snacking on a chip with chia seeds can actually contribute to keeping your bones strong and healthy. Bonus! Chia seeds also deliver 42% of your daily recommended dose of fiber per ounce. Fiber is vital for all aspects of health, and is especially key for weight loss and digestion. And it's another one of those things that we just don't get enough of. 

And do you know what's really incredible about chia seeds? You get all of these health benefits and great flavor. Chia seeds actually enhance the natural flavors of whatever item they are used in. So they give our organic blue chips an extra nutty and delicious flavor.

To find out more about how you can snack your way to health, please feel free to contact us.

The Many Benefits of Chia Seeds

You might have seen our Organic Blue Corn chips, which advertise that they are infused with chia seeds and you may have found yourself wondering, "So?"  If that's gone through your head, allow us to take a minute to talk about the benefits of chia seeds.  Yes, we're dedicating a whole blog to chia seeds, because they are just that cool.

Chia seeds are considered a superfood, which is to say it is a food that contains a high amount of nutrition per bite.  Chia seeds are taken from a desert plant, Salvia hispanica, which is a member of the mint family.  Mainly grown in southern Mexico, it is said that Indians used the seed for energy and substance.  They are flavorless on their own and magnify the flavors they are mixed with, which means you get the benefit without any weird tastes.

So what can the seed do for you?  

• Help you lose weight.  If you were to take some chia seeds and put them in a glass of water and return in about an hour, the water would become gelatinous because of all the soluble fiber in the seed.  This gelatin property helps you feel fuller longer.  In addition, it prevents calories from being absorbed since the gel provides a coating and prevents caloric absorption.
• Chia seeds are high in calcium.  In fact, they have more calcium than whole milk.
• Chia seeds have tons of anti-oxidant properties.  The same thing you find in blueberries and exotic fruits.  Anti-oxidants help you stay younger longer.  That's why chia seeds are capable of staying fresh for so long at room temperature without preservatives.  You can leave them on the counter for two years and they'll still remain fresh and ready to eat.
• Chia seeds have omega-3.  They have more omega-3 than salmon!  Omega-3 helps heart disease and other inflammatory causing problems, like arthritis.  In addition, they help to reduce blood pressure.
• Chia seeds give you energy.  Because they contain complete protein, and balance that with other vitamins and minerals, you'll have more energy that is long lasting.

There is an abundance of ways to include chia seeds in your diet; we've found just one tasty way by including it in our Organic Blue Corn Whale Tails!

For more health benefits of our unique tortilla chips, please contact us today!