After spending last week in Chicago at the Sweets & Snacks Expo, I realized that healthy snack options in today’s conventional supermarkets are at an all-time low. As a nation we are obsessed with sugar! After seeing all the new sugar-laden products coming to market I have a new understanding as to why our nation’s diabetes and obesity epidemics are still on the rise.

While in Chicago, I read an article in USA Today that estimates obesity could affect 42 percent of Americans by 2030. To be classified as obese, an individual must have a body mass index (BMI) above 30; average BMI for someone in the normal weight range is 18.5-24.9. Calculating your body mass index is simple: multiply your weight in pounds x 703 and divide that number by your height in inches squared. You can find several websites online that will do this calculation for you, such as the National Institutes of Health.

So, is sugar the only cause of the obesity epidemic? No, but it does play a vital role in weight management and overall health. Sugar is in virtually everything found on grocery store shelves, and it’s incredible difficult for most of us to know which types are best for us. With new options like Stevia and Agave, it is easy to be confused about what is healthy and what is not. I personally do not recommend artificial sugars including sucralose and aspartame, which can be found in sugar packets that are pink, blue and yellow. These sugar substitutes have been scientifically altered to be calorie free and do not break down in the human body. For more information on artificial sugars, here’s a great article from the Mayo Clinic. The sugars I recommend are raw honey, pure maple syrup and coconut palm, of course in moderation!

Mary’s Gone Crackers uses organic coconut palm sugar in its line of love Cookies. Not only is coconut palm sugar full of vitamins and minerals, it is also the single most sustainable sweetener in the world! For more information on coconut palm sugar and all of our ingredients, please visit the Your Products section of our website.

Yours in Health,

Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers

Whole grains are nutritional powerhouses, and as a nutritionist I’m always encouraging people to eat more of them. Not only are whole grains naturally low in fat and high in vitamins and minerals, but they are also a great way to add more fiber into your diet. In honor of National Whole Grains Month, I wanted to share a few answers to common questions I often hear about whole grains!

How much whole grain should I be eating?
According to the Whole Grains Council, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that whole grains account for at least half of the grains an adult consumes. That amounts to 3-5 servings of whole grains daily. Children should also eat at least 2-3 servings of whole grains or more.

Is it possible to eat enough whole grains on a gluten free diet?
Yes, there are some fantastic gluten free whole grain options! Quinoa, brown rice, millet, and amaranth are all great sources of gluten free whole grains. All of Mary’s Gone Crackers products are made with whole grains, and our Crackers and Pretzels are certified by the Whole Grains Council. You’ll find that some gluten free grains have more nutrition than other grains that contain gluten. For example, did you know that quinoa is a complete protein? It is also a good source of magnesium, riboflavin and iron, and takes about half as much time to cook compared to rice!

What makes a grain whole?
A whole grain includes three parts: the bran, germ and endosperm. Refined flours have lost their germ and bran, which increases the shelf life of products such as white flour. This also decreases the product’s nutritional content, which is why we see many cereals and breads in this country fortified to add lost nutrition back in.

Still curious about whole grains? Please send me your whole grain or general nutrition questions at Valerie@marysgonecrackers.com.

Yours in health!
Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers

When was the last time you looked at an ingredients label? Do you ever find yourself wondering what’s really in your food? Today’s food labels are flooded with engineered ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and mono sodium glutamate, making it difficult for consumers to know what their food is really made of. And what about the foods that don’t come with an ingredients label; how do we know anything about them?

Since there are currently no requirements for labeling GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods in this country, most of us don’t realize that we are consuming them on a daily basis. My fear about GMOs is that we will not see the extreme effects until much later in the future and the damage will already be done. A recent republished article in The Huffington Post reported the findings from a study discussing why we should be cautious of genetically engineered foods. The study highlights the potential effects that GMOs have on our entire bodies including our vital organ systems, and showed that genetically modified ingredients caused decreased organ activity in rats. The conclusions were that further research needs to be done to understand how this will affect the population.

