Oftentimes my curiosity gets the best of me and, because of this, I’ve come across the new healthy Granola from Brownwoodacres.com.

I’ve always been curious about the diets of healthy people for some reason.  Why do they eat what they eat, what kind of metabolism do they have, how often do they work out, etc.

The owner of Brownwood Acres and FruitFast has been no exception for me.  Steve deTar is the only member of our staff (or neighborhood) that I would be at all hesitant to compare vital signs with.  He’s trim, always active and in better shape than most health practitioners.

So what does he eat?  I think a better question is what doesn’t he eat.  Always the traveler, Steve is constantly sharing his food and menu stories from around the globe.  All the while, he’s continuously stressing the importance of moderation.  The other constant I’ve found in his diet is a hearty and healthy Granola made by Nature’s Hand.  In fact, he’s now distributing 7 different flavors through the Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast website.  He also adds dried cherries and a bit of cherry juice concentrate to this classic morning energy meal.

Take a look at some of the advantages of this delicious and nutritious granola

• 7 flavors to choose from
• Sun-ripened fruits added
• All natural ingredients
• No preservatives
• Vegetarian / vegan friendly

Click below for more information on any of these 7 different honey sweetened granola options:

Raisin Hazelnut Granola
Cranberry Apricot Granola
Coconut Cashew Granola
Wild Blueberry Granola
Cinnamon Apple Granola
Vanilla Almond Granola
Maple Pecan Granola

On top of that, at the time of this posting the cost of this nutritious Granola is only $4.95 per 1 pound bag (regular price $5.95).  It’s even more economical than others packed in smaller 12 oz sizes.  By adding a package to your existing heart healthy Pomegranate juice concentrate or Pomegranate gelcap order, your shipping fee would hardly change at all.

So the next time you’re ordering FruitFast’s fruit juice concentrates or just exploring our complete line of healthy fruit softgel capsules and fruit supplement bars simply tack on a bag of healthy Granola.

Like mine, your curiosity and taste buds will be pleasantly surprised!

Making your shopping experience the best it can be is what we strive to provide our customers.

Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast is always looking for ways to improve our services and that’s why we have added PayPal to our list of online ordering options.

We, of course, will continue to accept credit card purchases through Discover, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.  In addition to these current payment options, we have now added PayPal as another alternative for shoppers.

It’s our way of making your visit to Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast as pleasurable, secure and simple as possible.

Eating foods that taste good and are GOOD for you are daily decisions we all make.  Oftentimes, we make food choices unconsciously.  It’s the reason FruitFast suggests we all pay attention to food labels to get in the habit of doing what’s right for our bodies.

Food labels don’t tell us what foods to eat, but they contain vitally important information in making your decisions of what to buy and consume. 

Basically there are two important parts to reading a food or supplement label; the nutrition or supplement facts and the ingredients.

Nutrition and Supplement Facts -  The nutrition or supplement facts tell us the amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates, sugars, fiber,  saturated fats, vitamins and minerals that a product contains per serving.  Be sure to note the amount of sugars, saturated and trans fats as these compounds should be limited, according to the USDA.

Ingredients List -  The list of ingredients is key to note when purchasing any type of food or supplement.  It lets you know what a product contains, such as unhealthy chemicals.  If a label contains more than a few unpronounceable compounds, chances are it’s not a nutritious choice.  The Food and Drug Administration requires manufacturers to list the ingredients with the largest quantities first and the smallest quantities last.

Read and compare our FruitFast labels with others.  Take, for instance, our juice concentrates, they contain only one ingredient – 100% juice without added water, fillers or preservatives.  And our proprietary line of fruit softgels, like CherryFlex, Wild Blueberry and Pomegranate, contain USA grown pure fruit as their first listed ingredients.

FruitFast recognizes the importance of letting our customers know the nutritional facts and ingredients in all our products.  You’ll find certificates of analysis conducted by outside professional laboratories posted on our website.  Have  questions about our product ingredients?   We invite you to give us a call toll free at 1-877-591-3101.

