Gluten Free Reviewer Grocery

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Gluten Free Granola: Go Raw Original Live Granola

PRODUCT NAME:                  Original Granola

COMPANY NAME:                 Go Raw

COST:                                   $11.99

SIZE:                                     16 oz

COST PER OZ:                      $0.75

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:    Yes

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:     GF Gluten Free

ORGANIC:                             Yes

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:     USDA Organic

VEGAN:                                 Yes

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:      Unknown

LOCATION OF FACILITY:      Mountain View, CA

SHELF LIFE:                         1 year +

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

Traditionally, Granola is full of things that the vegan, health conscious and gluten-free cannot partake in. Oats are generally dusted with a fine wheat spray due to factory equipment, milk products are often swimming about, and last but not least, sugars and fats tend to permeate. Despite the bad reputation granola tends to have for these reasons, I simply love it. I miss those fatty, sugary, crunchy little clusters! When I was presented with the Original flavor of Go Raw’s granola I was super pumped to give it a shot. Breakfast delight, here I come!

Go Raw’s Ingredients list is short, sweet, and super body friendly. This product eschews oats all together, and instead replaces them with buckwheat groats. Added to the mix as sweeteners are organic dates and organic raisins. Lastly, flax seeds pepper each individual cluster. There is a distinct lack of sugar and oil present.

Taste:

Despite my enthusiasm, I quickly discovered that the taste of this granola was nothing to write home about. I am totally that vegan and gluten free girl shouting to the masses that healthy products can be tasty without compromising ethics or our body’s vitality and unfortunately, it is products like this granola that I think give health food the reputation for being tasteless. While the texture of the granola was dry and crunchy there was a chew at the end that made it taste a bit stale. Additionally, the fruit pieces were quite hard and took quite an effort to chew through. While buckwheat groats can be deliciously crunchy in the right context, the stickiness of the fruit dulled the impact of the bites exponentially.

Now I am not saying this product is terrible. It is simply exactly what the ingredient list would imply- incredibly simple to the point of blandness. While I admire the attempt to make a granola that is dietary restriction friendly, I think we can inject a bit more enthusiasm into this product- both with the taste and with the texture.

Calorically I was shocked to see that this granola was not really any different from the standard varieties. ⅓ cup packed in 220 calories and 13 grams of sugar! While there was a good amount of fiber (6 grams) and protein (5 grams) in each serving, I still wouldn’t consider the product to be worth the calories. I also found the product to be quite pricey!

Labeling:

Labeling of this product was clear and concise. The nutrition facts, info about the company, certification emblems, and serving suggestions are all clearly marked on the bag.

Packaging:

Packaging for this product was a large zip-loc style thick plastic bag, which seemed appropriate for keeping the product fresh. Despite the appropriate nature of the bag, I found myself wondering why such a seemingly environmentally invested company would not make a compostable or recyclable container.


Reader’s Reviews:

Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:       3
Taste:           2
Value:          2
OVERALL:    2.3

Reviewed by Lacy D.

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