paleo snacks Archives

Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs – the Pros & Cons…

Do you want to add more variety to your primal-style snacks instead of always reaching for a paleo protein bar?

The Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs are enticingly different and have a light, satisfying crunch.

So, if you want to eat healthier but still occasionally crave chips or crackers, this healthier alternative could give you a simple solution.

In addition to satisfying junk food cravings, these Paleo Puff single-serving packs can keep you from overeating. Not to mention, the small bags are easy to take to work, pack in a bag or leave in your car.

They also make great snack foods for kids when you want to keep them away from junk food without making them feel deprived. =)

Paleo Puff Flavors: What’s Best?

This snack comes in 4 flavors: Himalayan Pink Salt, “No Cheese” Cheesiness, Honey Roasted and Himayalan Salt & Apple Cider Vinegar.

Most people like Paleo Puffs, however, they have varying opinions on the flavors. For instance, some tasters say that the Puffs taste very similar to Cheetos. Conversely, some people don’t like the taste of the nutritional yeast as the “cheese-less” flavoring.

Overall, the top 3 flavors seem to be the honey roasted, “no cheese” and Himalayan salt. And, you may prefer one over another if you have a sweet or savory palate.

Are Paleo Puffs Fried? No, these puffed snacks are baked!

Nutrition & Healthy Ingredients in Paleo Puffs:

The nutrition label on the left shows the ingredients for the Himalayan Salt Paleo Puffs.

Since this is the most “basic” flavor, it contains the least ingredients and no sugar. (Organic cassava, coconut and sweet potato flours, Himalayan pink salt & organic coconut oil.)

Both the Honey Roasted and Apple Cider Vinegar Puffs contain organic honey, maple sugar and/or tapioca maltodextrin. So it you want to avoid sweeteners, go for the Himalayan Salt flavor.

The main ingredient for all flavors is cassava flour. It is made from the South American cassava root, a tuber sometimes referred to as yuca (not to be confused with the yucca plant).

Cassava flour has resistant starch, a decent amount of fiber and does not contain lectins. Therefore, it’s becoming a popular grain-free alternative in snack foods.

Potential Downsides of Paleo Puffs:

Although Paleo Puffs are grain-free and contain organic ingredients, they are more processed than other primal snacks. (For example, RXBars or Steve’s PaleoKrunch Bars include only whole food ingredients and spices.)

In addition, these paleo snacks are not considered keto friendly due to the higher carb count. That said, they aren’t so high in carbohydrates that you couldn’t enjoy them occasionally on a keto diet.

Specs for Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs:

Servings Per Box: 24
Serving Size: 1 Ounce
Calories Per Serving: 130
No Soy, Gluten, Grain
No Artificial Flavors or Preservatives
Vegan (some flavors)
Organic
Kosher
Non-GMO
Made in USA
Brand: Lesser Evil LLC
For Sale: Where to Buy Paleo Puffs

About the Author: Cara Rennie is a paleo cooking chef, writer and advocate for healthy living. With over a decade of experience in the culinary industry, Cara has established herself as an expert in the paleo lifestyle, emphasizing the use of natural ingredients that promote a balanced and sustainable lifestyle. She firmly believes in the power of food to transform people's lives, while helping others discover the joys of paleo eating. Facebook | Pinterest

Yes Bar – How Does it Compare to Other Paleo Snacks?

Do you want a healthy snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth and curb your carb cravings? Yes Bar makes a line of “Healthy Cookies” that may give you just what you’re looking for…

The Pros and Cons of Yes Snack Bars:

Compared to your average cookie, these bars contain more protein (4-5 grams). That said, when matched against a 20g paleo protein bar, these “healthy cookies” sit low on the protein scale.

Therefore, I don’t think that the Yes Bar is the best alternative for an after-workout protein snack. However, it makes a great swap for high sugar kids’ treats, granola bars or other processed snacks.

Note: Not only do they contain more nutritious ingredients, but they are more satisfying and give you more energy. And for those reasons, Yes Bars make a great hiking snack too.

They almost seem like a healthy trail mix cleverly disguised as a chocolate chip cookie. In other words, you can enjoy an after-dinner dessert without feeling guilty. =)

Ingredient and Nutrition Information for Yes Bars:

Instead of flour, all of the Yes Bars consist of a base containing mainly nuts and seeds. Depending on the flavor you choose, these could be a combination of almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower, chia, flax and/or sesame seeds.