The top genetically modified crops consumed in America are soy, corn, canola and beets (for sugar), and the health consequences of GMOs to future generations are currently unknown. Most industrialized countries have banned GMOs but the depressed economy and rising costs of food have Americans choosing less expensive processed foods over options with real nutritional value. Every day consumers are faced with the decision of price vs. quality. Instead, health-conscious consumers should base their decisions upon long-term health effects.

My choice about food is simple, if I don’t have to eat foods created in a lab, I won’t. Crops should be susceptible to failure and the value of your health should be held higher than the price of food. I would love to hear from our readers about why you choose non-GMO. Please feel free to send your comments to Valerie@marysgonecrackers.com.

Mary’s Gone Crackers is fully committed to using only certified organic and non-GMO ingredients and always will be.

Yours in health,
Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers

One of today’s most popular diet trends is becoming vegan. In case you aren’t aware, being vegan means no consumption of animal products. This includes meat, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy products and even honey for some. While this may sound very intriguing, this (like other lifestyle changes) comes with a lot of work. There are many benefits of eating a plant based diet.

While I’m not vegan, I do believe a diet high in plant based foods is healthy. These foods are a great way to give your body the antioxidants and polyphenols it craves. Vegan options for foods rich in antioxidants are carrots, broccoli, kale and citrus. Rich sources of polyphenols can be found in berries, nuts, flax seed and dark chocolate. While researchers aren’t certain of all the benefits of polyphenols, we do know that they have been shown to prevent disease and slow down the aging process. Another advantage of eating a wholesome diet high in plant based foods is that filling up on low-fat, antioxidant rich foods prevents us from filling up on highly processed, high fat foods. Remember, lowering the portion of animal foods and increasing plant based foods in your diet is a great direction to go! The vegan diet is much lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber compared to other traditional diets. For more information on advantages, please visit http://www.vegan.org/.

People on a vegan diet have to be aware of potential vitamin deficiencies, the most common being B-12. B-12 is most abundant in animal based foods like red meat and eggs. To get enough B-12 from plants can be very challenging and vegans and vegetarians often take supplements to be sure to get enough. Other common deficiencies are iron, zinc, omega 3’s and calcium. Mary’s Gone Crackers uses ancient grains including chia seeds and flax seeds to provide you with many of these common lacking nutrients. Being vegan requires a high level of consciousness to what you are consuming to make sure you do your best to prevent these deficiencies.

Mary’s Gone Crackers is fortunate to have our very own “Vegan Marketeer”. Since I don’t have any personal experience being vegan, I reached out to him for some insight.

From Golden: “One of my favorite things about Mary is that she made her products Vegan. The wonderful thing about Vegan food (all our products have always been Vegan) is that it does not matter why you choose them, so long as you do.

One person is Vegan because s/he eschews violence in all forms. Hens being caged under cruel conditions to increase egg production; or cows living in factories never walking on grass, given growth hormones and antibiotics. We do not contribute to these forms of violence.

Others choose to conserve natural resources. Animal agriculture consumes vast amounts of land and water and contributes to desertification in areas where trees are cut down to produce more animal products.
Still others are concerned about global warming. Animals, mostly cows, produce incredible amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more harmful than CO2. Transportation and refrigeration of animal products are the third leading cause of CO2 emissions.

And everyone wants to stay healthy. Mary’s Gone Crackers products contain no animal fats or proteins. In addition they are all made with organic whole food. Our goodies are practically a functional food, delivering heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory) in each serving.
Whether you choose Mary’s for ethical, environmental, personal health or social justice reasons, you are right and you are choosing Vegan.

We support your good choices and encourage you to eat Vegan by eating Mary’s Gone Crackers, crackers, cookies and pretzels. Go Vegan! Go Mary’s!”

This month’s newsletter highlights why all Mary’s Gone Crackers products are vegan. For additional information on why we’re committed to being a vegan company, be sure to sign up!

Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers
valerie@marysgonecrackers.com

The beginning of a new year is a great time to remind ourselves what our bodies need to be healthy and happy. Trying to come up with some New Year’s resolutions? Mary’s Gone Crackers is here to help! Here are some resolutions from our team members.

Marjorie, Acting Marketing Director, will be celebrating her one year anniversary as a non-smoker. Her New Year’s resolution for 2012 will be to embrace a new eating lifestyle with portion control and less red meat. Also, she will be incorporating exercise into her daily life.

Marjorie, I would like to congratulate you on being one year smoke free. You’ve probably added many extra years onto your life. I would recommend starting slow with physical activity. Building muscle takes time and when it’s done too quickly your body will let you know. Understanding that seeing results takes time will cause you to become less frustrated in the next few months.

Laura, Sales Support Tech, would like to lose 30 pounds.

Laura, I would recommend incorporating moderate exercise in your daily routine. I’d also recommend being conscious of the things you are eating and how they make you feel. Generally the foods that make you feel sluggish are the foods that contribute to extra pounds. Developing a healthy relationship with food is the key to a long, happy life.

Liz, Confidential Executive Assistant, would like to lose weight and spend more time playing with her dogs.

Liz, your resolutions go hand in hand, what a better way to lose weight than to spend time exercising with your dogs?

Serena, Bookkeeper, wants to become more conscious of what foods she’s eating and the nutrients her body needs.

Serena, understanding what your body needs, is a lifelong journey. Keeping a food diary is a great way to show yourself what you eat on a daily basis. It’s easy to forget that you may have been indulging in more sweets lately or that your busy schedule is causing you to be less prepared for lunch, hence eating out more. Also, a great way to be more conscious of what you are eating is to read nutrition facts. It is sometimes the foods that are labeled as healthy are actually higher in calories and fat than other brands.

My resolutions are to drink less coffee and more tea, incorporate more Omega 3’s into my diet and to exercise on a regular basis.

To incorporate more Omega 3’s I would like to have fish at least once a week. Since I am very picky about where my fish comes from, I think a fishing trip is in order! If it is in my freezer and available, I will definitely eat more.

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Best,
Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers
Valerie@marysgonecrackers.com

Hi Lori, Can you believe it’s December already! Something I’ve always emphasized is moderation. The holidays are the easiest time of the year to overindulge. This year, feel free to enjoy the foods you love, just in smaller quantities. You will feel just as satisfied, minus all the guilt. I would also recommend to start meals with salads and vegetables. This will make it easier to eat other foods in moderation. Attending a holiday party? Try bringing a platter of our vegan, organic crackers along with some homemade guacamole or hummus. In honor of the upcoming holidays, here’s a healthy gluten free recipe to share with others.

Mary’s Gluten Free Apple Crisp

Apples
5 Organic Granny Smith apples (should be very crisp and tart)
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 small lemon (juice from)

Topping
½ cup quinoa flakes
½ cup walnuts or almonds (chopped well)
½ cup Mary’s Gone Crackers Original Crumbs
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup* melted butter (or substitute with ghee, coconut oil or other light tasting oil)
*enough fat to ensure all topping ingredients are coated but crumbly enough to sprinkle on top of the apples.

Preparation
1. Peel, core and slice apples.
2. Put apples, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a large bowl, mix well and pour into an ungreased baking dish.
3. Shake the pan to distribute the apples well.
4. Combine all topping ingredients and mix well.
5. Evenly distribute the topping on the apples and pat down.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until apples are tender and bubbly. If topping begins to brown too much, turn the heat down to 325 and cover with foil.

Best,
Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers, Inc.
valerie@marysgonecrackers.com

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One of the many ancient grains Mary’s Gone Crackers uses are chia seeds. Chia seeds have been around for centuries. This flowering plant was initially consumed by the ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures. They are a great source of fiber, insoluble and soluble, and have more omega 3′s and protein than flax seeds. They are a good source of calcium, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, iron, zinc, boron and copper. By weight, these seeds are a better source of calcium than milk. The boron in the seeds helps the body with the absorption of calcium. Fiber, which can be difficult to get enough of on a gluten-free diet, is abundant in this seed. Fiber is essential for feeling satisfied and keeping your digestive system on track. All of these benefits are why these powerful little seeds are considered a “superfood.”

