07 Oct 2016
by linettefm
in All Natural, Baking, Cooking, Food, Health and Beauty, Natural, Non-GMO, Nutrition, Product Samples, Product testing, Review, Samples
Tags: #upnaturerawalmonds, Almonds, Amazon, Amazon Food, ASIN: B01KG6GJI4, Baking, cooking, Cooking & Baking, gluten free, Grocery & Gourmet Food, Healthy Snacks, Kosher Certified, no chemicals, no irradiation, no pesticides, Non-GMO almonds, nuts, Nuts & Seeds, Raw Almonds, Review, STEAM PASTEURIZED., Up Nature Almonds, UPC: 718194134622, UpNature, UpNature Almonds, UpNature Raw Almonds 2.5 Lbs 100% All Natural, UpNature: 100% Natural Raw Almonds


I usually admit that I buy many different types of nuts in whole form but always in bulk. Buying in bulk is great as you get a lower price per ounce/pound because you are buying more product at one time. The factor that can sometimes backfire on me comes to quality. Many producers yield great batches but as the year progresses, you start seeing some add less premium nuts to their batches but here you are paying the same price point or even higher if the weather was an issue. The bargain is lost when you buy less quality nuts in bulk. You are then sort of stuck trying to consume a product you may not be too fond of.

Retail Price Point: $25.99 for a 2.5 pound bag via Amazon

Verdict:
When UpNature had already surprised me in a favorable manner with their raw honey, I though why not when it came to trying their almonds. Again like their honey, this is another product that is left as natural as can be. Raw almonds that are not smoked and actually steamed pasteurized. I love roasted and/or smoked nuts but over time data has stated that the benefits are not the same and actually the oils in the nuts can be harmful, as oxidation and other changes are caused by the high heat they come in contact with. UpNature grows their almonds in California with minimal processing and each nut was flawless when I received it. They also bag their almonds in a brown bag versus a plastic bag, which can inhibit moisture and mold growth. The almonds are kosher certified and have never come in contact with pesticides, irradiation, or any chemicals. Just plain almonds with premium quality but wholesale pricing. I found the nuts to be pleasant in texture, not mealy and fresh. The taste I describe as a mild sweetness as the flavors are natural in their raw form. No salts or anything to get in the way, so it really leaves it up to you and your imagination to enhance the almond, or like I enjoy them…….just as they are.
I received the above product(s) free of charge from UpNature. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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07 Oct 2016
by linettefm
in All Natural, Baking, Cooking, Food, Fruits and Veggies, Home, Natural, Non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, Product testing, Review, Samples, Seasonings
Tags: #upnaturehoney, 100% Natural, All Natural and pure honey, Amazon Food, ASIN: B01KG6NVEO, Baking, Certified Organic, cooking, Cooking & Baking, Food, Freshly harvested from the hive, gourmet food, grocery, Honey, Honeys, Kosher Certified, No chemicals or additives, Non-GMO Food, Organic Honey, Pure Honey in a Glass Jar, Raw Honey, Raw Organic Honey, RAW ORGANIC HONEY - 400 GRAMS, Review, Spreads, Sugars & Sweeteners, Sweet and Creamy, sweeteners, Syrups, Ukraine Honey, unfiltered and unpasteurized, unheated, UNPROCESSED HONEY, Up Nature Honey, Up Nature Review, UPC: 718207658992, UpNature Honey, UpNatute Review, USDA Certified, USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC HONEY


Honey is one of nature’s most simplest products and the applications are endless. Now buying honey was very simple before. You usually picked a jar or a bear shaped bottle and you had honey ready to go. Then the industry decided to get funny but not in a very laughable kind of sense. We had companies add fillers and sell honeys from around the world that were high in price but not quality. You were paying pretty much for sugars and not even the good kind. Some even add enhancements and flavoring, which are not even naturally occurring. So finding a brand you can trust and sells true and honest honey can be a bit of a hunt but so worth it. You will even find if you use the real stuff, like with vanilla extracts, you end up needing less because of the purity.

UpNature makes Raw and Organic Honey with zero surprises or fillers. You get the real stuff with zero processing. The good stuff is kept in and no bad stuff added! Simplicity and honesty at it’s finest. UpNature is USDA Organic Certified, Free of GMOs, and even Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified. Free from being heated and literally jarred in the same form it was gathered.
Price Point: $17.99 via Amazon or $19.99 via UpNature’s Website for a 400 gram jar

Verdict:
The first thing I noticed was that the honey in the jar was not clear like many in the stores that have been processed via heat so other fillers can be added and combined. You have a semi-opaque liquid that tends to run slower than other honeys of like kind. It’s almost the texture of a maple syrup of high grade when you move it in the jar. The color is a brilliant amber! Just beautiful and UpNature gave the bottle a beautiful beehive design on the golden colored lid, so the little details were very much appreciated. The taste test is just amazing. There is thickness to the honey but it’s a creamy texture and very smooth. I tried it on bread first to see how it tasted and I had to stop myself. I had no idea I liked honey so much until I tried UpNature’s honey. The product is from the Ukraine and the bottle states the honey is cultivated from fields that are rich in minerals, so the bees create a honey that is really made from wildflowers. I tried it with tea the second time and just a 1/4 of a teaspoon was more than satisfying and enhanced the flavor of the tea, which was orange/citrus in taste. This honey just brightened that little tea cup and changed the flavor profile completely. I love using less because this means this jar shall last! I have a recipe for blonde brownies where honey is used as a sweetener and I will be using this one because it will definitely create a better texture (moist) to the brownies.
I received the above product(s) free of charge from UPNature. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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