Paleo snack mixes offer numerous benefits for health-conscious individuals. These mixes adhere to contemporary paleolithic diet principles, focusing on natural, unprocessed ingredients. Packed with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, the best Paleo snacks provide essential nutrients like healthy fats, protein, and fiber, promoting sustained energy and satiety. Additionally, they often contain antioxidant-rich components, contributing to overall health. We’ll examine two popular Paleo snack options: Daily Crunch snacks for the health-conscious consumer on the go and Healthy Truth’s standout trail mix.
When our Stone Age ancestors got hungry, they didn’t reach for pizza or cheese puffs — mainly because agriculture hadn’t been invented yet during the Paleolithic Age (2.5 million years ago), so there was no flour from cultivated wheat or milk from domesticated cows. Instead, prehistoric humans hunted and gathered meat, fish, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruit.
Proponents of the Paleo diet claim that this is the most appropriate diet for modern humans because we are “genetically programmed” to consume the pre-agricultural foods eaten by our forebearers. The mismatch between human biology and our modern industrialized, convenience-driven food habit causes chronic lifestyle diseases like obesity and heart disease. Therefore, the Paleo diet eliminates all grains, dairy products, and ultra-processed foods.
While this might make some pizza-and-cheese-puff snackers cringe in dismay, the potential health benefits of Paleo-friendly snacks are convincing others to expand their palates to include a broader menu of offerings, from hot-off-the-grill vegetables to prosciutto-wrapped melon. Still, not all Paleo snacks travel well — and in the modern age, convenience is still paramount when trying to assuage the hunger of health-conscious eaters.
The original Paleo eaters may have hit upon the perfect on-the-go snack in trail mix. Nuts, in particular, have been shown to offer myriad health benefits when regularly eaten, including improved artery health, reduced inflammation related to heart disease, and decreased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Perfect for a Paleo diet, a daily crunchy trail mix snack can go a long way in satisfying both hunger and the health needs of contemporary homo sapiens.
Here, we compare two popular snacks featuring nuts that provide protein, healthy fats, and nutrient-dense energy while following the Paleo diet: Daily Crunch’s Cherry Berry Sprouted Nut Medley and Life’s Nuts Slater’s Trail Mix from Healthy Truth.
Like many trail mixes, these products contain nutrient-dense nuts and dried fruit. However, both brands are notable for featuring sprouted nuts, which may offer health benefits compared to raw or roasted nuts. Certain nutrients and antioxidants are sensitive to heat and can be decreased during roasting. Also, sprouting rids raw nuts of phytic acid, allowing natural nutrients in nuts, such as calcium, iron, and zinc, to be absorbed more readily. In both products, nuts and seeds are soaked and sprouted before dehydration.
You May Also Like:
7 Guilt-Free Superfood Snacks You Can Eat All Day
Are Nuts Good For You? The Noble Nut Is A Nutrient-Rich Snack
Paleo on the Go: Daily Crunch Snacks’ Cherry Berry Nut Medley vs. Healthy Truth Life’s Nuts Slater’s Trail Mix is an original (News7Health) article.
Daily Crunch snacks’ Cherry Berry Sprouted Nut Medley:
Ingredients and nutrition
As listed on the Daily Crunch website, Cherry Berry Nut Medley contains sprouted almonds, sprouted walnuts, and sprouted cashews, along with dried blueberries (with apple juice concentrate and avocado oil) and dried upcycled cherries. (As featured on Amazon’s website, the product is sweetened with cane sugar and prepared with sunflower oil.)
Each 1.5oz serving of Daily Crunch‘s Cherry Berry Nut Medley contains:
180 calories
5g of protein
13g of fat
15g of carbohydrate
3g of dietary fiber
8g of sugar, including 5g of added sugar
Healthy Truth’s Life’s Nuts Slater’s Trail Mix:
Ingredients and Nutrition
This healthy snack contains sprouted almonds, sprouted cashews, sprouted pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate chips (unsweetened chocolate, coconut sugar, cocoa butter), and juice-infused cranberries (cranberries, apple juice, sunflower oil). All ingredients are non-GMO and certified organic.