A 2009 survey shows that Americans are connecting the dots when it comes to recognizing the link between food they consume and their overall health.  Here at FruitFast, it’s the basis of our business!

Conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), survey findings indicated that 89 percent of respondents agree certain foods have benefits beyond basic nutrition.  And this is a significant increase from just two years ago, says the IFIC.

The Health Consumer Trending Survey found Americans making the connection that they are what they eat.  Elizabeth Rahavi, RD and associate director of wellness at IFIC, said “Consumers’ awareness of many food and health relationships has reached an all-time high.”

According to the survey, the top functional foods named by consumers are: 1) fruits and vegetables; 2) fish, fish oil, seafood; 3) dairy (including milk and yogurt); 4) meat and poultry; and 5) herbs/spices, among others. But beyond consumer interest in individual foods, research shows people are increasingly associating nutrients with specific health benefits for:

• bone and heart health
• antioxidants for protection against free radicals
• healthy immune systems
• omega 3 fatty acids for cognitive health 1

But as you might expect, saying and doing are two different things.  Maintaining a healthy diet – that includes plenty of fruits, antioxidants, beneficial oils and phytonutrients – is the key.

We invite you to browse our website and research the natural goodness that can always be found in FruitFast products.

1   www.foodinsight.org/

Put on a few pounds over the Holidays?  Well, you are not alone.  Isn’t it amazing how easily it goes on – and how tough it is to take off?  Common sense tells me a bit of dedication and a fair share of commitment are what’s needed.

Regular exercise is part of the answer, says the online health site WebMD, along with diet and good sleep habits.  It doesn’t mean you have to buy a costly gym membership necessarily, but chances are you will only stick to your fitness regime if you enjoy what you are doing.  Whether it’s walking, biking, running, tennis, or just taking the steps instead of the elevator, you have to  make it an ongoing part of your lifestyle.  Exercising with a friend is another suggestion to help with the consistency, too, and keep you moving.

When it comes to diet,  a healthy dose of willpower doesn’t hurt either.  Eat well-balanced meals three times a day, control your portions and no binge eating.  That last one’s tough, too.  Stay away from the junk food, and as my boss says, if a product has a long list of ingredients you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it!

FruitFast has some excellent choices when it comes to healthy foods to include in your daily diet.  I’ll be happy to tell you about our Super Fruit juice concentrates in great tasting flavors like tart cherry, pomegranate and wild blueberry, or our line of popular fruit softgels and our low calorie FruitFast bars.  Talk about good for you – these are delicious and make adding more fruit to your diet easy for you and your family.

So give us a call … toll free at 1-877-591-3101 … and we’ll help you on your way to a healthy 2010!

Straightforward.  My elementary schoolteacher called it a compound word and Webster’s defines it as “simple, clear-cut, uncomplicated, easy and basic.”

This time of year brings with it personal promises of ways to improve our lives and associations.  And there’s no harm in reminding ourselves that there’s plenty of room for improvement.

Top 10 lists for a brighter year ahead traditionally advocate a variety of lifestyle changes.  Take www.about.com and their advice to fit in fitness, stop smoking and drinking, spend more time with family and friends and simplify life.  AARP.org takes a similar slant at enhancing our existence:  Get out and party, laugh a lot, take naps, dance, get regular exercise, make whoopee and enjoy the great outdoors.

My approach can be summed up in the word “straightforward.”   To me it means forging ahead with dreams and vision, and setting clear-cut goals for this company.  Simplify whenever possible to keep life less complicated.

As FruitFast greets a new year, we’ll continue taking pure USA-grown fruits and developing down-to-earth products for notable health benefits.  We look forward to offering our customers innovative supplements and food products backed by top-flight scientific research.

In 2010, you can bet FruitFast will once again be straightforward in delivering the power of fruit for healthier living.

Happy New Year!