Chia can easily be incorporated into any diet. Unlike other omega 3 sources, these seeds are tasteless. They become gelatinous when mixed with liquids, adding to the options for including them in your daily fare. The natural fiber in chia seeds slow down the body’s sugar conversion which helps to stabilize your blood sugar. When baking, chia seeds can be substituted to cut down the amount of fat used in a recipe. Chia seeds can also be ground into flour for baking or sprouted for a nice addition to salads.

I like to mix chia seeds with almond milk and refrigerate overnight to make a nutritious on-the-go breakfast. You can find chia seeds in our Sticks & Twigs and our love Cookies.

Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers, Inc.
Valerie@marysgonecrackers.com

I’ve received several questions lately regarding soy in our products so I’d like to touch on a few of your concerns. All flavors of our crackers and our Sea Salt Sticks & Twigs contain fermented soy in the form of organic, gluten-free tamari. A small amount of organic alcohol or organic vinegar is added to the tamari to facilitate its fermentation. According to what I’ve read, soy allergies in most people are triggered by the protein in soy. Fermented soy is generally tolerable for individuals with soy allergies because the fermentation process alters the proteins in soy making it easier to break down in the human body. It is thought that unfermented soy is more difficult for the human body to break down due to whole, unfermented soy being rich in enzyme inhibitors. Soy is also found in the chocolate chips we use in our Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate love Cookies, in the form of soy lecithin. Similarly, this form of soy is also easier to digest and not usually a soy allergy trigger since it is an extract from soy oil and does not contain any soy protein.

I’ve heard from many of our customers with soy allergies or intolerance that our products are easily digestible for them.

Our Sticks & Twigs in Curry and Chipotle Tomato and our love Cookies in “N’Oatmeal” Raisin (without oats!) and Ginger Snaps do not contain soy. The Frequently Asked Questions section of our website also has some great information on soy.

Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers, Inc.
valerie@marysgonecrackers.com

Great question! The naturally occurring fats in the Whole Grains and Seeds provide a lot more than just fats. They are high in protein and fiber and many essential vitamins and minerals. For example, sesame seeds are a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, manganese and copper. The flax seeds and chia seeds are an excellent source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. This is a very delicious and great vegetarian way to get your Omega 3’s!

Not all fats are created equal. The fats found in hydrogenated oils can be detrimental to your health compared to the natural fats found in coconut and avocado that are essential to your health. Hydrogenated fats can disturb the metabolism of fats in the body. This means that consuming man-made fats affects the way your body processes all forms of fats. Even the non-hydrogenated oils and fats added in other crackers are often highly refined or old and rancid, making the products harder to digest and of questionable nutritional value. Even good, cold-pressed oils, when cooked at high temperatures, can lose their value. It is best to get your fats from natural food sources.

Happy Snacking!

Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers
valerie@marysgonecrackers.com

This is a great recipe that is very nutrient dense with lots of flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup organic vegetable broth
½ cup cooked organic quinoa
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup organic broccoli florets
¼ cup organic vegetable broth
¼ cup sliced organic mushrooms
1 cup chopped fresh organic spinach or kale

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and broccoli florets. Stir for a minute, then cover and steam over low heat for about 2 minutes. Stir in the ¼ cup vegetable broth, mushrooms and spinach. Cover and cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir the vegetable mixture into the cooked quinoa. Cover, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

*Feel free to incorporate your favorite vegetables into this recipe. I like to add items like red bell pepper and celery depending on what’s in season.

For more great recipes, please visit the Inspiring Health section on our website.

Enjoy!

Valerie Douglass, DTR
Mary’s Gone Crackers