For example, the label below shows the nutrition facts and ingredient label for the Dark Chocolate Chip bar. (Each bar flavor tends to have similar calories, protein, fat and carb counts.)

As a result, these snack bars have a more hearty, crunchy texture than your typical cookie. They take longer to eat and definitely are more filling than processed foods.

Note: In addition, they have a low glycemic index, so they won’t spike your blood sugar as much. Therefore, if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth while on a low-carb diet, Yes Bars provide a great solution.

Plus, you’ll find even more interesting flavors from unexpected ingredients like tart cherries, cranberries and apricots. In fact, Yes Snack Bars seem more like homemade treats than packaged food products.

Black Sesame Sea Salt
Coffee Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Chip
Macadamia Nut Chocolate
Salted Maple Pecan
Strawberry Coconut

Yes Bars come in several decadent cookie-like flavors. So, if you have difficulty deciding on one flavor, you may want to opt for the variety pack.

Specs for the Yes Bar:

Bars Per Box: 6
210-220 Calories per Bar
4-5 Grams Protein per Bar
10-13 Net Carbs per Bar
No Soy, Gluten, Grain, Corn, Eggs, Peanuts, Dairy or Artificial Flavors
Vegan
Non-GMO
6 Flavor Options
Manufacturer: TheYesBar.com
For Sale: Where to Buy Yes Snack Bars

6 Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

Halloween and October may be a great time of year for pumpkins, but don’t forget the pumpkin seeds. Their nutrition content is high, they are satiating and, not surprisingly they are paleo.

You can incorporate them into your diet all year round, whether you eat the pepita seeds plain, get a pumpkin seed oil supplement (what?) or make paleo pumpkin bars (did you know that you can buy raw pumpkin seed snacks too?)

OK, So what’s the nutritional content of pumpkin seeds?

Per 1 cup serving, you get:

12 grams of fiber
12 grams of protein
42% RDA of magnesium
16% FDA of potassium
11% RDA of iron

These are good-looking nutritional stats, but so what?
According to Mercola.com:

The magnesium helps with bone formation and is beneficial for blood pressure
Pumpkin seeds are one of the top sources for plant-based omega 3 fatty acids
These seeds also contain tryptophan, which helps promote restful sleep
Animal tests have shown the seeds to help regulate insulin levels
Pumpkin seed oil to have anti inflammatory effects
The oil is also rich in phytoestrogens, which can be beneficial to post-menopausal women

What about Raw vs Roasted Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds?

Both versions are good for you. However, one thing to keep in mind if you plan on roasting your seeds is that you want to roast them for less than 20 minutes. WHfoods.com states that roasting seeds for longer will change the structure of the fats, making them not as beneficial.

Because they are so nutrient dense and provide a variety of health benefits, it makes sense to incorporate these seeds into our diet on a regular basis. Because they are so portable and filling, they make great snacks. Let’s take a look.

Here is a unique recipe that reminds me of trail mix. It contains dried cranberries in addition to pepitas. You can make a bunch at one time and portion it into small bags for on-the-go snacks, yogurt or oatmeal toppings or simply eating when you need a quick snack. The recipe calls for sugar, but I use stevia instead or no sweetener at all.

If you’re like me, you may not be much of a chef in the kitchen. Pre-packaged snacks may be more up your alley – if their nutritious. Go Raw makes Live Paleo Pumpkin Bars that also contain flax seeds and dates – all organic.

You Mentioned Pumpkin Seed Oil…

Yes I did. This is actually fairly new to me. I didn’t know you could buy this until I started researching the benefits of pumpkin seeds. It’s available in capsule form and a 60-day supply costs only about $10.

It is promoted as supporting healthy prostate function. However, users have reported a variety of other beneficial side effects as well. Here are a few:

Arthritis relief
Memory improvement
Better digestion
Improved sleep

But Wait – There’s More Ways to Gain the Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

Come Halloween and Thanksgiving time, most people think of adding a good ‘ol can of pumpkin, combine it with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and make pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ice cream, cheesecake, pie and more.

What you can do instead (paleo style!) is use pumpkin seed protein powder to make nutritious and low carb breads, desserts and of course shakes. It mixes well and most people like the taste. It contains 9.5 grams of protein per serving, and you can check out the amino acid profile on the label online.