Vegan Snack Review: Go Raw Banana Bread Sprouted Bar

I wrote this review for the Vegan Outdoor Adventures. GoRaw Banana Bread Sprouted Bars were included in the Fall 2016 Vegan Outdoor Adventures Seasonal Sample Box. Original post is here.

​goRaw Sprouted Bars Rock! I was stoked to see a sample of the Sprouted Bar included in the Fall VOA Sample Box! As an avid runner, hiker and outdoors gal, proper nutrition that’s clean and serves a purpose is very important to me. Not to mention, I’m also a plant-based health coach so I’m always analyzing ingredients vs. label claims. 
​
goRaw Sprouted Bars are “real food”.  The seeds are cleaned, soaked, sprouted, and mixed by hand. By gently drying goRaw products in their state of the art custom dehydration rooms, they are able to preserve powerful nutrients and enzymes. There are 5 different flavors of goRaw Sprouted Bars (Sweet Spirulina, Chewy Apricot, Banana Bread, Raisin Crunch and Pumpkin Seeds) and 2 sizes (.4oz and 1.8oz).

---

goRaw offers a plethora of healthy junk free snack varieties (over 45 products) that have all been crafted from raw, organic sprouted ingredients. What does this mean? You get a nutrient-dense enzyme-packed snack that is always vegan, non-GMO, gluten free and raw. Boom!

So, why is raw so important? There are numerous benefits as the process of cooking can destroy much of the enzymes and nutrients in foods. By keeping foods raw, you are able to preserve more powerful nutrients for optimal health benefits. FYI – in this case, raw is defined as keeping dry (dehydrated) under 105 degrees F.

The Company:

Freeland Foods was started in 2002 when founder and CEO, Robert Freeland, started selling flaxseed crackers at San Diego’s Ocean Beach Farmer’s Market under the goRaw brand. They sold out quickly! Today Freeland Foods is the world’s largest raw food manufacturer.

A cool thing to test:

Take your goRaw bar next time you are on a 2-3 day hike and it will grow sprouts by the time you are back to the trailhead. (Or try at home.) This test proves that the product is truly live and the enzymes are still there.  It’s the sprouted flaxseed that continues to grow after it’s dried. Even the bars with sunflower seeds will do the same. Did you know that sprouted seeds are easily digested too?

Ingredients and Taste:

All goRaw Sprouted Bars have between 4-6 ingredients. That’s it! They are minimally processed, however there are no harsh processing aids and the plant itself is sun lit. Only sustainable seeds are used and they source locally when available. Almost all ingredients are fair trade. They even use fresh bananas and fresh dates. The flavor and texture scream natural and healthy. They each contain a little bit of a different combination of natural sweeteners (from dates, to raisins, to agave), but in very small amounts so the sugar count is very low.

​The goRaw Sprouted Bars are my go-to choice whether it’s for an on-the-go snack or regular fueling while out in the backcountry. They will truly keep you going until your next meal.  Thanks again VOA for including this in the Fall Sample Box!