I love fruit and veg smoothies. Not only are they are delicious, they are also an easy way to pack in lots of vitamins, fibre, nuts and seeds into my diet. Before I had my daughter I would blitz up a smoothie on most days. However, said daughter has decided that she is terrified of my Nutribullet (and she can sense it from two rooms away), which means that now I can only make smoothies when she is out of the house (i.e. very rarely!).
This is why, when I was given the chance to try the new Plantshakes from FOGA this week I jumped at the chance.
The ingredients are all freeze dried and come in powder form. All you need to do is add water (or mylk of your choice) and shake! Ideal.
FOGA Flavours
The flavour options include Raspberry and Banana, Strawberry and Mango, Matcha and Moringa, Blueberry and Apple, Banana and Tumeric, Berries and Cinnamon, Kiwi and Greens, Beetroot and Ginger, Berry and Beetroot Protein, Blackberry and Chia, Strawberry and Banana, Peach and Cayanne, Peanut and Coffee, Carrot Cake Protein and Ginger and Greens.
There are also Oatshakes, with flavours including Strawberry and Raspberry, Peanut butter and Berries and Blueberry Pie.
Vegan and Paleo Friendly
All of the shakes are suitable for vegans. They are free from gluten, wheat, corn, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, egg, yeast, animal products, GMO’s, herbicides, pesticides, harmful chemicals, artificial colours, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and added sugar.
However, they are not suitable for people suffering with peanut allergies as we have products which contain peanuts and prepare them all on the same site.
The Taste Test
I was sent four flavours to try and was really impressed by how the smoothies tasted.
The first I tried – Peach and Cayenne – I just shook up with 250ml water and was pleasantly surprised by both the fruity flavour – definitely a smoothie and not a squash! – and the texture, which was thicker than I had anticipated given it was just the powder plus water.
The Peanut and Coffee, which I shook up with Oat mylk and served with ice was too good! It was thick, creamy and delicious. Alongside coffee and peanuts, the ingredients included macca, which I love the taste of, as well as pea protein, banana, cinnamon and lucuma.
The shakes came with a magazine, which advised on how to shake them up (water first, then powder) and what with mylk, water or ice.
They also offered some recipes to try with the powders including golden overnight oats with the Banana and Turmeric pouch (which I will be trying tomorrow!) and Chocolate and PB Pancakes using the Peanut and Coffee powders (yum!).
There are lots more recipe ideas, sweet and savoury, on the website here.
How do they compare to other products on the market?
The powders claim to use the highest quality whole, freeze-dried, organic fruit and veg. They are free from ‘extracts’, sweeteners or flavourings. They also contain less sugar and more fibre than many bottled smoothies and shakes.
As good as fresh?
Due to the freeze drying process used to make these powders, FOGA claims that the fruit and veg reaches you ‘as good as fresh’. That is in terms of both nutrition and flavour.
Just like frozen fruit, freeze dried produce can actually have higher nutrient content than fresh. This is how our shakes are at least as good as something you make in a blender at home.
About FOGA
FOGA was established by husband and wife team Phoebe and Ollie. Living busy city lives they wanted to find a quick and easy way to pack healthy food choices into their diets. They were also fed up with the number of ‘health-washed’ products on the market. In the absence of plant-powered products that weren’t expensive or smoothies that weren’t packed with sugar but low on fibre, they wanted to bring their own product to market. They believe that food ‘shouldn’t be made of mouthfeel enhancers, stabilisers and preservatives’. So their products use simple processes, and nothing artificial.
Green credentials
Recycling
FOGA’s circular recycling programme helps to prevent their packaging from ending up in landfill. They provide a pre-paid envelope to return empty sachets, which they then recycle with their partner, Terracycle.
Negative Carbon Footprint
FOGA also have a partnership with OneTreePlanted and they have planted 10,000 trees in the last year! OneTreePlanted focus on areas of the world most affected by deforestation – such as Australia, the Amazon Rainforest and India.
Easy storage, less waste
Plantshakes can be stored without refrigeration for up to 12 months, meaning they don’t require additional energy. They are lightweight, and don’t take up much room so can be shipped using existing delivery networks.
Supply chain
98% of the ingredients in FOGA products are from Organic, ethical farmers, who work with nature. This is not only more sustainable but also means less pesticide pollution, healthier soils, and more nutritious produce.
Less Plastic
FOGA sachets contain thirty times less plastic than a regular smoothie served in a plastic bottle. And as soon as they can find a plastic free material that preserves the nutrition and can be widely composted, they are keen to use it.
Find out more
You can find out more about FOGA via their website, where you can order shake sachets.
You can also follow them on Instagram @fogashakes
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