Each 1.4oz serving of Slater’s Trail Mix contains:
200 calories
7g of protein
14g of fat
16g of carbohydrate
3g of dietary fiber
8g of sugar, including 7g of added sugar
Daily Crunch snacks’ Cherry Berry Medley vs. Healthy Truth’s Slater’s Trail Mix:
A head-to-head comparison of content
The selection of walnuts vs. pumpkin seeds is one choice that differentiates Cherry Berry Sprouted Nut Medley from Slater’s Trail Mix. Heart-healthy walnuts tend to get better press because they are well-known to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, more than any other nut.
Pumpkin seeds, however, are one of the best natural sources of magnesium. This mineral is often lacking in the diets of many Western populations. In addition, pumpkin seeds have been associated with improved fertility, prostate health, and protection against certain cancers.
Both contain dried fruit with powerful nutrients: cherries are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Blueberries are a superfood and may help protect the body from heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Cranberries are also known as a superfood. Research has linked the nutrients in cranberries to preventing certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.
- Both trail mixes are closely matched in nutrition, though Slater’s Trail Mix also adds heart-healthy dark chocolate; flavanols in this treat are known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilation effects and have been considered as potential anticancer agents.
- Daily Crunch snacks promotes its products as clean because they are made with non-GMO ingredients, and the nuts do not contain added fats like vegetable or canola oil. Slater’s Trail Mix, however, is both non-GMO and certified organic.
Daily Crunch snacks’ Cherry Berry Medley vs. Healthy Truth’s Slater’s Trail Mix:
Taste
Both companies describe the crunch of their nuts as lighter and airier than unsprouted raw nuts. Daily Crunch says this comes from the sprouting and dehydration process. After sprouting, the nuts have a hollow core that gives them a crunchy texture and taste. Daily Crunch goes so far as to trademark the term ”Uniquely Crunchy” (although presumably, Healthy Truth’s sprouting process would likely produce a similar result).
Again, the common base of almonds and cashews provides a delicious for both products – the rest is a matter of personal taste. Some may prefer the chewy sweetness of the fruits in Cherry Berry Sprouted Nut Medley and the soft texture of walnuts. Others may prefer Healthy Truth’s addition of pumpkin seeds, a mild savory chew that balances well with sweet-tart cranberries.
Moreover, for some, it all comes down to the chocolate. Healthy Truth’s dark chocolate chips deliver a smooth, bittersweet depth of flavor that also pairs well with the tangy sweetness of cranberries.
Daily Crunch snacks’ Cherry Berry Medley vs. Healthy Truth’s Slater’s Trail Mix:
Cost and availability
Cherry Berry Snack Packs are available directly to consumers on Daily Crunch’s website for $24 per 8-pack of “mini” 1.5 oz. packages, bringing its single-serving price to $3.00. Larger quantities, including “Pantry Packs” with 5 oz. resealable bags are also available. A 15% discount is offered for subscriptions; the product is also sold for 99 cents more on Amazon.
A 1.4 oz bag of Slater’s Trail Mix costs $3.99 on the Healthy Truth website; a 6-pack is listed at $21.60, bringing the single-serving price down to $3.60. A 20% discount is offered for subscriptions. Healthy Truth snacks have long been a favorite at independent natural food stores and juice bars; the company recently established a presence on Amazon.
Daily Crunch snacks’ Cherry Berry Medley vs. Healthy Truth’s Slater’s Trail Mix:
Final word
Daily Crunch’s Cherry Berry Sprouted Nut Medley and Slater’s Trail Mix from Healthy Truth are excellent choices for those seeking a satisfying Paleo snack on the go. Although Slater’s Trail Mix is a touch more expensive, many may prefer its all-organic ingredients, and the presence of chocolate is a welcome plus, making it a likely favorite of the two.
Further reading:
BBC GoodFood: What is the Paleo diet?
Forbes: What is the Paleo Diet?
Dr. Axe: Paleo Diet Beginner’s Guide, Including Best vs. Worst Foods
Important Note: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as health or medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or health condition. Before embarking on any diet, fitness regimen, or program of nutritional supplementation, it is advisable to consult your healthcare professional in order to determine its safety and probable efficacy in terms of your individual state of health.
Regarding Nutritional Supplements or Other Non-Prescription Health Products: If any nutritional supplements or other non-prescription health products are mentioned in the foregoing article, any claims or statements made about them have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and such nutritional supplements or other health products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
