Tag: additives

  • A Lucky Shake for St. Patrick’s Day! (Hold the Polysorbate 80, Please!)

    A Lucky Shake for St. Patrick’s Day! (Hold the Polysorbate 80, Please!)

    It’s time for me to fess-up a bit here.

    I work in a health food store but haven’t always eaten healthy. When I was a kid, I used to look forward to seasonal holiday treats from fast food chains. My all-time favorite was when March would roll around. My mom would take my brother and I to our favorite fast food place for a St. Patrick’s Day-inspired shake we’d order off their seasonal menu. This was so cool because the shake was a lovely shade of bright green and tasted like sweet minty goodness.

    I carried this tradition into my teenage years with my friends and then into early adulthood. That is, until I woke up to how the food I was eating was effecting my health. Let me shed a little light on exactly what is in this green cup of “goodness”.  According to the nutritional facts for the shake listed on the company’s website, the shake includes the following ingredients:

    Phew… still with me? That is an awfully long list that leaves me with a few questions: Why is it called whipped “topping” and not whipped cream? And why does the cherry have a list of ingredients- isn’t it just a cherry? Also, do green sugar crystals grow out of the ground? Might I add that there isn’t actually any mint in this minty-tasting beverage?

    As if this wasn’t enough information to scare you away, check out the nutritional facts associated with a small and large shake:


    That’s why we created the Lucky Mint Chip Shake – available at both of our locations for a limited time. Our shake uses none of the above and is actually healthy and naturally energizing and detoxifying. Here’s OUR ingredients: At Basil Bandwagon, we think everyone should be able to enjoy a holiday treat without having to dowse themselves in artificial colorings, flavorings and 3 days-worth of sugar in one glass.

    Organic Banana

    Organic Spinach

    Spirulina

    Organic Mint Leaves/Extract

    Organic Coconut Milk

    Organic Cacao Nibs

     

    Come visit our café to enjoy this delicious shake today!

     

     

  • Ice Cream should be simple, right?

    Ice Cream should be simple, right?

    Ice Cream should be simple, right?

    We think so! That’s why we strive to sell ice cream that’s free of additives found in many commercial ice cream products. (Check out the labels the next time you’re picking up a treat – you might be shocked at what you’ll find.) Soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt are some of the worst offenders, often laden with ingredients that yield a signature texture and look. For example,  corn syrup solids and mono and di-glycerides are added as emulsifiers.  Toppings and syrups are by far the worst offenders, as they are often made almost entirely of artificial colors and flavors to make them extra sweet, colorful and pourable.

    Free Scoop Fridays are our way of offering sweet indulgence without the harmful additives!  There actually ARE great companies out there making simple, clean, ice cream and dairy free alternatives and we want to share them with you!

    Come visit us between 4:00 – 8:00pm on Fridays this summer for a FREE scoop (in a cup or on a cone!). Each week we sample new flavors and always offer an allergen-free variety.